San Francisco Chronicle highlights Al Boraq as Africa’s only high speed rail

The Al Boraq high speed rail network has received praise from the San Francisco Chronicle, which described it as Africa’s first and only high speed train while highlighting Morocco’s achievement in modern rail transport.

The newspaper noted that Al Boraq, operated by the National Railway Office (ONCF), connects Casablanca and Tangier in just 2 hours and 17 minutes. Before the high speed line opened in 2018, the same journey required nearly five hours.

Columnist Joe Mathews traveled aboard Al Boraq during a visit to Morocco and reported that the railway has become one of the country’s most popular transport services. He also pointed out that the project was completed at one of the world’s lowest construction costs for a high speed railway.

The article contrasts Morocco’s successful rail project with California’s long delayed effort to develop a high speed train linking the northern and southern parts of the US state.

According to the report, Morocco built a 323 kilometer railway across flood-prone terrain that required 286 engineering structures and 13 viaducts, including the 3.5 kilometer El Hachef Viaduct south of Tangier.

The newspaper attributes the project’s success to strong international partnerships, a straightforward infrastructure strategy, and sustained political commitment.

It notes that Morocco worked closely with France’s SNCF and engineering company Alstom. International high speed rail specialists collaborated with Moroccan teams throughout the project, while planners reduced costs by integrating four existing railway stations instead of building entirely new terminals.

The San Francisco Chronicle also recalls that the current coastal line represents only the first phase of Morocco’s planned 1,500 kilometer high speed rail network. The full network is expected to be completed by 2030, when Morocco will co-host the FIFA World Cup.

Projects already underway include a dedicated high speed section between Rabat and Kenitra, a new regional express rail system for Casablanca, and a new high speed corridor extending from Casablanca to Marrakech and eventually Agadir. The article notes that the distance between Tangier and Agadir is comparable to that between San Francisco and San Diego.