The Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Extension is a 430 kilometer high-speed line located between Kenitra and Marrakech, Morocco, and construction has advanced well past the contract stage covered when Colas won its $445 million package. Progress reported in mid-2026 put the line at roughly 30 percent complete, with land acquisition finished, 20 million cubic meters of earthworks executed, and 92 rail and road bridges under construction, according to reporting on the African Development Bank’s financing.

Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Extension Draws New Freight Focused Financing

The African Development Bank approved a $221 million loan on July 8, 2026 for a project known as PADIF, targeting freight capacity on this same corridor and the Casablanca rail hub. That financing follows Maersk’s decision to route Tangier bound cargo onto a rail corridor into Casablanca built on the same network, a sign the line is becoming as important for freight as for the passenger speeds it was originally designed around.

Project Overview

• Project Name: Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Extension
• Location: Kenitra to Marrakech, Morocco, via Rabat and Casablanca
• Project Value: Approximately $10.3 billion (MAD 96 billion) across ONCF’s wider Rail 2040 program; roughly $5.7 billion (MAD 53 billion) allocated to this line’s infrastructure
• Client/Owner: Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF)
• Main Contractor: Colas Rail and its Moroccan subsidiary Grands Travaux Routiers (GTR), holding contracts worth about $445 million; Italy’s GCF leads the southern Sidi El Aidi to Marrakech section
• Key Components: 430 kilometer double track high speed corridor; 15 viaducts; 92 rail and road bridges; three covered trench sections near Casablanca airport, Zenata, and Ain Atiq; 168 new trainsets on order from Alstom
• Construction Start: April 2025, following the royal launch of the project
• Expected Completion: Civil works targeted for end of 2028; commissioning targeted November 2029, with first dynamic testing planned for January 2029 on the Kenitra to Casablanca section
• Strategic Impact: Cuts Tangier to Marrakech travel time to about two hours forty minutes, positions Morocco for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, and is emerging as freight infrastructure drawing new carrier interest from operators like Maersk

Project Team

• Client/Owner: Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF)
• Civil Engineering Contractor (Lot 3): Grands Travaux Routiers (GTR), a Colas subsidiary
• Track, Catenary and Substation Contractor: Colas Rail, in consortium with SETEC
• Southern Section Contractor: GCF (Italy)
• Trainset Supplier: Alstom
• Financiers: African Development Bank; European Investment Bank; World Bank

Reported 9th February 2025: Colas, a French-based construction company, has inked a $445M contract for Morocco’s high-speed rail extension. The company secured three major contracts in the extension project between Kenitra and Marrakech. Moreover, the deal marks a significant milestone in Morocco’s infrastructure development ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Morocco is set to host the World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. To ensure readiness, the nation aims to boost its rail and train infrastructure before 2030. Colas’ General Director, Francis Grass, noted that they are honored to be part of the project. “We take pride in contributing to Morocco’s railway infrastructure development for ONCF,” he said. He also noted that the project demonstrates the company’s commitment to the Kingdom’s economic growth. Furthermore, he noted that the company seeks to support the nation’s major initiatives, like hosting the 2030 World Cup.

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The Scope of Implementation on Morocco’s High-Speed Rail Extension

Colas’ Moroccan subsidiary Grands Travaux Routiers (GTR) will handle the $200 million civil engineering package. This includes earthworks, engineering structures, and the construction of five bridges across a 40-kilometer stretch. Morocco’s high-speed rail extension is expected to be completed by late 2027. On the other hand, in partnership with SETEC, Colas Rail acquired two additional contracts amounting to $270 million. The larger contract covers the design and construction of tracks, overhead lines and electrical substations. On the other hand, the second contract, totaling $54 million, focuses on superstructure work and civil engineering on operational tracks.

Once completed, the project will extend the high-speed line connecting Tangier to Kenitra. The outcome will be the creation of a world-class rail network that reaches Marrakech. The scope includes 346 kilometers of single-track high-speed rail. Moreover, it includes 112 kilometers of single-track regional network. Completion on this scope of the project is scheduled for 2028. Colas, which has operated in Morocco for nearly a century, signed these contracts at the beginning of the year. These contracts solidify its position as a key infrastructure partner in the country’s development.

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Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail: Final Contract Awarded

Morocco’s $4.2 Billion Kenitra-Marrakech High-speed Railway Line