Morocco’s ONCF to buy 168 trains from France’s Alstom, Spain’s CAF and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem

Morocco’s ONCF has chosen France’s Alstom, Spain’s CAF, and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem as manufacturers of its tender to buy 168 trains, including high-speed, intercity and urban trains.

The new trains will help ONCF renew its existing fleet and accommodate for traffic growth, the rail operator said in a statement.

It also added that the new acquisitions are part of its development plans in preparation for the 2030 World Cup. Morocco plans to extend the high-speed line from Kenitra to Marrakech and the launch of new local rail services within and between cities.

After a year-long examination, three contracts have been awarded to the companies that submitted the most competitive and economically advantageous offers, ONCF said.

Alstom will thus supply 18 trains, Spain’s CAF will supply 40 inter-city trains, and Hyundai Rotem 110 urbain trains (RER), ONCF said.

These contracts include commitments for industrial compensation, involving the development of industrial activities in Morocco to support the national railway industrial ecosystem, it said,

ONCF ambitions to spur the setting up of a local plant for manufacturing commuter trains, with the aim of developing export ambitions for trains in the medium and long term.

ONCF plans to extend the high-speed train service to Marrakech before the 2030 World Cup. By 2040, Morocco plans to connect 43 cities with the rail network, from only 23 currently, which will benefit 87% of the population.