Government officials announce $10 billion high-speed rail project — here's how it could revolutionize transportation for millions

Morocco's push to overhaul its train system with better coverage and expanded high-speed rail could be steaming ahead with an announced $9.6 billion investment plan.

The plan, described in Newsweek, would be a crucial step in Morocco's broader vision to revolutionize rail travel by 2040. Government leaders of the North African country hope to nearly double the number of cities served by rail and increase train coverage from today's 51% of the population to 87%.

The $9.6 billion investment would be a key part of that expansion.

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Abdessamad Kayouh, Moroccan minister of transport and logistics, said the plan includes a high-speed railway from coastal Kenitra to inland Marrakech. This would link to the existing Al Boraq high-speed line that already connects Tangier to Casablanca, the country's largest city and its commercial capital. Beyond high-speed rail, the initiative also includes purchasing new trains and upgrading 40 rail stations nationwide.

Morocco is already a leader in African rail development thanks to Al Boraq, which was inaugurated in 2018 and is the continent's only high-speed train. Morocco is now racing to upgrade its trains further as part of a wider logistics overhaul intended to boost its economy and improve access for when the kingdom co-hosts the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

"Morocco is pursuing plans to pump heavy investments into the rail infrastructure to accommodate the rapid increase in passengers," Kayouh said in December, per AGBI.

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As governments around the world eye ambitious infrastructure development plans, high-speed rail projects are typically high on the wishlist. Upgrading train lines is an effective way to move people and heavy freight — both of which are vital for sustainable economic growth.

Even better, trains can improve a country's carbon impact by reducing transit by more wasteful cars and trucks. High-speed trains also run on electricity, not diesel or other carbon fuels, and can be powered by renewable sources of energy.

Last year, Vietnam announced its intention to build a high-speed line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by 2035. That project, part of a larger upgrade of Vietnam's north-south connections, would cost an estimated $67.34 billion.

Parts of the U.S. could also see new high-speed rail access in years to come. There are at least five railways suggested today, and with a growing number of international projects in the works, one of these could be next.