An exciting new
possibility for easy and sustainable transportation between two continents
separated by water is on the horizon. A historic rail tunnel project between Spain
and Morocco,
which would span the Strait of Gibraltar, is being contemplated by the two
countries’ transportation ministries, and not for the first time.
This project,
which was initially proposed way back in 1979, is now being reconsidered with a
new sense of urgency, thanks to the upcoming 2030 World Cup, which will take
place across Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The two nations also conducted feasibility
studies back in 1981, but the initiative lost momentum and was never completed.
In fact, according to The
Telegraph, the Spanish government first proposed the concept of constructing
a tunnel beneath the strait as far back as 1930, but engineers discovered that
the feat was impossible with the technologies of the era.
The imagined undersea
rail tunnel connecting Southern
Europe to Northern
Africa would link Madrid
directly to Casablanca with a travel time of about five and a half hours. That’s
a significant improvement over present transport options, which are to hop aboard
a plane for a flight of about two hours, or drive or take a ferry for about 12
hours.
The proposed train
tracks would run through a newly created underwater tunnel connecting Punta
Paloma, Spain, to Malabata, Morocco, near Tangier. According to published
plans provided by the Spanish
Society for Fixed Communication Studies across the Strait of Gibraltar (SECEGSA),
the completed rail line would span 26 miles, with approximately 17 miles of
that total length running below the waters of the strait, sitting at a depth of
about 1,550 feet below sea level at its lowest point.
Casablanca, Morocco, North Africa. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/tinasdreamworld)
If realized, the
train line would become the first direct rail link between Europe and Africa,
and boast the capacity to transport up to 12.8 million passengers annually, SECEGSA
projections indicated. There would also be an opportunity for this proposed
intercontinental rail line to link up with existing rail infrastructure in both
countries, making it possible for travelers to continue beyond the two cities
on either side.
High-level talks
between Spain and Morocco have been ongoing over the past year, with transport
ministers from both countries engaging in discussions since Spring 2023. Following
an April 2023 meeting, Spain’s Minister of Transport, Mobility, and Urban
Agenda, Raquel Sánchez, said in a release,
“We are therefore beginning a new stage in the relaunch of the Fixed Link
Project through the Strait of Gibraltar, which we began in 1981."
Already, Spain has
apportioned €2.3 million
($2.47 million) to conduct its own feasibility studies for the long-delayed
underwater rail tunnel project. And, according to Condé
Nast Traveler, SECEGSA’s counterpart, the Moroccan National Company for
Strait Studies (SNED) last week announced that it was initiating preliminary
research into the feasibility of the undertaking, such as logistics and
construction costs. While the actual cost of such a project has not been
specified, reported estimates place the number at roughly $7.5 billion.
While the aim would obviously be to have the train line operational by 2030,
there is currently no definitive timeline for wrapping up the exploratory phase
or receiving official approval for the project. However, an upcoming strategic
meeting between the two nations in June could provide the impetus needed to
kick-start construction, especially with the World Cup serving as a potential
catalyst for realizing this long-delayed scheme.
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