Testing Begins on Africa's First High-Speed Train in Morocco

In preparation for the opening of the new high-speed train line in Morocco, officials have started testing the double-decker train cars that will reach speeds of 200 miles per hour.

According to CNN.com, the high-speed train line between the cities of Tangier to Casablanca will reduce travel time from 3.5 hours by car and five hours via rail to just over two hours on the high-speed line. The project is expected to be completed by 2018 and will cost a total of $2 billion, which has been funded by governments in Morocco, France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The city of Tangier is the gateway many travelers use to enter Morocco via flights or ferries from Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries. While prices for tickets on the high-speed train line have not been announced, expectations are that they will be more expensive than the current cost of a train ticket at around $20 one-way.

While the tickets will likely be more expensive, ONCF—Morocco's national railway operator—director general Mohamed Rabie Khlie said the focus of the infrastructure project is to transport all Moroccans.

“We will run trains intended for Moroccans and thus adapted to the purchasing power of Moroccans,” Rabie Khlie said in a statement. “We do not want a train reserved for high-end customers.”

The current rail system running between Tangier and Casablanca serve around three million people annually, but officials believe the number will climb once the new high-speed train line is up and running. The long-term goal of the project is to transport six million passengers a year after three years of operation.

While the trains are set to debut in 2018, they were originally expected to begin service in December 2015, but issues with construction and infrastructure have plagued the project.

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