New High Speed Link Between Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia

A new high speed train line linking Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria will soon become reality, according to Yacine Ben Jaballah, General Director of National Company of Rail Transportation (SNTF) in Algeria. He added that technical studies have already begun in Algeria.

“The train line will go from Morocco, through Algeria to Tunisia, to provide services for the citizens of the three countries,” he stated.

The National Company of Rail Transportation aims to enlarge its trail network to reach 12,500 kilometres through the whole Algerian territory by the year 2025. This project is part of the company’s plan to restore the train system. This plan includes the modernization of line signals and improve communication technology in the trains.

An amount of 127 billion Algerian Dinars – equivalent to 2.5 billion Tunisian Dinars ($1.281 million USD)- was allocated in 2014 for the project. The project will begin in Morocco and move towards Algiers, and finally reach Tunis. The company already ordered 30 freight locomotives from the US and 17 others from France.

The concept of a train line linking Tripoli and Casablanca through Tunis and Algiers came about after a meeting in 2014 between transport ministers from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya. As of now, there is no existing train line, only a highway that links the cities. From Tunis to Algiers, the journey via highway would take an estimated 10 hours.

This trans-Maghreb high speed train is designed to “encourage cross-border connections.” Due to Libya’s deteriorating security situation, however, the country is no longer part of the project.

Tunisia Live is waiting for more information from the Ministry of Transport in regards to its role in the trans-Maghreb railway project.

Source: Tunisa Live