Alstom, Morocco launch first urban transit service

On Wednesday, Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, inaugurated the new Alstom Transport Citadis passenger service between Rabat and Salé. This is the first urban area in Morocco to operate a state-of-the-art tramway network.

In 2008, STRS ordered 44 Citadis tramsets from Alstom. The trams will run on a network of two lines that connect 31 stations and extend over a total of 12 miles. The fleet is made up of 19 double tramsets and six single bi-directional tramsets, which are scheduled to come into service in summer 2011.

Morocco's first tramway is notable for its accessibility, high capacity and the comfort it provides. The double tramsets’ integral low floor, which is level with the platform, and 12 side doors ensure easy access, especially for people with reduced mobility. Each double tramset is 210 feet long, has 118 seated places, and can carry between 400 and 600 passengers during rush hour.

The tramways feature tried and tested equipment that is fitted as standard on all tramways and are the result of feedback about all the Citadis tramways currently in service. A number of the elements that make them up can also be customized, such as the design of the driver’s cabin, the livery and the interior fittings. The air conditioning and large tinted glass windows, plus the seating and wide aisles, passenger information displays in French and Arabic, and quiet engine operation have all been designed to ensure pleasant travel conditions

This transport infrastructure project is part of a program to develop the Bouregreg valley in response to a growing demand for public transportation. It will function as a structural feature for the Rabat-Salé urban area. The project also reintroduces public transportation to the area, which had existed in the first part of the 20th Century as a tool for developing and modernizing the country's main urban areas.