Traveling halfway around the world for Morocco
Morocco is in an exceptional geographical position: it is a gateway to Africa, Europe and even the Middle East, and across the ocean to the USA . It is no wonder that the North African country is a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and is increasingly close to China. Chinese companies are also building one of the country's flagship projects, the high-speed rail network. At the same time, more and more tourists from the Far East are discovering Morocco.
Traveling halfway around the world for Morocco
Geurasia

Traveling halfway around the world for Morocco

Photo: JACQUES Pierre / hemis.fr / Hemis via AFP
Dávid László 12/03/2025 15:39

Morocco is in an exceptional geographical position: it is a gateway to Africa, Europe and even the Middle East, and across the ocean to the USA . It is no wonder that the North African country is a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and is increasingly close to China. Chinese companies are also building one of the country's flagship projects, the high-speed rail network. At the same time, more and more tourists from the Far East are discovering Morocco.

What's it like to speed through Morocco in a 340 km/h train? It's quite relaxing. The high-speed train - called a bullet train because of its streamlined nose - glides soundlessly rather than rattling along the tracks. The pace, which rivals that of Formula 1 racing cars, is unnoticeable in the comfortable seats. Only the fast-changing scenery in the window and the speedometer creeping up the display testify to the incredible speed.

For the time being, Africa's only high-speed railway connects the major cities of northern Morocco, from Tangier to Casablanca. Traditional express trains also link the tourist hub of Marrakech to the Atlantic coastal resort of Agadir and the deeper desert areas. This is important because they offer an easy way to discover new areas as a tourist. In Morocco, the train is a European-standard alternative for travel: the trains are clean, comfortable, and relatively cheap, starting from $15-20. Their only flaw is that, for now, wifi is not available, even in first class. The line is called Al-Burak, which in Arabic means "lightning" or "shining light", and refers to the mythical steed that, according to Islamic tradition, carried the Prophet Mohammed to Jerusalem during the so-called night journey.

No wonder Morocco wants to extend its high-speed rail network to the whole country. It is planned to connect Marrakesh and then Agadir in several phases over the next decade. While France was still the leader in the construction of the first lines - the inauguration in 2018 was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron - Chinese companies have increasingly won tenders for the newer sections.

China, if anywhere, knows how to build a high-speed rail network: more than 3,600 "bullet trains" run at speeds of up to 350 kilometres per hour every day for 48,000 kilometres. Most recently, at the end of 2024, Gezhouba won a $225 million tender to build a line linking Kentira and Marrakech, with a viaduct spanning several rivers in between. This makes it the fifth Chinese company to win a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars for this major project, beating French firms.
Moroccan high speed train. Photo: Facebook

China has also become one of Morocco's most important trading partners. Trade in goods has doubled in the last ten years and now exceeds $8 billion. China is now third in imports, after Spain and France. They have played a key role in flagship investments such as the construction of the Nuremberg solar park, considered one of the largest in the world, and the Mohammed VI Tower in Rabat, which is vying for the title of Africa's tallest building. It was no coincidence that in November 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a point of visiting Casablanca to strengthen strategic cooperation between their countries.

Morocco is also increasingly popular with Asian tourists, especially Chinese tourists. The North African country attracted more than 17 million foreign visitors last year, surpassing even Egypt. Last year, this amounted to just over 100,000 Chinese visitors, which may seem a low number, but it is a significant bounce back after the coronavirus outbreak. In Rabat, too, we are finding that it is mainly Asian faces that are popping up under the big-brimmed hats, with more and more Chinese and Japanese discovering Morocco, according to our guide. So far, the main obstacle to growth has been the lack of direct flights: the Marseille stopover has lengthened the already short journey of more than 10,000 kilometres. This is expected to at least double the number of Chinese tourists this year.

The VI. Mohamed-tower in Rabat. Photo: Dávid László

Morocco is also a popular destination for Hungarians. Previously, the easiest way to reach the North African country was to fly from Vienna or Paris, but last autumn Wizz Air launched direct flights to Marrakech. And from there, don't be afraid to take the train to discover the perhaps little-known, but equally exciting northern territories!

#Belt and Road Initiative #China #Morocco
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