Rabat Salé Tramway

The tramway of Rabat-Salé is a public transportation project in the Rabat-Salé agglomeration.¹ The project is a primary element of the “Bouregreg Valley Development Project,” ^{i 2} which aims to enhance Rabat’s competitiveness among the world’s leading modern metropolises³ by creating new mixed-use developments for living, working and recreation at the heart of the Rabat-Salé-Témara metropolitan area.⁴ The project addresses the issue of congestion, effectively meeting the growing travel demands within the twin cities.⁵

The project aims to enhance traffic flow and accessibility to the city center from other densely populated areas such as Temara and Sala al Jadida,⁶ and establish a connection between the two banks of neighboring cities.⁷ It also seeks to enhance the quality of the urban environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, through incorporation of eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable transportation methods, while ensuring both safety and consistent operations.⁸

The Tram network, comprising two lines, extends over 20 kilometers, with three kilometers shared by both lines. The tram system caters to a population of 400,000, serving up to 170,000 passengers per day.⁹ Featuring a station at every 500-meter interval, for a total of 31 stops, these two routes encompass key urban centers with high density, ensuring accessibility to essential places such as university towns, hospitals, government buildings, as well as bus and train stations.¹⁰ The Rabat-Salé tramway has beenoperational since 2011¹¹ across two lines:

• The first, considered a backbone of the agglomeration, runs from Hay Karima in Salé to the Al Irfane university city in Rabat, covering a distance of 11.7 kilometers. It connects the main hubs of the two cities via 22 stations with a journey time of 36 minutes.¹²
• The second line serves densely populated areas such as Bettana in Salé and Yaâcoub Al Mansour and the Ocean in Rabat, covering a distance of 7.8 Kilometers. It passes through 14 stations, with a travel time of 25 minutes.¹³

An extension of line 2 was completed in 2020 in both cities. The Rabat extension now reaches the Yaâcoub Al Mansour area, following Essalam avenue to the crossroads with Al Kifah Avenue. This extension covers a length of 2.4 kilometers and includes 4 new stations. In Salé, the extension stretches from the current endpoint at Hassan II avenue, along Zarbia avenue, to the new Moulay Abdellah hospital in Salé, covering 4.6 kilometers.¹⁴ Another extension of Line 2 is under evaluation, with plans to extend it toward Sala El Jadida in Salé and Témara.¹⁵

The project was initiated by The Bouregreg Valley Development Agency in partnership with the municipalities of Rabat and Salé.¹⁶ The Rabat-Salé Tramway Company (STRS), which is a public company, was established by a Prime Ministerial Decree and Jointly funded by the State, the municipalities of Rabat and Salé, and led by the Bouregreg Valley Development Agency. STRS is tasked with designing, financing, and constructing the tramway system. Additionally, it oversees both direct and indirect operations, ensuring compliance with current regulations.¹⁷

Transdev Veolia was awarded a contract to operate the Rabat and Salé tramway in 2010.¹⁸ The project was implemented by Colas Rail company and GTR and has been in service since May 2011.¹⁹ The tramway project cost is approximately $475 million. Funding sources for the project included a contribution of $70 million from the Rabat-Salé Tramway Company (STRS), $127 million from the Bouregreg Valley Development Agency (AAVB), and $200 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB).²⁰