Al Boraq
Al Boraq (البراق, DMG al-burāq ) is a brand and type of train of the Moroccan state railway ONCF for high-speed rail traffic . The ONCF introduced the brand with the opening of the high-speed line between Tangier and Kénitra on November 15, 2018, since then TGV duplex trains have been running daily under this brand between the train stations Casa-Voyageurs ( Casablanca ) and Tanger-Ville ( Tangier ).
Naming and logo
The name "Al Boraq" comes from the white, horse-like mythical creature of the same name from the Koran, on which, according to tradition, the Prophet Mohammed flew from earth to heaven and back during one night . The name, supposedly from King Mohammed VI. self-awarded, was announced in July 2018.
The logo shows two stylized pulling heads in red and green, both provided with pentagrams and with indicated wing ends. Both the colors and the pentagrams are analogies to the Moroccan flag .
Characteristics
The brand and type of train Al Boraq refers to high-speed trains that ONCF has been operating between Tangier and Casablanca since November 2018. They only stop at a minimal number of central train stations - between Tangier and Casablanca only in Kénitra ( Kenitra train station ) and Rabat ( Rabat Agdal train station ). In normal operation, the trains travel 320 km / h on the high-speed route. There is a gastronomic offer on the trains, as well as free WiFi and electrical outlets.
The ONCF offers two carriage classes - Première Classe and Deuxième classe - for which three types of tickets are sold: flexible tickets ( tarif flexible ), semi-flexible tickets ( tariff semi-flexible ) and fixed special offers ( tarif promotionnel non flexible ). The price also depends not only on the tariff, but also on the time of day ( hors pointe , standard , point ) and the time of purchase. Additional discounts are granted with youth, student and senior cards. There is a fixed price for children under 15, and children under 4 travel free.
Tickets are sold both online and at train stations. There is no reservation requirement. Passengers with first class tickets can visit the “Al Boraq Lounge” at the four stations where Al Boraq trains stop and enjoy free food and drinks.
business
Al Boraq trains currently run exclusively between the cities of Casablanca and Tangier with stops in Kénitra and Rabat; they use the LGV Tangier – Kenitra high-speed line opened in 2018 between Kenitra and Tangier. Since the opening, nine continuous connections between Tangier and Casablanca have been offered in each direction, the first trains leave Tangier or Casablanca around 6 a.m. and reach their destination around 8 a.m. The last trains start their journey around 9 p.m. and reach their destination station around 11 p.m. Not all through trains between Tangier and Casablanca stop at Kenitra station, but there are individual trains that commute between Kenitra and Tangier.
| railway station | Before new construction | current | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenitra | 3 h 05 min | 50 min | 40 min |
| Rabat Agdal | 3 h 45 min | 1 h 20 min | 60 min |
| Casa Voyageurs | 4 h 45 min | 2 h 10 min | 1 h 30 min |
vehicles
So far, Al Boraq trains have only been driven with one type of vehicle: ONCF has ordered fourteen eight-car, double-decker Avelia Euroduplex trains from the French rail vehicle manufacturer Alstom for 400 million euros for the new high-speed traffic . The trains, which correspond to the latest Océane trains for the Paris-Bordeaux route , are multi-current capable (25 kV and 3 kV) as they switch from high-speed to conventional routes between Kenitra and Casablanca. In principle, the trains could therefore also run on the wider Moroccan rail network. Furthermore, the trains are specially adapted to the Moroccan weather conditions. They are equipped with reinforced air conditioning systems as well as sand and dust filters.
Twelve trains were delivered at the beginning of 2019, ten of which are in daily use. Each train has 553 seats in two car classes . The second class has two seats on each side, the first with one or two seats. There is also a family area called "Espace famille".
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Morocco king names first high-speed train in Africa “Al Boraq”. July 15, 2018, accessed January 7, 2019 .
- ↑ a b c d e Guide du voyageur. (PDF, 8.2 MB) ONCF, November 2018, accessed on January 11, 2019 (French).
- ^ LGV: Après l'inauguration, l'ONCF dévoile les prix d'Al Boraq. November 16, 2018, accessed January 7, 2019 (French).
- ↑ a b c First TGV in Africa rolls in: Lok Magazin 2/2019, p. 34.
- ^ Pierre-Olivier Rouaud: TGV du Maroc: en vidéo, les premières images des essais en conditions réelles. In: L'Usine Nouvelle. February 3, 2016, accessed January 4, 2019 (French).
- ↑ TGV MAROC. Union Maritime La Rochelle, July 22, 2015, accessed January 4, 2019 (French).