12 years after the opening of the first line T1 of the successful low-floor tram in the Moroccan metropolis of Casablanca with its approximately 3.2 million inhabitants, the two newest lines T3 and T4 started passenger service on 24 September 2024. Extensive trial operations have been taking place on both lines since the spring, as we reported here:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/casablanca-the-two-new-tram-lines-will-start-operation/
The two new lines offer connections to tram lines T1 and T2 and, together with these and the new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines BW1 and BW2, also known as Casabusway, which opened in March 2024 and are operated by four-axle Mercedes-Benz CapaCity L vehicles, form the backbone of the city’s local transport services.
In addition to the existing lines T1 with a length of 23.6 km and 38 stops and T2 with 32 stops over 22.4 km, the new lines now run on the routes:
T3 Gare de Casa-Port – Hay El Wahda (20 stops, 14.1 km long)
T4 Parc de la Ligue Arabe – Mohammed Erradi (19 stops, 12.5 km long)
see also: https://www.urbanrail.net/af/casa/casablanca.htm
The frequency is currently 11 minutes on both lines, but is to be increased in the future. The line operates daily from around 5.30 am to 10.30 pm. The city’s transport authority Casa Transports and the network operator RATP Dev expect around 20 million passengers on the two new lines in the first year. They will be operated by 66 newly delivered Alstom Citadis X05 railcars, which as bidirectional railcars only have one driver’s cab each and therefore always run coupled rear-to-rear. Such a double traction can carry an impressive (up to) 630 passengers. Alstom had already delivered 124 Citadis 302 in a similar configuration but with a different front end to Casablanca in 2012 and 2018.
