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Marrakech–Agadir High-Speed Rail Line: Public-Interest Decree Opens Decisive New Phase
Published in the Official Gazette on September 1, 2026, Decree No. 2.26.605 declares the construction of the Marrakech–Agadir high-speed rail line and the Chichaoua–Essaouira link to be in the public interest.
The project to connect Agadir to the high-speed rail network has entered an advanced legal phase with the publication of Decree No. 2.26.605, dated September 1, 2026, declaring the construction of a high-speed railway line between Marrakech and Agadir to be in the public interest.
The publication of this decree marks a pivotal stage in the project’s development: it establishes the legal framework related to the declaration of public interest and paves the way for completing the land and technical procedures required to build one of the most eagerly anticipated infrastructure projects in the Souss-Massa region.
According to the text, the project will run between Marrakech and Agadir, passing through the area between Chichaoua and Essaouira in the Marrakech-Safi region before reaching the Souss-Massa region, in accordance with the 1:50,000-scale site plan appended to the decree.
The decree is based on Law No. 7.81 on expropriation for public-interest purposes and temporary occupation. It was issued on the proposal of the Minister of Transport and Logistics, allowing the legal and land procedures related to the selected route to begin.
The declaration of public interest paves the way for several stages: identifying the properties and areas concerned, completing the technical, topographical and geological studies, and appointing the stakeholders and partners responsible for the railway infrastructure, engineering firms, and companies specializing in civil engineering, structures, railway and electrical equipment, signaling and telecommunications.
The financing arrangements for the project and the procedures for awarding contracts related to the studies, construction work and equipment will be specified in the next stages.
The arrival of high-speed rail in Agadir goes beyond the creation of a new transport link. It is expected to strengthen the integration of the Souss-Massa region into the national railway network, reduce travel times and enhance the city’s tourism and economic appeal, while also boosting the economic and territorial development of the south of the Kingdom.
With this decree, the project has cleared one of its main legal hurdles and is moving closer to transitioning from plans and studies to implementation on the ground, pending the completion of the remaining procedures and the publication of the construction timetable.