Moroccans find comfort, convenience and camaraderie in trains

15/12/2006

The Rabat-Fez train takes passengers through breathtaking scenery of simple villages and farms. In the crowded carriages, some find companionship with fellow train riders as they wait to arrive at their destinations.

Text and photos by Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat --12/15/06

Even before 7am, Rabat's Agdal station is crowded.

It is 6:50am at Rabat's Agdal Station. Passengers rush towards the entrance to make sure they get on the train to Casablanca, while others wait impatiently. A large queue is formed at the ticket windows -- it takes 15 minutes to get a ticket for Fez.

With ten minutes to go before the train arrives, all the benches are taken. A woman offers a place given up by her 10-year-old son, Hatim. With a friendly smile, Faïza, Hatim's mother, asks if I'm going to Fez.

The loudspeaker announces the train's arrival. Hatim and Faïza hurry forward. It's no easy task to get into the carriage. All the passengers rush forward to board at the same time, as though it were some kind of race.

In the train, the first five compartments are already full. In the sixth, Hatim's mother has saved me a seat. "I'm used to taking the train. The one that goes to Fez is always full to bursting. That's why I try to be among the first to board," she says. Every weekend, Faïza goes to Fez to see her mother. After practically a year, she has gotten used to the rhythm of this life. She says the comfort of the train makes the trip easier.

Hatim amuses himself by moving from one compartment to another. "When we travel by bus, I feel like a prisoner. I love taking the train because I feel free," she says.

On hearing her, El Haj Ali, a 60-year-old man cannot help but smile. A conversation is quickly struck up among the passengers. "What a good thing the long-distance trains are all divided into compartments. This makes it very easy to chat to the other passengers," he says.

Passengers get acquainted with each other at the stations and on the trains.

The train stops briefly at Rabat-ville Station. A few passengers stand, waiting for seats to become available. They don't seem to mind. Some chat and others read newspapers.

Through the window, I can see the edge of the Oued Bouregreg, being developed for the Rabat century project. In a few years, this view will be completely transformed. The wildness, extending over a number of kilometres, will give way to a large tourist complex. "The Bouregreg project will transform the face of the capital," comments Faïza.

In the Salé Station, the train gets even more crowded. Those inside the compartments feel privileged. El Haj says that adding more trains would ensure passengers can be comfortable. Smiling, the ticket collector reminds him that the Casa-Fez line timetables have been reworked to offer departures every two hours between 6am and 10pm. "The future introduction of double-decker passenger carriages will relieve the overcrowding problem," he adds.

A few moments later, voices are raised. An adolescent who has not bought a ticket refuses to leave at the next stop. The ticket collector has been trying in vain to explain the rules. "But I absolutely have to get to Sidi Kacem on time. My father is waiting for me. I don't have money for the ticket," he says, his eyes brimming with tears. A lady brings the situation to a close by paying for the disputed ticket.

Returning to my compartment, my seat is no longer empty. "Dash off somewhere and you lose your seat," Faïza says.

It's hard to move in the corridor. I try to see what I can from the window. The countryside could not be more magnificent. The Maamora forest passes, offering a splendid sight. The trees are lined up side by side in a perfect arrangement. Unfortunately, this beautiful stretch of oaks between Rabat and Kenitra is faced with the threat of illegal loggers.

The train stops in Kenitra. I'm jostled on all sides. Suddenly the corridors are empty. I return to my seat beside Faïza. Hatim is quietly doing his school work. "He's gotten used to doing his homework on the train," Faïza says.

The crowded trains and quick stops mean passengers have to fight to get to the doors at their destinations.

Five minutes later, the train starts moving again. At 8:55am, the train arrives in Sidi Kacem. Those heading towards Tangiers rush to exit and change trains. Other passengers sit beside me.

A few minutes later, I sit back and admire the countryside of green fields extending as far as the eye can see with the sun shining in all its glory. The ploughing season has started, even though rainfall has been low. El Haj says he is worried about the drought which could threaten Morocco this year.

Shanty towns and dilapidated houses appear from time to time. In a few years, such scenes are likely to change. Morocco has set a target to completely eradicate substandard housing by 2008.

The train arrives in Fez at 10:55am, 20 minutes late. The passengers head towards the exit, but with great calm this time. The city of Fez welcomes them with open arms.

This reportage is the third of a three-part series on train travel in Maghreb countries. In past weeks, we rode on Algeria's railways and took a trip from Tunis to the Algerian border.