Oriental Desert Express

ONCF / Private Charter (Discovery Trains, Suprateam Travel, Kora Travel Group)

Morocco

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Navigate from Oujda Station to Bouarfa Station across a span of 305km.

Sahara Desert fringes — approaching the northern edge of the world's great desert
High Oriental Steppes — vast open landscapes of stony plateau stretching to the horizon
Abandoned colonial mining stations — relics of the line's original 1925–1931 construction era
Mediterranean–Sahara transition zone — unique ecological boundary visible from the train
Nomadic Bedouin camel herds grazing the arid eastern Moroccan frontier
Aïn Beni Mathar thermo-solar power plant — striking industrial landmark in the desert
Tiouli tunnel — the line's most significant engineering feature

Duration
10 hours
Distance
305 km
Est. Price
Premium (approximately €437 per person for day-trip operator packages; multi-day tour packages from €2,360)

Meals: Lunch and snacks included

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

EMD GT26CW-2 diesel-electric locomotive (DH-370 designation in ONCF fleet, built by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors)

Track Gauge

1,435 mm (standard gauge) — built to connect with the broader colonial-era Mediterranean–Niger railway network

Braking Technology

Air brakes on locomotive; manual sand clearance from tracks required before and during journeys

Route Engineering Challenges

Sand dune encroachment on tracks — crews manually clear accumulated sand at multiple points along the route
Extreme temperature variations (below 0°C winter nights to above 45°C summer afternoons)
Remote desert maintenance — no road access for much of the line makes repair and inspection challenging
Line built 1925–1931 for mineral freight — never designed for passenger comfort or modern tourism standards
Single-track operation with no passing loops for much of the route

Maximum Speed

50 km/h (intentionally slow for sightseeing; sand clearance is also time-consuming)

Line Status

Disused colonial-era freight line kept alive exclusively for occasional tourist charters

Construction Period

1925–1931 (Compagnie du Chemin de Fer du Maroc Oriental, CMO)

Original Purpose

Transport of manganese, lead, and zinc ores from Bouarfa mines to coastal ports

Part of

Abandoned Mediterranean–Niger Railway project linking Mediterranean Sea to sub-Saharan Africa

Film Appearance

James Bond Spectre (2015) — exterior shots filmed on this line

Duration
10 hours
Distance
305 km
Est. Price
Premium (approximately €437 per person for day-trip operator packages; multi-day tour packages from €2,360)