Travelling between Spain and Morocco by train could soon be possible

Forty-five years after it was first floated as an idea, a tunnel linking Spain and Morocco could finally be on the horizon.

If it does go ahead, it will likely be built in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted jointly by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

Currently, flights between Spain’s capital of Madrid and the Moroccan city of Tangier, a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times, take an hour and a half.

Driving between the two takes nine hours, with a ferry ride in between.

If successful, the tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar would see a new train service between the two countries, with stops from Madrid to Casablanca, 300 kilometres south of Tangier.

The entire train journey would likely take five and a half hours and offer a more sustainable travel option.