The Algiers-Oran line is one of the major components of the

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

n railway network. It links

Algiers station Algiers station (french: Gare d'Alger, ar, محطة قطار الجزائر) is a railway station located in the city of Algiers, at the port, sea front and the Kasbah of Algiers. The inhabitants of downtown Algiers and the Kasbah and its doors ...

with Oran. The first segment of the line, connecting Algiers with

Blida Blida ( ar, البليدة; Tamazight: Leblida) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'', is a diminutive ...

opened on September 8, 1862 and was extended to Oran on May 1, 1871. The

National Company for Rail Transport The National Rail Transportation Company (french: Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires, abbreviated SNTF; ar, الشركة الوطنية للنّقل بالسّكك الحديدية) is Algeria's national railway operator. The SNTF ...

is converting the entirety of the line to a double-track line.

History

The Oran-

Relizane Relizane or Ghilizan (Arabic: غلیزان; Berber: Ɣilizan) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital city of Relizane Province. Toponymy The name of Relizane comes from the Berber ⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵣⵣⴰⵏ (Iɣil Izzan) which means “burnt ...

section was opened to travelers on November 1, 1868 and was extended to

Khemis Miliana Khemis Miliana ( ar, خميس مليانة, links=no) is a town in northern Algeria of around 500000 inhabitants. It is a university town located 120 kilometers west of Algiers. It was known as Malliana in Roman times, then Affreville during th ...

(called Affreville whilst part of

French Algeria French Algeria (french: Alger to 1839, then afterwards; unofficially , ar, الجزائر المستعمرة), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of French colonisation of Algeria. French rule in the region began in 1830 with the ...

) on September 1, 1870. The Algiers-Blida section was extended to Boumedfaa on July 8, 1869, while the last segment - 29 kilometers from Affreville to Boumedfaa was completed on May 1, 1871 and enabled through-service from Algiers to Oran. More recently, the segment of the line from Algiers to

El Affroun El Affroun العفرون البليدة is a town and commune in Blida Province, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital ...

has been electrified to improve

commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are co ...

connecting the two cities.

Line description

Algiers - El Affroun section

The 70-kilometer section from Algiers to El Affroun includes one of the five commuter rail services in the Algiers metropolitan area and is double-track and is

electrified Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic histor ...

(25,000 volt). This section is the busiest in the entirety of SNTF network, with 130 passenger trains a day using the 10-kilometer Algiers-

El Harrach El Harrach ( Berber: ⵍⵃⴻⵔⵔⴰⵛ , formerly ''Maison-Carrée'') is a suburb of the Algerian capital Algiers. The town is home to USM El Harrach Union Sportive de la Médina d'El Harrach ( ar, الإتحاد الرياضي لمدي ...

section until the El Harrach wye. Of the 130 passenger trains using the Algiers-El Harrach section, 58 continue west and use the remainder of the Algiers-El Affroun section.

El Affroun - Oran section

The El Affroun-Oran segment is not electrified and is being upgraded from single-track to double-track. In 2015, 77 kilometers between Khemis Miliana and

Chlef Chlef ( ar, الشلف, Berber: Clef) is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman ''Castellum Tingitanum''. In 1962, ...

and 107 kilometers between

Yellel Yellel is a town and Communes of Algeria, commune in Relizane Province, Algeria. References

Communes of Relizane Province {{Relizane-geo-stub ...

and Oran have been double-tracked. Bypasses are being constructed to avoid Khemis Miliana and Relizane traffic for through-trains.

Line description

The line is flat except for the 50 kilometers between El Affroun and Khemis Miliana where the elevation changes from 100 to 500-250 meters above sea level. A 7 kilometer tunnel is being built to more directly connect the Khemis Miliana and

Oued Djer Oued Djer is a Village and commune in Blida Province, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordina ...

portion of this segment.

Speeds on the line

Average speeds for passenger services on the line are 80–90 km/h. Since 2008, SNTF acquired

DMUs A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are als ...

capable of reaching 160 km/h which are expected to reach their top speed on flat double-track segments of the Algiers-Oran line.

References

{{Reflist Railway lines in Algeria

Added references for article