Alicante Transport

Historically, Alicante has had a relatively poor public infrastructure, but things are starting to change. The government has a long-term strategy to reduce car travel and as a result, in the last two years public transport usage has increased by 97%. The tramline development is central to the plans. Alicante has a good bus local bus service, and there are plenty of taxis around town.

By tram

Alicante is developing its public transport system, and the tram service is at the heart of this expansion. In 2003 a regular tram service began running from Puerta del Mar to El Campello. The plans are to complete the Alicante tram network in 2007, when the tram will cover the main area of the city and also up the coast from Alicante to Benidorm and Altea.

Some of these routes are already open, and the operating company FGV expects to have a fleet of new, state of the art, trams running here in the near future. The tramline is integrated with the main national railway system with a new station at the main railway terminus.

By train

Alicante doesn’t have a local train service, but from the main train station you can connect to the Spanish national rail network to all major cities in Spain, as well as trains to France.

By bus

Alicante has a good fleet of local buses, run by TAM bus company, with a frequent service taking you to all the main places in the local area. Buses are cheap and easy to use, the number 9 goes from the train station to San Juan Beach, with departures every 15 minutes. Bus services here run from 06:00 to 23:00 on all bus lines. There are also regular buses to nearby places like Murcia and Benidorm.

Taxis

There are taxis all around Alicante, with fares according to the distance. There are taxi ranks to be found around the town in the most popular areas, and at the airport. Taking a taxi is a good idea if you want to explore a little outside of the main city centre, and they can be a good option for venturing further up the coast.

Tourist services

The buses in Alicante are generally cheap, so it’s not a problem buying a ticket for a short hop across town. However, it is possible to buy discounted tickets in advance from kiosks around town and at TAM ticket offices. There is an airport shuttle bus to the city centre, and tourist information is easily accessible around town.

From the airport

Alicante’s airport is close to the city centre, so there are no problems with transportation to and from the airport. The airport can be reached by the A7 and N332 motorways, and the usual journey time is about 15 minutes.

The airport bus runs every 40 minutes from the airport to the Plaza del Mar, just south of the city centre. If you should just miss a bus, it may be an idea to take a taxi, as it can be a long hot wait for the next one. There is a taxi rank just outside the terminal, with plenty of taxis waiting to take you into town.