Alicante / The verdict
Alicante: which airport or train route?
Alicante-Elche (ALC) is the right airport for almost everyone. There is no train or tram at the terminal, so bus C-6 or an official taxi finishes the ride. Travelers already in Madrid or Valencia can beat the flight on high-speed rail into Alicante Terminal.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Alicante story
Alicante earns its keep the quiet way: a working Spanish city first and a resort second, where Santa Barbara castle looks down on the palm-tiled Explanada and the whitewashed Santa Cruz quarter climbs the hillside behind it. The package crowds stay up the coast in Benidorm, which leaves the tapas bars around the Central Market and the lanes of the old town to actual Alicantinos, with Postiguet beach at the end of the promenade and the long sand of San Juan a tram ride north.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), then bus C-6 or taxi (runner-up: High-speed train into Alicante Terminal)
Alicante-Elche (ALC) is the right airport for almost everyone. There is no train or tram at the terminal, so bus C-6 or an official taxi finishes the ride. Travelers already in Madrid or Valencia can beat the flight on high-speed rail into Alicante Terminal.
Go if
- international arrivals heading straight to the Costa Blanca
- Madrid and Valencia departures weighing rail against air
- first-time visitors who want the simplest route downtown
Skip if
- you are staying in Torrevieja or the southern Costa Blanca, where a direct transfer can beat the airport link
- your flight lands late on a summer weekend night, when taxi queues stack up
The options
Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), then bus C-6 or taxi Go
almost every international and domestic arrival
Good
- the C-6 bus runs about every 12 minutes by day and every 30 minutes overnight, every day, for 4.70 euros
- the C-6 stops at Estación-Avenida for trains, MARQ-Castillo for the museum and tram, and Puerta del Mar by the old town
- official taxi rank outside arrivals; the meter applies plus a 4.25 euro airport supplement
- travelers report quick taxi pickups at quiet times and easy bus rides into the center
Watch out
- no train or tram at the airport; the C-6 bus or a taxi is the link
- summer evening flight clusters have produced taxi and bus queues at peak times
- licensed taxi firms report unlicensed drivers touting inside the terminal; use only the official rank
Aena: Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez AirportVectalia: bus C-6 route and faresAena: train and tram connections at Alicante-ElchePre-book an airport transferpartner site
High-speed train into Alicante Terminal It depends
travelers already in Madrid or Valencia, or landing at Madrid Barajas who prefer rail over a connection
Good
- Madrid to Alicante takes about 2 hours 15 to 2 hours 40 on AVE, Avlo, iryo or Ouigo services
- Valencia to Alicante runs about 1 hour 43 on Euromed trains, departing every 30 to 60 minutes
- Alicante Terminal sits downtown with local trains, tram and the C-6 airport bus outside
- an AVE, Larga Distancia or Avlo ticket shown at the MARQ ticket office gets free museum entry
Watch out
- since September 2025 most Madrid high-speed trains leave from Chamartin Clara Campoamor, not Atocha; check your ticket
- low-cost operators charge strict luggage and seat fees that eat into the headline fare
- fares are dynamic and climb near departure; there is no fixed published price
Valencia Airport (VLC), then train or bus south It depends
travelers whose only sensible flight lands at Valencia, or those splitting the trip between the two cities
Good
- metro from the airport reaches Valencia's rail stations in about 25 minutes
- Euromed trains cover Valencia to Alicante in about 1 hour 43, with trains every 30 to 60 minutes
- intercity buses do the trip in about 2 to 2.5 hours for the lowest fare
Watch out
- adds a city-to-city transfer of around 2 hours on top of the flight
- no direct rail or bus between the airport and Alicante; every route funnels through central Valencia
- a late arrival can strand you overnight between Valencia and Alicante
Murcia Airport Corvera (RMU), then a private transfer Skip
travelers headed for the southern Costa Blanca or Costa Calida, not Alicante
Good
- small, quick airport where car hire pickup is fast
- flight-timed Interbus shuttles serve Murcia city and Cartagena
Watch out
- about 90 km from Alicante with no direct public transport link to the city
- thin, seasonal route network; routes pause in winter and airlines route traffic through Alicante instead
- the transfer to Alicante costs more than a cheap flight saves
| Criterion | Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), then bus C-6 or taxi | High-speed train into Alicante Terminal | Valencia Airport (VLC), then train or bus south | Murcia Airport Corvera (RMU), then a private transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | international arrivals and anyone flying in | departures from Madrid or Valencia | flights that only work into Valencia | Costa Calida stays, not Alicante |
| Time to the center | 15 to 25 minutes | walk-out arrival downtown | about 2 hours including the transfer | over an hour by road |
| Cheapest public link | bus C-6 at 4.70 euros | low-cost trains if booked early | intercity bus | none without a transfer |
| Frequency | about every 12 minutes by day | about 13 to 15 trains a day from Madrid | trains every 30 to 60 minutes | shuttles only around flight times |
| Watch out for | no rail at the terminal; taxi touts | Chamartin vs Atocha station change | the extra leg through central Valencia | winter route pauses |
What it costs
- Bus C-6 airport to city, single fare: €4.70 (fare in effect since July 24, 2026). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Bus C-6 airport pass, 10 trips: €8.10 (multi-trip pass sold and recharged on board the airport line; the card holder costs extra). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Airport taxi supplement: €4.25 (added to the metered fare for airport rides). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 10 traveler reports (Mar 2025 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 2 were negative.
What people like
- the C-6 bus is an easy cheap link: a video walkthrough rides it end to end into the center (1 of 10 reports)
- high-speed rail into Alicante praised as comfortable and fast (2 of 10 reports)
- airport taxis can be painless at quiet times: one traveler had no wait at the rank (1 of 10 reports)
What people complain about
- taxi friction: unlicensed drivers touting indoors plus evening queues at the rank (4 of 10 reports)
- long high-season queues for the C-6 bus when evening flights land together (1 of 10 reports)
How to do it right
- Follow the bus signs outside arrivals to the C-6 stop; buses leave about every 12 minutes by day and every 30 minutes overnight.
- Get off at Estación-Avenida for onward trains, MARQ-Castillo for the museum and tram, or Puerta del Mar for the old town and marina.
- For a taxi, ignore anyone offering rides inside the terminal and join the official rank outside arrivals; the meter applies plus the airport supplement.
- Riding the train in: most Madrid high-speed services now leave from Chamartin Clara Campoamor rather than Atocha.
- Keep the Renfe ticket; shown at the MARQ ticket office it gives free entry to the museum and its temporary exhibitions.
The trap to avoid
Assuming a train runs from the airport. There is no rail or tram terminal at ALC, so the last link is always the C-6 bus or a taxi. Inside arrivals, unofficial drivers tout for rides and licensed operators have formally complained, so join the signed rank outside and pay the metered fare plus the airport supplement.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
Fly into Alicante-Elche (ALC) unless your whole trip is already inside Spain, in which case the high-speed train into Alicante Terminal can beat the flight.
ALC sits about 9 km southwest of the city. The trap is on the ground floor: there is no train or tram terminal at the airport. Every arrival funnels into bus C-6 or a taxi.
The C-6 is the workhorse. Vectalia’s timetable shows a bus about every 12 minutes through the day and every 30 minutes overnight, every day, and the single fare has been 4.70 euros since July 2026, with a 10-trip pass at 8.10 euros. From June 2026 the operator added runs to cut high-season queues. Its stop list works for tourists: Estación-Avenida for onward trains, MARQ-Castillo for the museum and the castle shuttle, and Puerta del Mar for the old town and marina.
Taxis wait outside arrivals on the meter plus a 4.25 euro airport supplement; one traveler paid about 20 dollars with no wait. Two caveats matter. Summer Thursday to Sunday nights have produced waits of more than 30 minutes at the rank, which the taxi association says happens only in specific situations, and licensed operators complain of pirate drivers touting inside the terminal, so ignore indoor offers and take the signed rank.
Timing and tickets
The train wins when you start in Madrid or Valencia, or land at Madrid Barajas and would rather ride rail than connect. Madrid to Alicante runs about 2 hours 15 to 2 hours 40 on AVE, Avlo, iryo and Ouigo services, and Valencia to Alicante takes about 1 hour 43 on the Euromed with departures every 30 to 60 minutes. Since September 2025 most Madrid trains leave from Chamartin Clara Campoamor rather than Atocha, so check which station is printed on your ticket. A Renfe long-distance or Avlo ticket shown at the MARQ ticket office buys free museum entry.
Valencia Airport makes sense only when flights into Alicante do not: the metro into the city, then a train or bus south, adds around two hours. Murcia’s airport sits 90 km away, runs a thin seasonal network and has no direct public link to Alicante; it is for the Costa Calida, not this trip.
Book or check times
Aena: Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez AirportVectalia: bus C-6 route and faresAena: train and tram connections at Alicante-ElcheRenfe: trains to Alicante TerminalAena: Valencia AirportAena: Region de Murcia International Airport
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Pre-book an airport transferpartner site
Questions
Is there a train from Alicante Airport to the city?
No. The airport has no rail or tram station; Aena points tram users to the C-6 bus, which runs about every 12 minutes by day and every 30 minutes overnight, every day. The alternative is a taxi from the official rank.
How much is the airport bus to Alicante?
4.70 euros per single trip since July 24, 2026, per Vectalia. A 10-trip pass on the airport line costs 8.10 euros, plus the card holder.
How much is a taxi from the airport to the center?
The meter applies plus a 4.25 euro airport supplement, per Aena. One traveler reports paying about 20 dollars with no wait; at peak summer evening times, press reports describe queues at the rank.
Which airport should I fly to for Alicante?
Alicante-Elche (ALC). Valencia works only if your flights force it and adds a transfer of about 2 hours; Murcia's airport sits 90 km south with no direct link to Alicante.
From Madrid, fly or take the train?
Take the train. High-speed services cover Madrid to Alicante in roughly 2 hours 15 to 2 hours 40 on four competing operators; most now leave from Chamartin Clara Campoamor rather than Atocha.
Does a Renfe ticket get me anything free?
Yes. Showing an AVE, Larga Distancia or Avlo ticket at the MARQ museum ticket office gives free entry, including temporary exhibitions.