Costa Blanca Archives - Wander Without Wheels

There’s a satisfying moment on the way into Benidorm when the skyline appears and the sea opens up beyond it. It’s even better when somebody else is driving and you can actually look out of the window. The journey from Alicante Airport to Benidorm is easiest when you pick your coach stop before you book.

The quick answer: For most arrivals, book the direct ALSA coach from Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport to Benidorm. Search using the airport as your origin. ALSA also sells trips from Alicante city, and that’s a different place to start your holiday.

Where to catch the ALSA bus

ALSA lists its airport stop on Level 2, in the departures area. If you’ve just collected a suitcase downstairs, head up and follow the signs for buses. Check the bay and departure time on the day, especially if several coaches are waiting outside.

Book through ALSA for your travel date and keep the ticket handy on your phone. Leave a buffer after your flight for passport control and bags. When comparing a cheap fixed departure with a later or more flexible ticket, read the change conditions before you pay.

Palm-lined promenade beside the beach in Benidorm.

Which Benidorm stop should you choose?

Look at the exact stop offered on your departure and map it against your accommodation. ALSA lists Benidorm bus station and an Avenida Europa stop on its route information. Availability can vary by departure. Avenida Europa can be handy for the Levante side. From the bus station, check the onward walk or local connection, particularly if you’re staying down by the beach.

If you’re travelling with someone who finds hills or long walks difficult, check the route to the hotel door and ask ALSA about boarding assistance in advance. A little planning at home is much more pleasant than discovering the gradient with a suitcase in tow.

Can you take a train or tram from the airport?

The rail option starts in Alicante city. Take the C6 airport bus to Luceros, then use the TRAM d’Alacant service towards Benidorm. Check the operators’ journey planners for each leg and leave time for the connection. This can suit a stopover in Alicante or a daytime trip where you want to enjoy the coastal stretch. For a straightforward airport transfer, the direct coach saves a change.

Late arrivals and the journey back

Use your actual flight date when checking the last coach. If you arrive after it, price up a pre-booked transfer or taxi before you travel. For the return, search in the other direction and confirm your departure stop from the ticket. The place you got off is an easy thing to remember and an equally easy thing to assume.

Plan the whole transfer, including the hotel door

Before paying for the coach, compare the departure against your flight arrival and the arrival stop against your accommodation. I’d give the second check just as much attention as the first. Benidorm stretches around two bays, and a hotel with a beach in its name can still be a fair walk from the stop. If you’re staying in an apartment, ask the host for the street entrance and key collection hours.

Put the coach stop and the hotel into your map as separate pins. That makes it easier to judge whether you can walk, want a local bus or need a short taxi ride. A group with several cases might prefer a taxi for the final stretch even if the coach works perfectly for the main journey. Check ALSA’s current luggage rules if you have golf clubs, bulky bags or a pushchair.

When a coach, shuttle or taxi makes sense

Direct coach: The first option I’d check for a solo traveller or couple whose flight lines up with the timetable. The stop and scheduled departure should be clear when you book. Leave enough time to walk from arrivals to the coach bay, and find out what happens to your ticket if your flight is late.

Shared shuttle: Worth comparing if it serves your accommodation area at a useful time. Read the exact drop-off and pickup terms. Some services use designated stops, and a shuttle that serves several hotels can take longer than you expect.

Taxi or private transfer: Useful for late flights, a group splitting the fare or travellers who need a door-to-door ride. Confirm the full price, the pickup location and any needs such as child seats or wheelchair space before booking. For current airport arrangements, start with Aena’s transport information.

What to do once you reach Benidorm

Start in the old town if you want to see both bays without committing to a long walk. Make for the Balcón del Mediterráneo, the viewpoint between Levante and Poniente. The upper area gives you a sense of the coastline even if the steps down to the lower viewpoint don’t suit everyone in your group.

For a livelier first walk, head towards Levante and follow the promenade. If you’re after a more leisurely stretch, turn towards Poniente and the seafront near Parque de Elche. Pick one side for the first afternoon, stop for something to eat and leave the other for the next morning. You can build an entire short break around the waterfront and old town with very little time spent waiting for a ride.

Tourist information and the return flight

The Benidorm council’s tourist information page is the place to check local services and visitor assistance. For the journey home, confirm the boarding stop the evening before and leave enough time to reach it from your accommodation. If you have an early flight, compare the first coach with a pre-booked pickup before deciding how early to set the alarm.

One small check if you’re arriving in winter

Choose transport for the date and day of the week you land, not the first departure shown in a general search. Shorter daylight can also change how appealing a walk to the hotel looks. If you expect to arrive after reception closes, have the property’s instructions and contact details available offline. Once you’re checked in, the waterfront is an easy way to get your bearings the next morning. Save the longer walk to the other bay for when you know where you’re starting from.

Plan your journey: ALSA airport–Benidorm timetable and tickets · Aena airport bus information · TRAM d’Alacant journey planner.

Keep planning: Alicante to Benidorm tram guide.

For more itineraries, browse our car-free destination guides.

On a sunny day, there’s a lot to be said for travelling along the Costa Blanca with your nose practically pressed against the window. The tram from Alicante to Benidorm makes the journey part of the day, particularly if you’ve left time for a stop by the sea. The Alicante to Benidorm tram is a handy way to see a stretch of coast that’s easy to miss on the road.

The quick answer: Start at Luceros in Alicante city and search for the L1 to Benidorm using the TRAM d’Alacant planner. Check the exact end stop and any replacement service for your date. If you’re starting at the airport, allow for a separate airport bus or take the direct airport coach to Benidorm.

Where to board in Alicante

Luceros is a useful starting point from central Alicante. Follow signs down to the TRAM station and check the platform display for the L1 towards Benidorm. Several services share the city section, so check the line number and destination rather than hopping onto the first vehicle that appears. If you’re starting nearer the old town, check whether boarding at Mercado works better for your date.

Beach and palm-lined waterfront at El Campello.

Tickets, zones and the timetable

Use the operator’s current zone map or journey planner to price the whole trip. A ticket that covers a short trip in Alicante may cover fewer zones than you need for Benidorm. Buy and validate the ticket as instructed and keep it until you’ve left the station. If you’re making several trips, compare the available passes and check which zones they include.

Check the tram timetable in both directions. Leave a buffer if you’re connecting from a mainline train, and look for notices about engineering work. If the app shows a replacement bus, check where it boards and allow extra time.

Make the last leg to Benidorm part of the plan

Search using your actual destination as well as the word Benidorm. The tram arrival and the beach are separate legs of the journey. Check a walking or local bus route from the stop the planner gives you. If you’re heading for the old town, Levante or Poniente, each has a different onward route. A taxi for that last stretch can be useful with bags or if walking in the heat is a concern.

Fancy a stop along the way?

El Campello makes a tempting break if you have the time. Check your fare before getting off and confirm how you’ll continue from there. If you’d rather keep the afternoon free for Benidorm, stay on board, enjoy the views and aim for a walk along the waterfront once you arrive.

Use the network map to choose your stop

Open the official TRAM d’Alacant journey planner and check the L1 against the operator’s network and fare-zone map. The map helps explain why a city ticket may be different from the one you’ll need farther up the coast. Use the live planner for the final answer on services and stopping patterns, particularly if you are travelling around holidays or during works.

Save the location of Luceros and your Benidorm stop on your phone. In Alicante, look for the TRAM entrance rather than following signs to the mainline railway station. In Benidorm, decide whether you want the old town, the Levante side or Poniente before working out the last leg. Check the walking route for slopes and busy roads. If it’s a day trip, make sure you know how to get back to the same platform or where a replacement bus would leave.

What to see on a day trip to Benidorm

Start with the old town and the Balcón del Mediterráneo. It’s a good way to see how the town sits between its two beaches before deciding where to go next. Give yourself time around the upper square and look down towards the lower viewing platform. You can enjoy the coastal view from above if the stairs are a concern.

From there, go east along Levante for the livelier promenade or west towards Poniente and Parque de Elche for a slower walk. If you’ve brought children or someone who prefers shorter stretches, pick one waterfront and build in a stop for lunch. A day spent trying to walk both bays end to end can feel suspiciously like exercise with an ice cream in the middle.

The municipal visitor information page is useful for local contacts and assistance. If you’re spending the night, map the hotel entrance from the tram stop before assuming you can wheel a case down the shortest line on the screen.

How to make El Campello a worthwhile stop

Leave enough time to walk down to the waterfront, stretch your legs and have a look at the beach and harbour area before heading back to the station. If you only have time for a quick dash to the water and back, enjoy the view from the tram instead. Check whether your ticket allows a break of journey or whether you need to buy the next leg separately.

Useful checks for families and step-free travel

Check the operator’s current station access, lift status and boarding information before setting off. If you’re taking the tram after a flight, factor in the walk and wait between the airport bus and the underground platforms at Luceros. From the city, leave extra time if a weekend event or a hot afternoon makes the stops busy. For an evening return, note a practical service as well as the last one and decide in advance how you’ll get back up from the seafront.

If your dates are fixed, recheck the journey planner the evening before travel. A saved map is helpful for finding stations, but current notices are what tell you whether the tram, platform or boarding arrangement has changed. That’s a five-minute check worth doing before you’re already halfway to the stop.

When the coach may suit you better

Compare Alicante city departures with ALSA’s Alicante–Benidorm route if you’re starting close to a coach stop or need a different return time. Put the exact pickup and drop-off in your map. A faster journey on paper can lose its advantage if you need to cross town at both ends. For a scenic outing with a flexible schedule, the tram is still the one I’d look at first.

Plan your journey: TRAM d’Alacant journey planner and service updates · Aena airport bus and tram connection.

Keep planning: Alicante Airport to Benidorm guide.