PROPERTY SEARCH
New Alicante Airport bus still bypasses Orihuela Costa despite connecting 16 towns
The €1.5 million service links the Vega Baja with the airport but misses out one of the region's biggest tourist hotspots
A new public bus service connecting the Vega Baja region with Alicante-Elche Airport launched on February 1 but still doesn't serve Orihuela Costa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the province.
The €1.5 million contract, awarded to Bus Sigüenza for the next two years, covers 16 municipalities across five routes and includes direct airport connections for Almoradí, Formentera del Segura, Rojales and Guardamar del Segura. But Orihuela Costa, with its massive expat community and year-round influx of British and European tourists, remains without a direct link.
The lack of airport transport to Orihuela Costa has fuelled a surge in illegal pirate taxis in recent years, with tourists and residents left with few options for getting to and from the airport.
The new service, which came into effect this month, is great news for those living in several popular inland towns. It’s structured around five routes serving 15 municipalities in Alicante and one in Murcia.
Key additions include a specific airport route and reinforced connections between Guardamar del Segura and Orihuela, which now operate on Sundays and holidays throughout the year.
Line 1 runs between Orihuela and Guardamar del Segura with seven trips in each direction Monday to Friday during winter (six in summer), three trips each way on Saturdays and two on Sundays and holidays.
Line 2 connects Almoradí, Rojales and Alicante with three trips in each direction Monday to Saturday all year.
Line 3 is the airport route, running between Almoradí, Guardamar and the airport with two outbound and three return trips Monday to Sunday in winter, reducing to one trip per direction in summer.
Winter timetables for the bus line connecting Vega Baja with Alicante-Elche Airport
Line 4A links Abanilla (Murcia), La Murada, Benferri and Orihuela with two outbound and three return trips Monday to Friday, plus two trips each way on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Line 4B is a new addition connecting La Murada, Benferri, Orihuela and Hospital Vega Baja with two trips in each direction Monday to Friday, plus an extra outbound trip and two extra return trips on Tuesdays.
The new public bus service also increases frequencies between Santa Pola and Alicante to meet demand on one of the coast's busiest routes and expands weekend and holiday services across several routes.
The concession includes a minimum fleet of six buses plus one spare, which will make more than 10,600 trips per year and cover 392,600 kilometres annually.
All vehicles comply with current accessibility regulations and are equipped with a Fleet Management System that lets passengers check real-time bus locations and arrival times.
Images: Comunitat Valenciana
