Trains between Benidorm and the Regional Hospital will resume service on June 12

Trains on Tram Line 1 will operate between Benidorm station and the Marina Baixa Regional Hospital in Vila Joiosa starting June 12th, once this phase of the track duplication and electrification project affecting this section of Line 1 (Luceros-Benidorm) of the Alicante Tram has been completed. The Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, and the Regional Minister of Environment, Infrastructure, and Territory, Vicente Martínez Mus, along with other mayors and councilors from the region, regional officials, and those responsible for the works, visited the construction of the new steel viaduct over El Murtal ravine next to Terra Mítica stop. There, the regional official announced that the work that forced the suspension of train service is expected to be completed in the coming days, and normal service will be resumed.

The public company Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) will invest nearly €40 million in these projects, funded by the European Union. The works began in July of last year and are expected to continue until the end of this year, covering a total of 6.23 kilometres throughout the municipalities of Benidorm, Finestrat, and La Vila.
Martínez Mus explained that "the phase that forced the suspension of train services is now coming to an end, so rail traffic will return to normal, while work continues until the end of the year, when all planned work will be completed." FGV currently offers a bus service between these stations, stopping in Benidorm, Cala Finestrat, Hospital Vila, Costera Pastor, and Creueta, and connecting with the existing rail service at the Creueta (towards Luceros) and Benidorm (towards Dénia) stops.

“We regret the inconvenience caused by the works in recent months, but once they are completed, before the end of this year, we will be able to see the improvements that will allow the line to be provided with greater regularity and improved service frequencies, advancing the modernization process of the entire Alicante TRAM network,” the councilor also stated.

For his part, the mayor of Benidorm emphasised that this project “is a connection project, because the Marina Baixa region has more than 220,000 inhabitants and the Tram is the most agile, easiest, and most sustainable connectivity hub imaginable.” He also stated that this transport system “connects the outskirts of the city and connects residents, tourists, people with mobility difficulties, and something also very important for the Marina Baixa region: our regional hospital.”

For this reason, Toni Pérez thanked the Generalitat (Catalan Government) for this investment, which reflects that “starting in 2023, the Marina Baixa region will once again be a priority for the Generalitat.” “Today we have good news, because this project, in addition to a very high budget, is a work of great engineering and an investment that supports, precisely, the three indicators of environmental, social, and economic sustainability.”

“From Altea, when someone needs to go to La Vila Regional Hospital, they will end the torture of having to change trains every few minutes and will have the best vehicle and the best connection on this Tram that we all deserve,” the mayor added, noting that when this project is completed, not only will it be possible to travel throughout the region without having to transfer, but it will also be possible to increase the frequency of trains, “reducing the travel time on Line 1 by up to 15 minutes.”

Project details

The work currently underway covers the municipalities of Vila Joiosa, Finestrat, and Benidorm, along a 6.23-kilometre stretch. The affected area includes the immediate surroundings of the current line layout, above the already constructed railway platform, as well as additional adjacent stretches.

The planned work consists of doubling the track at the infrastructure level, including the construction of a new viaduct over the Murtal ravine, track superstructure, and electrification, including the adaptation of existing drainage works, the construction of a network of ditches adapted to current needs, and the repair of damaged embankments. In addition, new safety and railway communications facilities and the adaptation of existing ones, including the modification of interlockings, have been planned. Work has also been carried out on the power substations to meet the new network requirements and to upgrade obsolete electrical equipment.

In this same project, Cala Finestrat and Terra Mítica stops are being renovated, improving their accessibility and technical facilities. Access to the Marina Baixa Hospital from the Hospital Vila stop is also planned.

Tramway Implementation and Main Green Corridor

The construction project also includes the renovation/adaptation of enclosures along this stretch and the extension of El Moralet path from the existing parking lot north of Benidorm station to open it up as a pedestrian and cyclist route. This will create a healthy route throughout Moralet Park. A pedestrian walkway will also be installed there, connecting to the existing greenway.

As part of this same project, FGV, in collaboration with Benidorm City Council, will also implement the tramway system for the section between Avenida Beniardà and the Intermodal stop, located opposite the Bus Station.