Trains in Benidorm

[johnnychips]

I was thinking of taking a holiday in the Alicante area in February, and the cheapest place to stay is Benidorm.

I wonder if any esteemed members could advise me on:

- is it on a railway? If so, have you any links for timetables? If not, bus links to Alicante?
- any sites to visit in the Alicante/Benidorm area. Don't think I'll be swimming.
- good rail journeys from Alicante

Thanks

 

[Matt Taylor]

It's a tram/train type of thing running on a fairly narrow gauge:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40172673@N03/8441120234/in/set-72157631927019778


The route from Alicante to Benidorm is very scenic and well worth it, it's a 70 minute journey and runs every half hour.

 

[johnnychips]

It's a tram/train type of thing running on a fairly narrow gauge:

The route from Alicante to Benidorm is very scenic and well worth it, it's a 70 minute journey and runs every half hour.

Thanks Matt

I didn't realise that Benidorm was that far from Alicante. Have you (or any other readers) been there? Is there anything worth seeing there, or should I get a fights-only deal to Alicante and find a hotel there?

 

[Alan1310]

Benidorm at this time of year is grab a gran. not loads to do but cheap booze and some funny people I recommend if your male go and see sticky viki

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Did the run in July - from Alicante - stood all the way out due to heavy loadings on the tram train , but a nice journey back. Quite an impressive railway all round and it accesses the centre of Alicante via some impressive engineering and tunnels. Highly reccomended. There is an all night service also.

North of Benidiorm runs on "classic" stock I believe.

Friend and I did the run to see if the prejudices were correct on Benidorm - but it seems to have more of a "Spanish family" feel these days. Different story at midnight perhaps. Highly recomended ....fare very reasonable at around 7 Euro or so return (pay on board off the machine) ...

 

[johnnychips]

I recommend if your male go and see sticky viki

Is that a named locomotive? :razz:

 

[Matt Taylor]

Did the run in July - from Alicante - stood all the way out due to heavy loadings on the tram train ,

I've made the journey numerous times and I've never had to stand, travelling between October and April. The service north from Benidorm is operated by diesel railcars and goes to Denia however it is being electrified I understand.

 

[johnnychips]

Thanks all

Looks like I'll have to do some research. I take it, then, that the tram link to Alicante and the diesel to Denia is not part of RENFE. Is there anywhere worth a RENFE journey from Alicante?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Not part of RENFE - done the Talgo to Barcelona , nice journey - the AVE now runs to Madrid. There seems to be a nest of local EMU's out of the area...

 

[stut]

The narrow gauge journey past Benidorm is great - your classic trundling through orange groves and people's back gardens type line. And places like Altea are definitely worth a stop off. Benidorm itself is an odd place - partly a sunny Blackpool, but with a beaten up core of winding streets and Basque pintxo bars. The station is a long way from town.

On RENFE, you can head up to Valencia (there's a whole load of different services - IC, Talgo, Euromed, RE) where there's an impressive new AVE station alongside the main one, and a lovely, laid-back city to enjoy (with a slightly bizarre metro/tram system).

 

[B&W]

Went to Alicante this Autumn and did day trip to Denia by tram and DMU.

Trams are underground the main street in centre of Alicante, we got a Benidorm service at 0915 in Alicante and apart from another UK couple were the only persons on board. It filled up at later stops and was rammed by Benidorm, mostly locals. You get local trams and longer distance trams with different internal layouts. Return Fare was about 25 Euros for 5/6 hours travel.
Lots of investment in the system (by the EU, ie us I suppose) , underground sections, separated junctions, all ATC, auto points, signals etc and a new bit has just opened in Alicante to the northern suburbs and Uni.
However the recession is taking its toll, the short stretch that runs along the beach in Alicante to the marina though the system depot ( the old station) is now shut.
The electrification eastward is stopped ( post bases are in, some bridges rebuilt and new CWR but that's it ) beyond Benidorm and this part to Denia is threatened with closure to achieve cost savings.
Of the extension underground in Alicante to serve the Main Line station and new bus/tram/train transport mode terminal ( also delayed indefinitely) no signs so you must walk the 500m or so over ground and we were told the Tram extension to the Airport is now just wistful thinking.

So for the time being you can change at Benidorm for the rebuilt DMUs to Denia, we saw still some DMUs in original condition at Denia and Alicante depot. The DMUs come along the tram lines to get major services at Alicante still.
Some demic old carriages and locos lying around guess these were the stock for the Lemon express which used to run till the new tram rails required the wheels to be modified.
Well worth a ride, still some old rail cranes, turntables, engine sheds etc to be seen at various stations.

Brian

 

[johnnychips]

Cheers everyone. I've just received an invitation to go to Congo (Brazzaville) at the same time instead, so Benidorm may have to wait. Bit of a difference.

 

[stut]

Wow, that's quite a trip. Sounds fascinating - best of luck.

 

[dutchflyer]

And for others interested in other links:
of course there are buses, a longish route Alacant-BD-(various stops, differ per trip) to Valencia, by ALSA-or associated. LOng, long ago it was even RENFE buses. Pay before boarding at window, long trips can be reserved-and should be on very busy times. BUSstation in BD is some distance from centre town, close by motorway, there are also citybuses linking it. To AC about hourly, VLC ev. 2 hrs or so, irregular. Sadly, no convenient interlinking link from Denia (other end of the remaining diesel) into VLC. AC has a big busstation with coaches to most major Spanish towns, as does VLC. On specific weekends BD, as its gets also more populair with Spanish holidaymakers from its inland major cities and then has direct links.
There is a special touristy excursion train-old style, but no steam, toward Denia, the LIMON express.

 

[jkkne]

There is a special touristy excursion train-old style, but no steam, toward Denia, the LIMON express.

The Limon Express no longer runs. It used to run up to Gata de Gorgos and was a lovely scenic view through orange and lemon (obviously!) valleys.

You can do the same route though on a less rustic but still nice tram up to Denia