Carlos Baño, chair of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, urged the Spanish Government to speed up the timelines for the rail connection to Alicante-Elche Airport. He argued that the government has for too long failed to advance key regional infrastructure, noting that the BOE recently published a tender to draft the Phase I plan for the Torrellano Bypass, which includes airport access. The contract spans 38 months, and with terminal traffic surpassing six million passengers years ago, the region faces a multi-year delay before any construction is completed. Tenders are expected to open in November.
Baño pressed for a realistic completion date and warned that delaying the project until 2026 would leave the airport without a basic rail link for another decade, undermining service quality for residents and hindering connections to major economic and tourist hubs in the province of Alicante. He framed the tender details from Adif as a setback for the area and emphasized that timely action is essential for regional growth and mobility.
He stressed that Alicante and Elche form the province’s primary growth axis and cannot remain disconnected from surrounding neighborhoods and the wider Valencian Community, especially given the airport’s strategic role. The representative underscored that the region deserves better treatment and highlighted Alicante’s contribution to national GDP and regional investment levels as reasons to accelerate infrastructure plans.
During the briefing, Baño also recalled long-standing requests from the Chamber and the CEV for several projects, including Dock 19 at Alicante Port, a second runway for Alicante-Elche Airport, electrification of the rail link between the port and the Mediterranean Corridor, and a rail connection linking Dénia, Alcoy, and Torrevieja with the rest of the province. These projects have repeatedly appeared on the priority list for years, underscoring the need for consistent progress.
The CEV Alicante board welcomed the initiation of the process to deliver the rail link to Alicante-Elche Airport but cautioned that the projected timeline through 2026 remains lengthy for a project deemed essential by the province. The organization emphasized that delays have stalled critical development, and speed is needed to match the region’s growth trajectory.
Joaquín Pérez, president of CEV Alicante, remarked that the start was encouraging, yet cautioned about meeting deadlines without compromising results. He suggested there may be room to accelerate the schedule to cut the timeline by a year or two if the project proceeds with clear commitments and credible execution. He also noted that earlier investments in other infrastructure could have begun sooner, making it urgent to avoid further postponements.
The debate also highlighted a perception of unequal treatment at the national level, with CEV and the Alicante Chamber advocating for a decade-long push to secure essential infrastructure for the province since 2019. The plan is framed as a core priority that would shape the organization’s agenda for years to come, including water resource management, administrative efficiency reforms, and increased regional and state funding.
The government commits to tender the rail link with the airport this year
The Ministry of Transport indicated it would proceed with the rail connection to Alicante and Elche, either with formal confirmation or through a commitment that the project will be funded and carried out. The ministry also linked the rail link to the completion of complementary studies for the Torrellano variant, an important element in removing suburban tracks from the city center and aligning with the early-phase plans for the sea line. The procurement was awarded in early 2020, and the government later acknowledged that the alternative remains without a final project and that electrification of the commuter line could still be considered. The current status highlights the ongoing debate over whether diesel services along the Alicante-Murcia corridor will continue or whether electrification will proceed to modernize the region’s rail network.
The transport ministry has been managing the public information process around the Alicante-Elche airport rail link since 2019, including the release of an informative file for the link branch and the Alicante-Elche airport access variant. The plan envisions a connection from the airport to the AVE station in Alicante and to Elche via a short branch line that would depart from the existing suburban network around the Casas de Bonmatí area near the Alicante Trade Fair. The discussion continues as authorities assess the best route to integrate the airport with regional rail services and future high-speed connections.