JSV’s Alicante Terminal Expands Rail Link to Madrid and Beyond
A little more than five months after its opening, the JSV group’s multifunctional terminal at the port of Alicante has welcomed its first freight train from Abroñigal station in Madrid. The weekly service is currently the only link the port has with the Spanish capital. A second rail corridor is planned to be added between April and May, connecting the port facilities directly with Miranda de Ebro’s dry port managed by the group’s freight arm.
“We have reached another important milestone for the group. We are launching the network of rail connections that will weave around Alicante’s terminal, enabling multimodal and flexible transport solutions,” commented Sonia Herzog, the group’s CEO.
The weekly Madrid–Alicante rail service departs from Madrid on Friday mornings and from Alicante on Saturdays, with both ends delivering in the afternoon of the same day. The route provides a multimodal link to diverse sectors, especially fast-moving consumer goods, enabling shipments from the center of the country to reach the port and to move cargo from Alicante and its surroundings toward Madrid in time for Monday distribution.
JSV receives its trains at rail facilities adjacent to the terminal, the Port Hub of Alicante. Herzog noted that the purpose is not only to handle cargo passing through the terminal, but also to supply Alicante with a crucial rail connection. This setup allows goods to be moved by rail rather than road, reducing the number of formal procedures typically involved in a port-terminal operation.
Beyond this initial connection, the group plans to link Alicante’s port with its northern rail terminal and dry port in Miranda de Ebro (TCM). Herzog explained that, as a multimodal logistics operator, JSV will continue creating ad hoc rail corridors—connecting points and logistics centers that customers require. The firm also intends to expand rail connections at Alicante and other ports, arguing that rail is the fastest path to cutting the carbon footprint of transportation.
The JSV terminal began operations last October. It covers more than 70,000 square meters and can handle about 6,000 twenty-foot containers and around 250 refrigerated containers for temperature-controlled goods. The facility is equipped with two Panama Ship-to-Shore gantry cranes, each lifting up to 68 tons and featuring rotating cabs to handle special cargo. The company has built its reputation over three decades by designing and patenting containers adapted to different types of cargo. Herzog emphasized that the terminal completes JSV’s strategy to own the entire logistics chain and deliver tailored solutions to every client.
Port authorities in Alicante have welcomed the new freight rail connection as part of broader efforts to boost goods transport on all levels. They are actively working toward the launch of the announced intermodal station, marking another step in integrating sea and rail logistics for more efficient supply chains.