Although Barcelona is worthy of its own trip, it is also very easy to plan a beach vacation in Alicante, a port city on Spain’s Costa Blanca. Both buses and trains are surprisingly slow along this route. Flying would be faster, but when you add check-in time plus travel to and from the airport, you may find the difference to be negligible. Also, the flights will cost more money. With cases like this, it’s smart to let price be your deciding factor.
Barcelona to Alicante by train
There is a high-speed AVE train from Alicante to Madrid, which will take you to the capital in approximately two hours. From here, you can transfer to another high-speed train (approximately 2.5 hours) to Barcelona. Due to this improved route, it would take you the same amount of time to get to Madrid and then Barcelona by high-speed train as it would take you directly to Barcelona on a slow five-hour train. The only downside is that the slightly faster route is also more expensive.
The train from Alicante to Barcelona takes about five hours from Barcelona Sants station. Departures occur almost every hour from 7 am to around 6 pm These trains are operated by RENFE; You can book train tickets with Rail Europe.
Barcelona to Alicante by bus
The bus takes about seven and a half hours. ALSA is the most popular bus company in Spain, however, Movelia and Avanza are also reliable options. Since the train and bus cost roughly the same amount, but the train takes half the time, the rail route is recommended.
Barcelona to Alicante by car
The 550 kilometer or 340 mile journey from Barcelona to Alicante takes about five hours, traveling mainly on the AP-7 highway. Note that AP roads are toll roads, which can raise the price considerably. Expect to pay around 30 euros in tolls if you take this route. When you add rates for gas and car rentals, you may decide that public transportation is a better and more affordable option.
Recommended stops along the way
With a minimum of five hours in transit, it is not a bad idea to interrupt your journey by stopping to explore some of the beautiful cities along the east coast of Spain. One of the most popular routes is to make a detour to Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, as well as to the Roman ruins of Tarragona.
Getting around Barcelona
Barcelona’s public transport is extremely easy to use. The best way to get around Barcelona is by metro. There are eight metro lines that allow direct access to all the main tourist spots in the city. The only downside is that the subway stops are late in the evening from Monday to Friday, so you will have to take a bus or taxi to get back to your hotel if you plan to stay out. All trains, buses, and trams operate under the same metro pricing system, which is convenient for commuters trying to navigate the city.
