After soaking in Madrid’s beautiful parks, manicured boulevards, and rich repositories of world-class art, you may be ready for a change of pace on your Spain vacation. Head to Alicante, an old port city on the southeast of Spain’s Costa Blanca, to discover narrow streets, colorful houses, stunning views of the Mediterranean, and fantastic nightlife.
Traveling between the two cities is quite simple. You can transit between the two in a number of ways, from a high-speed train to an inexpensive bus. Read on to learn more about how to travel between Madrid and Alicante.
What is the best way to get from Madrid to Alicante?
The train is by far the fastest option, and it is often not too expensive either. The high-speed train travels at impressive speeds of over 200 miles per hour, making the journey exceptionally fast. The train stops in Cuenca on the way, which is a great place to interrupt your travels.
How to get from Madrid to Alicante by train
As mentioned, the AVE high-speed train runs from Madrid to Alicante. The trip lasts between 2 hours, 20 minutes and 2 hours, 40 minutes, and generally costs between 25 and 65 euros, depending on the time of day, how much time you reserve in advance and the class of service you choose. You can book train tickets in Spain directly from Rail Europe, or you can book through an aggregation service like Trainline.
How to get from Madrid to Alicante by bus
The bus from Madrid to Alicante is another option. This journey is much longer, and some would argue that it is less relaxing than taking the train. While less expensive (tickets can cost as little as 13 euros), the journey takes around five hours, sometimes up to six and a half hours. You can book from ALSA, or through another ticket aggregator like BusBud.
How to get from Madrid to Alicante by car
Driving from Madrid to Alicante takes less than four hours, on the A-3 and A-31 roads. There are tolls on parts of this route. For inexperienced drivers, driving in Spain can be risky; it is recommended that you know well the rules of the Spanish road. Make sure to carry your driver’s license, insurance documents, and other required items at all times when driving in Spain.
Also, there are very few real “motorways” in Spain, which can add time to your journey. Most of the roads in Spain are ‘N’ roads, which can vary in quality, ranging from wide multi-lane roads that resemble motorways, to winding roads with traffic lights and driveways.
How to get from Madrid to Alicante by plane
Flying from Madrid to Alicante (and vice versa) is an option. Flight time is about an hour, but when you factor in transportation to and from the airport and security checks, this can be a much slower option than the train.
Iberia and Air Europa serve the route with nonstop flights. Round-trip fares on the latter generally cost around $ 160, as of February 2019.
