Getting out of Altea

1. The TRAM

The regional narrow-gauge railway links Altea with Benidorm and Alicante in one direction and with Calpe, Teulada and Dénia in the other. The station is on the edge of town, walkable from the centre.

• Southbound — Benidorm in about a quarter of an hour; for Alicante change at Benidorm
• Northbound — Calpe, Benissa, Teulada, Gata, Dénia
• Frequency — regular by day, thinner in the evening; extra services in summer
• Tickets — from the machine or the app; multi-journey cards are considerably cheaper than singles

Timetables and fares: tramalicante.es

The line is known as an excursion — the stretches north of Altea run close to the coast. For everyday life it is above all the easiest way to Benidorm, where the offices, clinics and larger shops are.

2. Bus

• Intercity coaches — along the N-332 to Benidorm, Calpe, Alicante and Valencia, mostly operated by ALSA: alsa.es
• Airport bus — direct services between Benidorm and Alicante airport; from Altea take the TRAM to Benidorm and change
• Town bus — connects the hillside areas with the centre; timetable through the municipality

3. Airport

Alicante-Elche (ALC) is the nearest airport, some sixty kilometres away, about fifty minutes by car. It has year-round connections to Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

• By car — via the AP-7 and the N-332
• By public transport — TRAM to Benidorm, then the airport bus
• Taxi and transfers — a fixed price is customary; agree it beforehand
• Valencia (VLC) — about 150 kilometres, worth considering for better connections

Flight information: aena.es

4. Roads

• N-332 — the coast road, free, running through the middle of every town. Correspondingly slow in summer and at peak times.
• AP-7 — the motorway inland, faster and with its own exit for Altea. The stretch along this coast has been toll-free since 2020.

Choosing between them is a question of time: for short distances within the Marina Baja the N-332 is usually just as quick; from Calpe northwards, or towards Alicante, the AP-7 pays off.

5. Can you live in Altea without a car?

It depends entirely on the area — and it is the question to answer before any move:

• Town centre, La Roda, Centro — perfectly possible without a car. Market, offices, doctors and the station on foot, plus the TRAM.
• Casco Antiguo — reachable on foot but steep; parking is the real problem, not driving.
• Altea Hills, Sierra de Altea, Galera, Tossal — not realistic without a car. Every errand and every appointment means driving.
• Altea la Vella — its own centre with basic services, but cut off from the coast by the AP-7.

The overview of areas on the home page sorts the neighbourhoods by exactly this criterion.