Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport to Altea
Altea is about 70 km from Alicante airport. The cheapest direct option is the Alsa L527 coach at €8.75, four times a day and about 1 hour 35 minutes. A taxi takes around 55 minutes and costs about €97–110.
Altea is just past Benidorm, but most transport is built around its bigger neighbour. Alsa runs four direct coaches a day for €8.75. The hourly Benidorm coach plus TRAM line 9 or a short taxi gives far more departure times. Taxis cost around €97–110. This guide sets out both bus routes, shuttle seats from about €22, and what changes after the 17:00 coach has gone.
How far is Altea from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport?
Altea is 70 km (43 miles) from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport by road, about 55 min by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 56 km. By public transport, Alsa L520 to Benidorm + TRAM L9 or taxi takes about 1h 30m and costs €7.99.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: Alsa L520 to Benidorm + TRAM L9 or taxi is the cheapest way at €7.99 (1h 30m, with no change). A taxi from €97 saves roughly 35 min and takes you to the door. Timetable: From airport Mon–Fri 07:00–21:00 hourly + 23:00 · weekends 08:00–19:00 + 21:00.
What it costs for your group
The bus / shuttle is charged per person, while a taxi is one price for the whole car — so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Bus / shuttle (per person) | Taxi (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo · 1 traveller | €8 | €97 | Bus / shuttle |
| Couple · 2 travellers | €16 | €97 | Bus / shuttle |
| Family of 4 · 4 travellers | €32 | €97 | Bus / shuttle |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority is… | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | Alsa L520 to Benidorm + TRAM L9 or taxi | From €7.99, about 1h 30m, no change needed. |
| Speed | Taxi | 55 min and door-to-door, from €97. |
| A group of 4 | Alsa L520 to Benidorm + TRAM L9 or taxi | Four tickets still come to about €31.96 — less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | Taxi or pre-booked transfer | Alsa L520 to Benidorm + TRAM L9 or taxi stops overnight — timetable: From airport Mon–Fri 07:00–21:00 hourly + 23:00 · weekends 08:00–19:00 + 21:00. |
By transport mode
Bus / shuttle
Altea stop: TRAM station, C. La Mar (opposite no. 135). Calls at Alicante bus and rail stations and L'Alfàs del Pi first. One hold case included.
Where to catch it: Bus bays on Level 2 (Departures)
Times: From airport daily 09:00, 12:00, 15:00, 17:00 (arrive Altea 10:35, 13:35, 16:35, 18:35)
Best for solo & budget travellersBus / shuttle
€7.99 is the coach fare to Benidorm only; the TRAM or a short taxi to Altea is extra. More departure times than the direct coach, but involves a change.
Where to catch it: Bus bays on Level 2 (Departures)
Times: From airport Mon–Fri 07:00–21:00 hourly + 23:00 · weekends 08:00–19:00 + 21:00
Best for solo & budget travellersShuttle
Per seat, from ~£20 (about €22). Drops near accommodation, after stops in Benidorm.
Where to catch it: Shuttle desk or meeting point in Arrivals
Times: Varies by seller
Best for budget travellersTaxi
Metered: about €97 day / €110 night (Aug 2026 survey) incl. airport supplement; tolls extra.
Where to catch it: Taxi rank outside Arrivals, Level 0
Times: 24 hours
Best for small groups in a hurryPrivate transfer
Child seats reserved in advance and the same price at any hour; quotes vary a lot by seller (hoppa from ~£127). Worth comparing.
Where to catch it: Arrivals hall, at the meeting point stated in the booking
Times: 24 hours
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsAltea & Alicante in photos
Buying tickets in Alicante
C-6 to Alicante: a single costs €4.70 (from 24 July 2026). Buy it for the trip on board, or as a QR ticket in the Vectalia app. Vectalia also sells a 10-trip bono at €8.10, which is of interest mainly to residents.
Alsa coaches (Benidorm, Altea, Calpe, Dénia, Jávea, Murcia): buy in the Alsa app, at the Alsa sales point in the airport, or on board where the service allows it. Cash is accepted only at Alsa sales points, ticket machines and on the bus. Cards, PayPal and Apple Pay work in the app. The basic fare includes one suitcase in the hold (20 kg on Básica). If a flight delay makes you miss your coach, Alsa will move you to its next service free of charge within 12 hours; arrange this at the airport sales point or by phone.
Costa Azul to Torrevieja: €7.00 one way, sold online through the operator's sales page (regular.autobusing.com), which also handles changes and cancellations.
Elche R11/R10: Elche urban fare, €1.35 ordinary single in 2026.
All scheduled buses board on Level 2 (Departures). Arrivals passengers need to go upstairs first.
Taxi scams & safety in Alicante
The only taxis licensed to pick up at the airport rank are Elche taxis from Radio Taxi Elche (about 85% of the fleet) and Servitaxi Elche. They are white with a green stripe along the side and the Elche coat of arms on the front doors. The rank is outside arrivals on Level 0. Radio Taxi Elche has an information point in the arrivals hall, open 09:00–01:00.
Fares are metered. Trips within Elche use the city tariff (2026: €1.77 flag fall and €1.01/km on tariff 1). Longer trips use the regional interurban tariff (2026: €2.25 plus €1.46/km, or €2.80 plus €1.68/km on the special rate). An airport supplement is added: Aena states €4.25, and Elche's 2026 ordinance sets €4.55. Tolls are charged on top. Rough guides: central Alicante €24.50–27, Benidorm €83–99, Torrevieja €66–76.
- Ignore anyone in the arrivals hall offering a ride who is not at the rank or holding your booking.
- For long trips (Calpe, Dénia, Murcia, Valencia), ask for an estimate before you set off, or pre-book on the operators' websites, where the price is shown in advance.
- If you have pre-booked a taxi through an operator, Servitaxi Elche explains that the driver must still run the meter by law, but you pay the agreed booking price.
- Ask for a receipt (recibo). It shows the licence number if you need to complain or trace lost property.
Step-free access in Alicante
Aena runs the "Sin Barreras" (Barrier Free) assistance service for passengers with reduced mobility at Alicante-Elche. Request it at least 48 hours before your flight through your airline or travel agent, the Aena website or app, or by phone on +34 91 321 10 00 (07:00–00:00) or email at [email protected].
- Signposted meeting points are located inside and outside the terminal, including the car park, the arrivals forecourt and the check-in area.
- On departure, be at a meeting point at least 2 hours before the flight. An assistant takes you through check-in, security and boarding to your seat.
- On arrival, staff help you leave the aircraft, collect your luggage if needed, and take you to the meeting point you choose.
Getting from ALC to Altea
A quieter town, one bay past Benidorm
Altea is only about ten kilometres beyond Benidorm, but it is a very different place: a hill of white houses climbing to the blue-and-white tiled dome of the Consol church, with a pebble seafront below and a long tradition of painters and craft studios. It is around 70 km from the airport. The trip can be quick and expensive, or slow and cheap. In between is a two-step route through Benidorm that suits people who would rather not pay for a taxi or wait for one of the few direct coaches.
The direct coach, four times a day
Alsa's L527 (Calp–Altea–Alicante–Aeropuerto) stops in Altea at the TRAM station on Calle La Mar, opposite number 135. It leaves the airport at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00 every day, holidays included, and arrives in Altea at 10:35, 13:35, 16:35 and 18:35. The trip takes about an hour and a half because the coach first goes into Alicante, to the bus station and the ADIF-AVE railway station, and then stops at L'Alfàs del Pi. Alsa's fare table gives €8.75 from the airport to Altea.
Like every intercity bus at this airport, it boards upstairs on the departures level, not at arrivals. One hold case is included in the basic fare. Alsa will rebook you free onto the next service within 12 hours if a late flight makes you miss yours. On a route with four buses a day, the next one may be three hours later.
The two-step route via Benidorm
If your arrival does not suit the L527, the hourly Alsa L520 to Benidorm is the useful alternative. It costs €7.99, runs non-stop, and reaches Benidorm bus station in about 45 minutes. Weekday departures run 07:00–21:00 every hour plus 23:00; at weekends, 08:00–19:00 plus 21:00. From Benidorm you have two ways on:
- TRAM line 9, which runs north along the coast to Altea. It is the cheap option and the coastal views are good. Check the TRAM d'Alacant timetable, as evening services are less frequent.
- A taxi from Benidorm for the last stretch. It is short, so this costs far less than the full trip from the airport.
This route takes longer than a car, and with heavy cases the change is a nuisance. Its advantage is choice: you have about fifteen departure times a day instead of four.
Seats on a shared shuttle
Shared airport shuttles that serve Benidorm often carry on to Altea. hoppa advertises shared seats to Altea from about £20 per person (roughly €22). You are dropped near your accommodation, which matters in Altea, where the old town streets are steep, stepped and largely closed to traffic. Expect some stops in Benidorm on the way.
What a taxi costs
The official airport taxis, operated by Radio Taxi Elche and Servitaxi Elche, wait outside arrivals on Level 0. Welcome Pickups' August 2026 fare survey gives about €97 by day and €110 at night to Altea. Those prices include the airport supplement but not motorway tolls. The 2026 regional interurban tariff is €2.25 plus €1.46 per km by day and €2.80 plus €1.68 per km on the special rate.
Booking ahead with children
Where a pre-booked private car earns its cost on this route is with children. You can reserve the right seats, and the same fixed price applies whatever time the flight lands. Prices from booking sites vary widely. hoppa starts at about £127 (roughly €145) for a private car, and quotes elsewhere are often closer to the metered taxi. Compare two or three sellers for your date. Travelling in a group, the cost per person comes down quickly.
Arriving in the evening
The last direct coach to Altea leaves at 17:00. After that, the cheapest public route is the Alsa coach to Benidorm (last at 23:00 on weekdays, 21:00 at weekends) and then a taxi or TRAM. After the last coach, it is the taxi rank or a car booked in advance.
A few local pointers
- The Altea stop is at the TRAM station near the seafront, below the old town. If your house is up in the old quarter, you will be walking uphill.
- Altea Hills and the Mascarat area are a long way north of the town stop. Give the driver the full address, not just "Altea".
- The church square at the top of the old town is a pedestrian zone. Taxis drop at the edge of it.
ALC to Altea — FAQ
How far is Altea from Alicante airport?
What is the cheapest way from Alicante airport to Altea?
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Sources
Fares and times on this page were last held against their official sources on 21 October 2026. Operators change prices without notice — if you spot a difference, the operator’s own page is the authority. How we check fares.
- Alsa – L527 Calp–Altea–Alicante–Aeropuerto timetable (PDF) · checked 2026-10-21
- Alsa – L520 Benidorm–Aeropuerto timetable (PDF) · checked 2026-10-21
- Alsa – Comunidad Valenciana fares (CV 202 / CV 302) · checked 2026-10-21
- Alsa – buses at Alicante-Elche airport · checked 2026-10-21
- Aena – Alicante-Elche airport, getting there by bus · checked 2026-10-21
- hoppa – Alicante airport transfers, indicative prices · checked 2026-10-21
- Welcome Pickups – Alicante airport taxi fares (Aug 2026) and transfer prices · checked 2026-10-21
- DOGV 30.12.2025 – interurban taxi tariffs, Comunitat Valenciana · checked 2026-10-21
- Aena – Alicante-Elche airport, taxi · checked 2026-10-21
