Intercity Alicante-Barcelona Passengers Must Transfer in Valencia Due to Mediterranean Corridor Works

Due to the works on the Mediterranean Corridor, which begin at the end of this week, Renfe has been forced to modify the route of the Intercity train between Barcelona and Alicante, with the final destination Lorca/Cartagena.

According to the railway company, the works that Adif will undertake on the track will start on September 27 and will involve track cuts and reduced capacity at various stations, affecting the direct link between Alicante and Barcelona for the three Intercity trains.

Thus, the two daily trains in each direction between Barcelona and Lorca-Cartagena, which pass through Alicante, will be unified into one, which will run in double composition to guarantee the same number of seats that the company offers on this route. Additionally, passengers with origin and destination in Alicante must transfer at València Nord station, where they will wait for a new train to take them to their destination.

Renfe will only maintain direct service between both cities on weekends with Barcelona-Alicante on Fridays and Alicante-Barcelona on Sundays, with a greater number of seats using series 130 material.

Thus, starting at the end of this month, the train from Alicante will depart at 14:40 and arrive in Barcelona at 20:57, a journey of more than six hours with a transfer at 17:09 in Valencia Nord, where passengers must wait 21 minutes for the next train.

On the other side of the corridor, there are two Intercity trains traveling from Barcelona to Alicante. The first departs at 11:05 and arrives at 17:39 with a 30-minute wait in Valencia, while the second departs for Alicante at 13:30 and arrives almost at 20:00.

The Mediterranean Corridor continues to take shape. These works are added to those being carried out at La Encina junction, a section that connects with Xàtiva and will allow bringing the AVE to the section between Alicante and Valencia by adapting the tracks to standard gauge.

The electrification works for adapting the La Encina-Alicante section to standard gauge, including the implementation of a third rail and new track configuration for trains up to 750 meters long, are estimated to cost around 183.6 million euros as stated in the Government's tender through Adif.

The future AVE from Alicante to Valencia is expected to take 50 minutes and be ready by 2026, fulfilling the demand to connect both cities via high-speed rail.