Alicante Tram
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Like the other narrow gauge railways of the Valencian Community, the Alicante TRAM (TRAM Metropolitano de Alicante/TRAM Metropolità d'Alacant) operates in the Spanish city of Alicante and its surrounding area and is run by the FGV (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana). It was inaugurated on 15th August 2003 replacing the previous narrow gauge diesel system between Alicante and El Campello.
The current network combines: two tram routes using the city centre underground section (lines L1 and L3), a route operating wholly as a suburban surface tram line (line L4). The remaining local diesel service has been rebranded as line L9. The two underground routes currently operate as parallel single track operations between MARQ station and the city centre Mercado station, which opened on 10 May 2007.
Line L1 operates as an hourly limited stop service to Creueta where it connects with diesel services on line L9;
Line L3 runs at a fifteen minute frequency as as a stopping service to El Campello with one train an hour extended to Venta Lanuza;
Line L4 runs from Alicante port (Puerta del Mar) passing through the site of the former FGV Railway station (La Marina) and terminating at Av. Naciones (Playa de San Juan);
Line L9 goes from Creueta along the coast to Denia, stopping at important tourist towns like Benidorm, Altea, Calpe. Services on this route are subject to disruption due to engineering works as the line is prepared for electrification.
The intention is that the underground section will be continued westward to Estació Multimodal serving the RENFE station (and a possible relocation of the bus station). There would be an intermediate city centre station at Plaza de los Luceros.
In the future, line L2, using the same underground stretch as lines L1 and L3, will connect the centre of Alicante with the university in San Vicente del Raspeig. Further expansion plans will see a link to the airport at El Altet.
[edit] External links
- Tram Alicante Official website
- FGV Alicante website
- Alicante Streetcar with map and pictures of the train lines