Can you live in Altea without a car? The TRAM, buses and which areas work on foot
Yes, if you live in the town itself or the Old Town. From the church square, the TRAM station, the market, a supermarket, the health centre and the beach are all less than a kilometre’s walk. The TRAM runs once an hour each way, towards Benidorm and towards Calpe and Dénia, and the bus to Albir and Benidorm every 20 to 30 minutes. In Altea la Vella it’s harder, and in the hillside urbanisations a car is close to essential.
- TRAM Line 9 has four stops in Altea (Altea, Garganes, Cap Negret and l’Olla) and runs without changes from Benidorm to Dénia, one train an hour each way.
- Bus 010 links Altea with Albir and Benidorm every 20 to 30 minutes on weekdays. Bus 012 goes to the hospital in La Vila Joiosa twice a day.
- There’s an Alsa coach to Alicante airport that stops in Altea.
- Car-free life works in the town and the Old Town. In Altea la Vella you’ll rely on the bus. In the hillside urbanisations, you need a car.
The Alicante TRAM: Line 9 in Altea
Line 9 of the TRAM d’Alacant, run by the Valencian regional railway (FGV), follows the coast between Benidorm and Dénia. Within Altea it has four stops: Altea (the town station, on Calle la Mar), Garganes, Cap Negret and Olla de Altea.
Is it running? Yes. Work on the Algar and Mascarat viaducts closed the section between Altea and Calpe for months, with replacement buses. The whole line reopened on 28 January 2025, and trains now run straight through from Benidorm to Dénia with no change. On 12 October 2026 the Line 9 page showed no priority service alerts.
How often. According to FGV’s 2026 timetable, one train an hour leaves Altea station in each direction, every day:
- Towards Calpe and Dénia: 05:50 to 21:50, at ten to the hour.
- Towards Albir and Benidorm: 06:09 to 23:09, at nine minutes past.
Journey times from Altea: 5 minutes to Albir, 15 to Benidorm, 21 to Calpe and just over an hour to Dénia. For Alicante, change at Benidorm to Line 1, which leaves every half hour and takes about 80 minutes to Luceros, in the city centre. Allow around an hour and three quarters in all.
Fares. Fares changed on 1 October 2026: a TRAM single went up from €1.45 to €2, and under-14s still travel free. The exact price depends on how many zones you cross, so check the TRAM app or website before you travel.
With an hourly train, planning is everything. Keep the timetable on your phone and leave a little slack. If you miss it, bus 010 to Albir or Benidorm runs more often.
Buses: to Albir, Benidorm, the hospital and Altea la Vella
The buses through Altea are all regional routes on the Transporte Público Marina Baja network. The times below are the published weekday timetables for October 2026.
- Line 010, Altea – Albir – Rincón de Loix – Benidorm Centro. Runs 06:30 to 22:30 in both directions, every 20 minutes in the morning and every 30 in the afternoon. Your best option for Albir or Benidorm.
- Line 012, Altea – Albir – Finestrat shopping centres – Hospital – La Vila Joiosa. Two departures a day from Altea, at 08:30 and 15:50, returning at 10:10 and 17:30. It’s the only direct bus to the Marina Baixa district hospital. Otherwise, take the TRAM to Benidorm and Line 1 to the Hospital Vila stop.
- Line 027, La Nucía – Alfaz del Pi – Altea – Cap Negret – Altea la Vella. Roughly one an hour until early afternoon, then one in the evening. It links the town with Cap Negret and Altea la Vella.
- Line 031, Rincón de Loix – Albir – Altea. No services were scheduled in October.
Is there a local town bus in Altea? The network serving the town lists only these four lines, all regional. I haven’t found a separate town bus. Within the municipality, the 027 does that job between the centre, Cap Negret and Altea la Vella.
Getting to Alicante airport without a car
Alsa runs a coach between Alicante-Elche airport and Calpe that stops in Alicante city, at Alicante train station, in Alfaz del Pi and in Altea. It’s the direct car-free option. There’s also a direct coach from the airport to Benidorm, which you can combine with the TRAM or the 010.
I’m not quoting times or fares because I couldn’t check them on Alsa’s website. Look them up there before you book your flight, especially if you land late at night. Otherwise, the alternative is a taxi or a private transfer.
Taxis and cycling
Taxis. There are taxi ranks in the centre, including one by the TRAM station. They’re the answer for getting back from Benidorm late at night, or up to a hillside urbanisation.
Cycling. Between the town, the seafront and the coast towards Albir the ground is fairly flat, and a bike works well. But the Old Town sits about 40 metres above the station, with stepped streets, and the hillside urbanisations climb to 200 or 300 metres and more. If you’re going to live up there, think e-bike.
Which parts of Altea work on foot, and which don’t
The town and the Old Town: yes
From the church square in the Old Town, on foot:
- Municipal market: 400 m (5 minutes).
- TRAM station: 500 m (7 minutes).
- Platja de la Roda beach: 650 m (9 minutes).
- Supermarket: 800 m (10 minutes).
- Health centre: 1 km (13 minutes).
The catch is the hills: the square is about 40 metres higher than the station. Going down is easy; coming back up with the shopping, less so. In the flat part of town, near the station and the seafront, car-free life is easier still.
Altea la Vella: with the bus
It has a primary school, a GP surgery and small shops. For everything else you’re 2.1 km on foot from the l’Olla TRAM stop (about 28 minutes) and 3.6 km from the health centre (nearly 50 minutes). Bus 027 takes you into town. You can manage without a car, but you’ll be watching the clock. Here’s the full comparison between Altea Old Town and Altea la Vella.
The hillside urbanisations: no
Altea Hills, Sierra de Altea, Urlisa and the other urbanisations on the slopes of the Serra de Bèrnia are 3 to 6 km on foot from the nearest TRAM stop, with hundreds of metres of climb. No bus route goes up into them: the 027 only runs along the Altea la Vella road below. To live there you need a car, or a lot of taxis.
Getting around from Altea without a car
| Destination | How | Approx. time | Frequency (weekdays, Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albir | TRAM L9 or bus 010 | 5 min (TRAM) | TRAM hourly · bus every 20-30 min |
| Benidorm | TRAM L9 or bus 010 | 15 min (TRAM) | TRAM hourly · bus every 20-30 min |
| Calpe | TRAM L9 | 21 min | Hourly |
| Dénia | TRAM L9 | Just over 1 hr | Hourly |
| Alicante (Luceros) | TRAM L9 + L1 from Benidorm | About 1 hr 45 min | L9 hourly · L1 every 30 min |
| Marina Baixa hospital | Bus 012, or TRAM + L1 | Varies | Bus: 2 a day |
| Altea la Vella | Bus 027 | See timetable | Roughly hourly until the afternoon |
| Alicante airport | Alsa coach (Calpe route) | Check with Alsa | Check with Alsa |
If you’re house-hunting and don’t want to depend on a car, focus on the town and the Old Town. For the homes we have for sale in Altea, I can tell you how many minutes’ walk each one is from the station.
Have a look at the homes we have for sale in the town, the Old Town and around, and I’ll tell you how each one works on foot.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Altea TRAM running in 2026? +
Yes. Line 9 has run from Benidorm to Dénia with no changes since it reopened on 28 January 2025, after the work on the Algar and Mascarat viaducts. On 12 October 2026 there were no service alerts.
How often does the TRAM stop in Altea? +
One train an hour each way. Towards Benidorm, 06:09 to 23:09; towards Calpe and Dénia, 05:50 to 21:50.
Is there a town bus in Altea? +
I haven’t found a separate town bus. Four regional lines serve Altea: the 010 to Benidorm, the 012 to the hospital, the 027 to Altea la Vella and the 031, which had no services in October.
How do I get from Alicante airport to Altea without a car? +
On the Alsa coach between the airport and Calpe, which stops in Altea. Check times and fares on Alsa’s website.
Which part of Altea is best for living without a car? +
The town, especially the flat part near the station and the seafront, and the Old Town if you don’t mind hills.
Founder of maXcasa International. Thirty years buying and selling homes on the Costa Blanca North, with clients from all over Europe.
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