More than half a century after its final passenger train departed, the debate over reconnecting Torrevieja to Spain’s railway network is once again gathering momentum.
Torrevieja is no longer the comparatively small coastal town that lost its rail service in 1970. It is now a rapidly growing city with more than 113,000 registered residents, a population that increases dramatically during the summer and one of the most important tourism economies on the southern Costa Blanca.
Despite that growth, it remains without a direct railway connection.
Residents and visitors travelling to Alicante, Murcia or other parts of Spain must depend largely on private cars, buses or taxis. Those wishing to continue a journey by train generally have to travel to Alicante, Orihuela or Murcia.
For supporters of restoring rail access, Torrevieja’s population, economic importance and visitor numbers make the absence of a station increasingly difficult to justify.
A railway built around salt
Torrevieja’s original railway opened in 1884 as a branch connecting the town with the Alicante–Murcia line at Albatera-Catral.
The route played an important role in the local economy, particularly in transporting salt from Torrevieja’s internationally significant saltworks. Passenger services also provided residents with links to inland towns and the wider national rail network.
However, the line entered a long period of decline as road transport expanded and investment shifted away from smaller branch railways.
The final passenger service operated in January 1970. Although there were hopes that the closure might be temporary, trains never returned.
Parts of the former railway corridor have since been absorbed into the urban landscape or converted into the Torrevieja Greenway, making a simple reopening of the historic route highly unlikely.
Any modern rail connection would therefore require substantial new infrastructure rather than merely restoring the old tracks.
What would a new railway offer?
The most obvious benefit would be improved connectivity.
A modern rail or tram-train service could link Torrevieja with Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, Alicante city, Orihuela, Murcia and the wider Mediterranean rail corridor.
For residents, it could provide an alternative to driving along heavily used roads such as the N-332 and CV-95. For tourists, it could make Torrevieja easier to reach without hiring a car or arranging a private airport transfer.
The potential benefits would extend beyond convenience.
A reliable public transport connection could reduce traffic congestion, lower transport-related emissions and improve mobility for young people, older residents and those unable or unwilling to drive.
It could also help workers commute between Torrevieja and neighbouring employment centres such as Murcia or Alicante, while giving local businesses easier access to customers, employees and visitors from across the region.
During the summer, when the area’s population swells and pressure on the road network intensifies, the value of a high-capacity public transport alternative would become particularly apparent.
Airport access remains central to the debate
A direct connection with Alicante-Elche Airport is one of the strongest arguments made by supporters.
Torrevieja currently has a direct airport bus service, and bus connections across the Vega Baja have improved. However, buses remain exposed to road congestion and may not provide the frequency, capacity or range of onward connections offered by rail.
A railway or tram link to the airport could allow passengers to continue towards Alicante, Elche, Benidorm and other destinations without relying on a private vehicle.
It could also serve intermediate communities such as Guardamar del Segura, Rojales and the coastal areas of Orihuela, depending on the route selected.
That wider regional role could prove crucial. A railway designed solely for central Torrevieja might struggle to justify its cost, while a corridor serving several densely populated and tourism-dependent municipalities could present a stronger economic and social case.
Why has it not happened?
The difficulty is not a lack of proposals.
Over the decades, political parties and public administrations have repeatedly discussed railway, tram and combined transport links involving Torrevieja. Studies have examined possible connections with Orihuela, Alicante-Elche Airport and other parts of the Vega Baja.
Yet none have progressed beyond that initial discussion.
Cost is one major obstacle. Building a modern railway through developed urban and coastal areas would require land acquisition, complex engineering, new stations and potentially expensive bridges, tunnels or road alterations.
Responsibility is another problem.
A project of this scale would require cooperation between Torrevieja Town Council, neighbouring municipalities, the Valencian Government and Spain’s Ministry of Transport. Each administration has different responsibilities, budgets and political priorities.
There is also disagreement over what form the connection should take.
Some favour a conventional railway linking Torrevieja with the national network through Orihuela. Others argue that an extension of Alicante’s TRAM system, potentially passing through the airport and coastal municipalities, would serve more passengers.
Alternative proposals include tram-train technology, guided bus routes and high-capacity express bus corridors.
Until the authorities agree on the route, transport system and source of funding, the project is likely to remain on the drawing board.
Would trains solve Torrevieja’s traffic problems?
Rail supporters should also be realistic. A station would not automatically eliminate congestion.
Torrevieja is geographically dispersed, with large residential areas stretching from La Mata to Los Balcones and the Orihuela Costa boundary. Many passengers would still need buses, bicycles, taxis or cars to reach a station.
For rail to succeed, it would have to be integrated with an efficient urban bus network, pedestrian routes, cycle connections and park-and-ride facilities.
The location of any station would also be contentious. A centrally located terminal would be convenient but difficult and expensive to construct. An outlying station might be easier to build but less attractive to passengers unless supported by frequent connecting services.
There is also the question of whether year-round passenger demand would justify the investment, particularly outside the peak summer season.
Critics may argue that improving bus frequencies, introducing dedicated bus lanes and strengthening direct services to the airport and existing railway stations would be faster and considerably cheaper.
A question of long-term planning
The argument ultimately extends beyond whether Torrevieja should simply “get its train back.”
The old railway belonged to another era and served a very different town. The real question is whether today’s city should be included in a modern regional transport system designed for its current population and future growth.
Torrevieja’s expanding population, international community, tourism industry and dependence on road transport all strengthen the case for a serious feasibility study.
But such a study could take years. It would need to examine passenger demand, environmental effects, construction costs, possible routes and integration with the wider public transport network. It would also need to compare rail honestly with enhanced bus-based alternatives.
For more than 50 years, railway proposals have regularly resurfaced, often around election time, only to disappear again once the political attention has moved elsewhere.
With Torrevieja now firmly established as a city of more than 100,000 people, residents may reasonably ask how much longer it can remain one of the largest urban and tourist centres in the area without direct access to the railway network.
The choice is not simply between trains and buses. It is between continuing to rely overwhelmingly on the road network or developing a more diverse, resilient and sustainable transport system.
So, should Torrevieja finally have a station again?
For many residents, the answer will be an emphatic yes. The more difficult question is whether the administrations responsible are prepared to agree on a realistic project and provide the funding required to make it happen.
