DESCRIPTION
Alicante region (the most attractive touristic area in the south-eastern part of Spain) has more than 90 km of metric gauge railways (Alicante-Denia route). In years '90s the local transport operator (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Valencia-FGV, which also operates Metro Valencia) decided to upgrade this network, by the conversion of single track sections into double track ones (Luceros-Paradis) and by an extensive electification of the tracks (up to Benidorm). In this way, it was created a new urban tram service from Luceros to El Campello (Line 3) and an express tram-train service from Luceros to Benidorm; the diesel trains service along Denia-Altea-Alicante route currently terminates at Benidorm, where it interchanges with tram-train Line 1.
The whole Alicante tram network was obtained partly by the transformation and re-use of the urban sections of the former Alicante-Denia railway (as said before), and partly by the construction of new tracks. Another line (Line 4) opened in 2007 (with extensions in 2009 and 2010) connecting Luceros to the district of Playa San Juan (part of this line runs as a single-track loop).
Line 2 opened in 2013; it connects city centre (Luceros) to the University and to Sant Vicent del Raspeig suburb.