Over quarter of a million take train in three months
Denia to Benidorm service proves its worth as passenger numbers soar by over 88%
RAIL passengers between Denia and Benidorm have multiplied since the line’s train reopened earlier this year, proving the coast's huge demand for public transport links.
Since the stretch from Gata de Gorgos to the northern terminus in Denia was relaunched in mid-January, nearly 260,000 travellers have used it, according to regional government figures.
This means the complete Benidorm-Denia stretch has seen a rise of over 88% in passenger numbers in its first quarter compared with the same months in 2022, when a bus service was in operation.
The most recent data are from April 15, exactly three months since the Gata-Denia line was restored, meaning figures are likely to grow considerably over the second and third quarters as holidaymakers use the train to get to and from Alicante airport.
More popular than before the seven-year shutdown
Based upon the same period in 2016 – the last year before
the train was taken ‘offline’ – the passenger increase is 66.44%, the regional transport authority reveals.
Back then, the line serving the whole of the Marina Alta and Marina Baixa was so badly deteriorated that it was unsafe in places, with sleepers missing, and trains forced to
slow to under 30 kilometres per hour.
After 20 years of no investment whatsoever in maintenance or upgrades, it would take well over an hour to travel to Benidorm from Denia – a journey that would barely last 30 minutes by road.
A breakdown by months shows that in the 16 days of January after the Gata-Denia section reopened, a total of 40,675 passengers used some part of what is known as Line 9.
February was the first full month with figures available, and saw 75,818 people catching the train.
By March, this had gone up to 93,907.
The first half of April had 48,084 boarding the BenidormDenia line, meaning the month as a whole would see an estimated 96,168 passengers.
Busiest stations
Whilst Benidorm remains the most-used station on Line 9, with 70,567 catching the train there, the final stop in Denia registered the second-highest passenger numbers, with 23,094 getting on board in the Marina Alta district capital in three months.
Similar figures were seen for the stations in TeuladaMoraira, Altea, Calpe, the Benidorm rail interchange, and Garganes, in that order.
Benissa station was used by 9,214 passengers, and Albir and Alfaz del Pi by 8,471 and 8,197 respectively.
Teulada station has seen its passenger numbers quadruple in those three months, whilst Calpe and Altea have seen a 140% and 130% rise based upon the same period in 2022.