The nearest large resort south of the airport — 45 km down the AP-7 and N-332, about 40 minutes. Taxi, ALSA coach and fixed-price private transfer compared, plus what to expect once you reach the salt lakes and La Mata.
Torrevieja sits almost due south of Alicante-Elche airport, and the drive is the simplest on this whole coast: one motorway, one exit, no mountain passes.
Leaving the terminal, cars join the AP-7 heading south and stay on it for most of the 45 km, coming off onto the N-332 for the final stretch into town. In normal traffic that is about 40 minutes; allow closer to an hour on a Friday evening in July or August, when the coast road through Los Balcones and into central Torrevieja backs up with resort traffic. There are no tolls on this run and no tram option — Torrevieja is well south of the TRAM network, so it is taxi, coach or transfer only.
Figures below are indicative for 2026 — a taxi meter adds airport, night and holiday supplements, while the transfer and coach prices are fixed at booking.
| Option | Distance | Journey time | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi (rank) | 45 km | ~40 min | €65-80 | Per car, up to 4 passengers; night/holiday supplement applies |
| Private transfer | 45 km | ~40 min | from €48 | Fixed price per vehicle, booked in advance, flight tracked |
| ALSA coach | 45 km | 45-55 min | €9-12 | Per person, several departures a day, finishes at the bus station |
| TRAM | — | — | not available | Torrevieja is south of the tram network; not an option on this route |
A transfer is normally the cheapest door-to-door option for two or more people once you account for the taxi's airport and night supplements, and it is the only option that will carry on past the town centre to a villa in La Mata or a rental on Orihuela Costa without a second fare.
Torrevieja grew from a small fishing and salt-trading port into one of the Costa Blanca's largest resort towns, and the salt is still very much part of the picture: the Las Salinas de Torrevieja lake, just south of the centre, turns a distinctive shade of pink in the right light and conditions, and is a working salt operation as well as a well-known local landmark. North of town, the smaller La Mata lagoon and the long, dune-backed La Mata beach give a quieter alternative to the busy town-centre seafront, with pine woods running behind the sand.
Torrevieja has one of the largest British and Scandinavian resident communities on this coast, built up over several decades, and that shows in the town: English and Nordic-language signage is common, supermarkets stock imported groceries, and there are long-established expat social clubs and churches alongside the Spanish town. It makes Torrevieja an easy landing point for anyone visiting family who has settled here, not just for a beach holiday.
Because the AP-7 continues south past Torrevieja, a good share of airport arrivals are only passing through on the way to somewhere else along this stretch. Orihuela Costa (Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig, La Zenia) starts a few kilometres further south, Guardamar del Segura sits at the mouth of the Segura river beyond that, and La Marina lies inland of the coast road towards Elche. All three add well under 15 minutes to a private transfer booked through to the door — a taxi or coach ticket booked to Torrevieja itself will not take you further without renegotiating.
Fixed from €48, booked before you fly, and the only option that continues past Torrevieja to La Mata, Orihuela Costa, Guardamar or La Marina for one price.
No booking needed - walk out and go. Sensible for one or two people heading straight into central Torrevieja at a reasonable hour.
€9-12 per person to Torrevieja bus station, several times a day. Cheapest option, but you will need a local taxi or lift on from the station if you are staying in La Mata or further south.
Worth considering if you want to explore the salt lakes, La Mata and Orihuela Costa independently over a longer stay; desks are inside the terminal.
Continuing south or exploring more of the Costa Blanca from the airport:
Every destination, taxi and transfer prices on one page.
The busiest route north of the airport, 55 km up the AP-7.
An hour north under the Peñón de Ifach.
The C-6 city bus and every ALSA resort line, fares and frequencies.
Around €65-80 for the 45 km run down the AP-7 and N-332, which takes about 40 minutes. A pre-booked private transfer usually costs from €48 for the same car, and the direct ALSA coach is €9-12 per person.
Yes. ALSA runs direct coaches from outside arrivals to Torrevieja bus station several times a day for €9-12 per person, journey time around 45-55 minutes depending on the timetable.
About 40 minutes in normal traffic via the AP-7 motorway and the N-332, covering 45 km. It can stretch to an hour on a Friday evening in summer when the coast road into town backs up.
Yes, private transfers are booked door to door, so the driver will carry on past Torrevieja to Orihuela Costa, Guardamar del Segura or La Marina at no extra complication - just enter the exact address when you book.
Yes - the ALSA coach and the taxi rank both leave directly from arrivals, and once in Torrevieja the town, the promenade and La Mata beach are all walkable or a short local bus ride apart.
Rank taxis rarely carry them, but private transfer suppliers add child and booster seats free of charge when you request them at booking - worth doing given the motorway stretch of this route.
A private minivan transfer. It is booked as one fixed price for up to eight people and their luggage, rather than several taxis or coach tickets, and it drops everyone at the door in Torrevieja, La Mata or Orihuela Costa.