SPAIN: The Valencia regional government hopes to begin tendering next year for an 11·5 km extension of the Alacant light rail network to the city's airport, with the aim of opening the route in 2011.
As well as conventional LRVs, operator FGV is planning to use tram-train vehicles with a maximum speed of 100 km/h on the new line, which would enable a journey time of 16 min between the city centre and the airport.
With 2 km in tunnel, the route would form an extension of Line 1 from a new interchange to be built next to Alacant's rail terminus, reaching the surface in the Babel district where there would be three stops. The route would then serve a stop for the fair grounds, where provision would be made for a future extension to Elche, before heading towards the airport.
