The long-awaited rail connection to Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport has moved a significant step closer to reality. On 18th June 2026, the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility received a favourable Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Torrellano Bypass, marking a critical milestone that allows the definitive approval of the informative study for this eagerly anticipated infrastructure project.
The Ministry has confirmed that the development will be carried out in two distinct stages. Phase I will focus specifically on establishing a direct link to Alicante-Elche Airport through the construction of a brand-new railway station.
As the construction project for Phase I is already being drafted, this is currently the most advanced part of the scheme and will be responsible for bringing the airport rail link to life. A second phase will follow later, extending the bypass through to Alicante-Terminal and enabling the permanent removal of the existing coastal railway line.
A key highlight of the project design is that the final route has been carefully adapted to preserve enough space for a potential second runway at the airport. Although AENA does not currently plan to construct a second runway in the short term, the layout of the railway bypass ensures that any future expansion of the airport will not be restricted by the path of the train track.
Whilst the Ministry has not yet released an official timetable, the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment clears one of the main administrative hurdles for the project.
The next stages will involve the definitive approval of the informative study, the completion of the construction project, the tendering process for the works, and their subsequent execution.
If these administrative stages progress without further delays, work on the site could begin during 2028. This schedule means the first trains could finally start arriving at the airport between 2031 and 2033, depending on the pace of execution across the different phases.
