TRAM strike disrupts key business rail link between Dénia and Benidorm

Rail commuters on Spain’s Costa Blanca faced significant disruption on 16 March as train drivers on Line 9 of the TRAM d’Alacant network began a fresh round of strikes. The action, called by the SEMAF union, affects the line that connects Dénia, Calp, Benissa and Benidorm—an essential corridor for tourism workers and remote-working expatriates who commute between the Marina Alta and Marina Baixa districts. Work stoppages are scheduled in three peak windows—07:00-10:00, 13:00-16:00 and 19:00-21:00—despite a 75 % minimum-service order imposed by the Valencian regional government. Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) warned travellers to expect delays and possible cancellations. SEMAF is demanding tighter safety protocols, additional staffing and investment in ageing rolling stock, arguing that the rapid post-pandemic rebound in passenger numbers has not been matched by resources. For businesses operating shared-service centres in Benidorm’s hotel cluster or tech start-ups in Dénia’s port district, the walkout adds commuting uncertainty at the height of the Spring events calendar—including the Fallas in nearby Valencia and the Easter shoulder season. Employers may need to expand tele-work allowances or lay on shuttle buses to keep rotas intact. The strike is part of a broader calendar of industrial action running through late March, signalling that mobility managers should monitor further notices that could coincide with Easter getaway peaks. FGV has indicated that negotiations will resume on 20 March but has not ruled out extending stoppages into April if talks fail. Labour unrest on Spain’s regional railways also places pressure on the central government’s pending Sustainable Mobility Law, which seeks to shift 10 % of domestic business travel from road to rail by 2030. Frequent strikes risk undermining that modal-shift objective unless collective-bargaining mechanisms deliver more predictable outcomes.