The province of Alicante presents a complex metropolitan reality around Alicante and Elche, with a combined population of over 800,000 residents. Despite specific advances in transport, the absence of a coordinating body to organize mobility between these two major cities and surrounding municipalities is an unresolved historical problem. This situation creates asymmetries and daily difficulties for citizens.

The functional area, which includes eight municipalities such as Alicante (366,221 inhabitants), Elche (245,557), San Vicente del Raspeig (60,247), and Santa Pola (39,709), surpasses the entire province of Castellón in population and is similar to the city of Valencia. Official data for 2025 puts the total population at 829,529 people.

In Alicante, public transport relies on buses and the TRAM. The bus registered over 24 million passengers in 2025, with improvements in routes and fleet, although a recent tender creates uncertainty. The TRAM of Alicante, with five lines, is a key infrastructure, especially line 2 towards the University of Alicante, which carries 7.5 million passengers. The Consell plans for new units with greater capacity, but without a defined date. Future developments towards Mutxamel and San Juan, with announced new tram lines, lack budget and dates.

Alicante's second ring road, despite the liberalization of the AP-7, suffers from daily congestion. In Elche, the Daily Mean Intensity (IMD) is lower. According to Armando Ortuño, a professor at the University of Alicante, a new general plan proposes an intermediate ring to alleviate traffic on the ring road.

The city of Elche has seen advances such as a direct express line to Alicante and a regular connection to the Alicante-Elche airport. The desire for a tram is in an embryonic phase and without a budget. The completion of the Ring Road is necessary to improve the connection to the beach area and Santa Pola.

The lack of a global design is evident in the absence of a metropolitan body similar to Valencia's ATMV. The Conselleria of Infrastructures prioritizes fare unification, but no system or card exists to travel between Alicante and Elche. The railway, especially the Cercanías, is crucial, but the connection to the airport, Spain's fifth terminal, is only possible by road. The Ministry of Transport is studying the Torrellano variant to improve rail access.

A railway 'bottleneck' is the access to Elche station, as the high-speed station is located in Crevillent. The metropolitan mobility of the province lacks direction and budget for a comprehensive solution.