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Distance between cities

Barcelona to Alicante distance

Barcelona and Alicante are 407 km (253 mi) apart in a straight line and 537 km (333 mi) apart by road: about 6 hr of driving without stops, mostly on the AP-7 and the A-7. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.

By the All Map Tools Team

Map from Barcelona to Alicante: the straight line and the driving route
By road
537 km (333 mi)
Driving time
6 hr
Straight line
407 km (253 mi)
  • Driving route
  • Straight line
  • Straight-line midpoint
  • Halfway by road
Straight line vs driving distance

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.

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The figures

Figure Value
Straight line 407 km (253 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid
By road 537 km (333 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM)
Driving time 6 hr no stops, no traffic
Road detour +32% 1.32 times the straight line
Average speed 89 km/h (55 mph) along the route, without stops
Bearing 215° (southwest) leaving Barcelona toward Alicante
Midpoint 39.8716° N, 0.8187° E near Orpesa (Castellón)
Halfway by road Near Benicassim (Castellón) 268 km from each city by road
Time difference None both share the same time
Elevation Barcelona: 13 m (43 ft) · Alicante: 5 m (16 ft) IGN (Spain)
Population Barcelona: 1,731,649 · Alicante: 366,221 INE population register, January 1, 2025

Barcelona to Alicante by road

The fastest driving route is 537 km (333 mi) long and takes about 6 hr without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the AP-7 (249 km), the A-7 (99.5 km), and the A-31 (65.8 km).

It goes through 2 autonomous communities: Catalonia (193 km) and the Valencian Community (341 km). That’s an average of 89 km/h (55 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 3 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 7 hr. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.

Straight-line distance and bearing

In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Barcelona and Alicante are 407 km (253 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.

The road is 32% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 132. That’s a big detour: the fastest route strays quite far from the straight line. Of the 120 Spanish driving pairs in this series, it ranks 25th for detour (the average is 24%).

From Barcelona, Alicante lies to the southwest (bearing 215°), and from Alicante, Barcelona lies to the northeast.

Halfway between Barcelona and Alicante

Halfway along the straight line, 203 km (126 mi) from each city, is the point 39.8716° N, 0.8187° E. It falls in the water; the closest place is Orpesa (Castellón, pop. 12,640), 63.4 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Benicassim (Castellón, pop. 20,539), 67.6 km away.

By road, the halfway point is 268 km (167 mi) from each city, near Benicassim (Castellón, pop. 20,539), 3.2 km away. The two midpoints are 70.2 km apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.

By plane

No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.

The two cities

Barcelona and Alicante sit at almost the same elevation: 13 m (43 ft) and 5 m (16 ft).

Barcelona has 1.7 million people and Alicante 366,221 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).

Frequently asked questions

How many kilometers is it from Barcelona to Alicante?

407 km (253 mi) in a straight line and 537 km (333 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the AP-7 and the A-7).

How long is the drive from Barcelona to Alicante?

About 6 hr without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 3 stops of 20 minutes, about 7 hr.

Where is the halfway point between Barcelona and Alicante?

In a straight line, in the water, near Orpesa (Castellón). By road, 268 km from each city, near Benicassim (Castellón).

Which direction is Alicante from Barcelona?

Southwest: the straight line leaves Barcelona on a bearing of 215° (0° is north and 90° is east).

Measure it yourself on the map

The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.

Similar pairs

The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.

More distances from Barcelona

All distances

More distances from Alicante

Sources