Friday 20th January 2023 Flight from Manchester to Alicante (Alacant), in position to cover the new high speed Avant services between Alacant and Murcia. Then from Alacant to Albacete: the west curve at La Encina only has two trains each way per day.
Route: Home (dep 04:02) - taxi to Manchester Airport T3 (arr 04:16); Manchester (MAN) T3 06:30 (Ryanair FR9073; EI-ENM B737-8AS; gate 44): MAN Push-back at 06:36, take-off 06:48 from runway 23L; ALC landed 09:58 on runway 28, on stand 10:04, Alicante Airport (ALC) booked 10:10; Alacant Aeropuerto 10:40 (Bus C-6) - Alacant Estación de Autobuses 10:58; Alacant Terminal 12:50 (Avant 33125 RENFE EMU 104020) - via Monforte del Cid east-south curve, standard gauge route: left track - east to south single curve - cross to right track - Elche AV north side loop - Callosa de Segura-Cox AV north side loop - then cross to left track, right not yet in use - Orihuela MH left track - Beniel left track - Murcia del Carmen 13:43; 15:00 (Avant 33157 RENFE EMU 104020) - via Monforte del Cid south-east curve, standard gauge route: via Beniel right track - Orihuela AV right track – Callosa and Elche right (south) side loops - delayed before triangle - right hand track - Alicante Terminal 15:52; 17:00 (MD18083 RENFE EMU 449012) - via broad gauge route, direct Caudete – La Encina - Albacete Los Llanos 18:36 (arr 22 late). Overnight: Hotel Castilla, Paseo de la Cuba 3, 02001 Albacete (200 m from station).
Route: Home (dep 04:02) - taxi to Manchester Airport T3 (arr 04:16); Manchester (MAN) T3 06:30 (Ryanair FR9073; EI-ENM B737-8AS; gate 44): MAN Push-back at 06:36, take-off 06:48 from runway 23L; ALC landed 09:58 on runway 28, on stand 10:04, Alicante Airport (ALC) booked 10:10; Alacant Aeropuerto 10:40 (Bus C-6) - Alacant Estación de Autobuses 10:58; Alacant Terminal 12:50 (Avant 33125 RENFE EMU 104020) - via Monforte del Cid east-south curve, standard gauge route: left track - east to south single curve - cross to right track - Elche AV north side loop - Callosa de Segura-Cox AV north side loop - then cross to left track, right not yet in use - Orihuela MH left track - Beniel left track - Murcia del Carmen 13:43; 15:00 (Avant 33157 RENFE EMU 104020) - via Monforte del Cid south-east curve, standard gauge route: via Beniel right track - Orihuela AV right track – Callosa and Elche right (south) side loops - delayed before triangle - right hand track - Alicante Terminal 15:52; 17:00 (MD18083 RENFE EMU 449012) - via broad gauge route, direct Caudete – La Encina - Albacete Los Llanos 18:36 (arr 22 late). Overnight: Hotel Castilla, Paseo de la Cuba 3, 02001 Albacete (200 m from station).