Flew from Stansted with no frills Ryanair, no problem. Rented a newish 7 seater Renault Grand Scenic people carrier from Victoria.S.L via internet at cost of 265 euro including tank full of diesel. A good company to deal with I thought. Collect and return car at airport no problem. Journey to Benidorm is approximately 80 miles on toll road NP7 costs about 10 euro.
This size of car needed for 4 adults 2 small children and luggage. An ordinary car style of taxi would not accomodate this group of people with luggage and would cost at least 140 euro each way.

Hello, does anyone know if you have to book the bus in advance from Valencia to Benidorm or if we can pay on the day

Thanks, Peter

Peter ... subject to availability, you can just buy your ticket from the driver.

David

Thanks David, found cheap flights going on 26 Jan for 3 nights, should hopefully be plenty of availability at this time

Peter ... I think at this time of year, you may find that there is only one bus per day from Valencia Airport to Benidorm. That bus stops in the city of Valencia, but you don't have to change. However, if that doesn't connect with your flight, you would just use the airport coach into the city and there are around 10 buses per day from the city to Benidorm. You will find more info on the ALSA website.

David

Thanks again David, i'll have a good look on that website shortly

I have for several years used Parking Abril at Valencia but recently learnt of two other off airport companies who do a parking pick up and return service.
One is Transfers Direct who seem to be cheaper than Abril and also offer a yearly contract of 380 euros for up to 10 trips and Suvoparking who look more expensive
Does anyone have any experience of Transfers Direct?
Martin

This was in our local paper on Friday.... so please take care. http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Holiday-robbery-ordeal-for-Eastbourne.4254810.jp

Wow, thats pretty bad. I guess you're never safe where you go these days :s

What a frightening experience for them, they'll remember that for the rest of their life but it sounds as if they were lucky they weren't stabbed. How can these people get away with it?

I don't suppse there's any way of guarding against this. we're flying into Valencia in August but the problem is you won't know your tyre has been spiked until you're well on your way to wherever you're staying. does anyone know the number of the police in spain - I have often wondered?

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Robbed-couple-to-return-to.4345235.jp
Follow up.

Degs.

thanks for going to the trouble of posting this update. we're flying into Valencia airport on Friday and I must admit I had remembered your previous post and was going to try to be vigilant although as I said in my previous post you probably wouldn't notice anything wrong with the tyres until you'd gone some distance.

Hi melanieb,

Hopefully there are now two less scumbags knocking about whose sole purpose in life seem to be disrupting the lives of others. Like we should all do on holiday, just try and be a bit more alert in unfamiliar surroundings and i'm sure you wont have any bother.
Have a nice holiday.

Regards,

Degs.

It is worth noting that although this particular incident involves travellers through Valencia Airport, the Foreign Office Travel Advice page for Spain is regularly updated with warnings of similar incidents throughout the country.

David

Hi,

Just returned to Valencia after a 3 day break in London. Used Transfers Direct. They met me just through the barrier into the multi-storey car park (Car park 1) with a trolley for any cases. A pleasant chap, Digger, (of Australian origin) gave me collection info and answered a couple of queries I had. I handed the car keys over and we walked off straight into departures. Took 3 minutes at the most.
On our return, the owner David Yates and his son Lee, met us by the coffee shop in Arrivals, took our cases and we waited on the concourse outside arrivals as David brought our car, obviously cleaned, straight to the doors. Loaded the cases, handed over 21 euros and drove away 5 minutes after walking out of the arrivals gate.

It's my first experience of this company. Will I try them again?
Definitely

For info: Valencia airport car park 1 fee for 3 days: 41,85 euros

A word of warning if you are travelling on Ryanair.
I flew back from Valencia last weekend and Ryanair checked every single piece of carry on baggage in their sizing cage.
I fly this route at least once a month and I've never known Ryanair give more than a cursory glance to hand luggage at Valencia so I don't know if this was a one off or part of a new get tough policy, but the plane was delayed for 30 minutes because so many people got caught.

We came back from Valencia on Ryanair on Tuesday 17 November and no checks were done on hand luggage at the boarding gate.

As I have mentioned in the Ryanair thread several hand luggage items had to be placed in the hold after people had boarded the plane and couldn't find any overhead storage space. Many of the cases were clearly over the maximum luggage size.

What they were doing at the boarding gate was checking, in great detail, that the boarding pass details matched those on the passport - this is where they lost time on that day.

Regards, Chris

PS Back again next week so will see what happens this time !

I think I can tell the difference between them measuring each and every piece of hand luggage in their sizing cage and someone looking at boarding cards.
As I said, I fly this route at least once a month and for them to be this this was definietly out of the norm, loads of people were caught and had to pay.