Our history

Ongoing innovation, continual improvement, and management of customer-oriented transport are the guidelines which mark the history and present of Alsa.

The western roads of Asturias in the late 19th century bore witness to the birth of our company, which ran the trip from Luarca to Oviedo in 15 hours. A few years later, in 1899, "El Luarca, automóviles de viajeros" cut 8 hours off this journey by using newly acquired steam coaches, the company's first.

At the turn of the 20th century, the company underwent significant changes: technological advances allowed it to replace animal traction first with steam engines and then with internal combustion engines.

The transportation of passengers and goods is of vital importance both for the provision of necessities, as well as for promoting development and social and cultural exchanges between communities.

The western region of Asturias experienced significant economic development. "Automóviles El Luarca" was a part of this economic growth, making its first journey in a petrol-driven coach in June 1916.

Based on its accumulated experience, the company Automóviles Luarca, S.A. (A.L.S.A.) was established in 1923, providing a modern framework for a series of activities related to transport.

The 1960s was a turning point in Alsa's history, seeing significant progress and the start of our company's constant growth.

In 1964, the first international route, Oviedo-Paris-Brussels, was set up, as well as the regular service between Asturias and Madrid. These new incursions allowed its vehicles to reach other points around Europe (Switzerland and Portugal), thereby gradually extending its transport network and reaching a growing number of communities.

The process of internationalization outside Europe began in 1984, with the start of activities in the People's Republic of China. The next step was entry into Morocco, through the awarding of the tender for urban transport management in Marrakesh, obtained in 1999, followed by Agadir and more recently the city of Tangier.

Leading companies in their respective regions (Galicia, Cantabria, and Castile and Leon) were integrated into Alsa during the 1990s. In 1999, Alsa acquired the public company Enatcar Group.

Moving forward to present day, the most important moment for the company was marked by the 2005 merger with the British operator The National Express Group, and more recently the 2007 takeover of the Continental Auto Group, the second national transport operator providing passenger road transport services.

Another of the milestones in our recent history is the celebration, on April 20, 2023, of Alsa's first centenary.