Behobia-San Sebastián 2026: a practical race guide (start, course, finish) and where to leave your luggage

On Sunday 8 November 2026, the 61st Behobia-San Sebastián takes place: 20 point-to-point kilometres from Behobia (Irun) to the Alameda del Boulevard, right in the centre of Donostia / San Sebastián. It's Gipuzkoa's most iconic road race, with over a hundred years of history, a cap of 30,000 runners and thousands of people cheering along the whole course.

Because it's a point-to-point race, logistics matter almost as much as training: you need to get to the start in Irun in the morning, run to Donostia and, often, catch a train or drive home that same afternoon. This guide covers the essentials, based on the organisers' official information, and how to handle the one thing the race bag drop doesn't cover: your suitcase.

Behobia-San Sebastián 2026 at a glance

• Date: Sunday 8 November 2026.
• Distance: 20 km (non-certified course).
• Start: Behobia (Irun). Finish: Alameda del Boulevard, Donostia.
• Time limit: 2 h 35 min from your own start.
• Entries: sold out. Bib transfers are only handled on the official platform: never pay for a bib outside it.
• Organiser: Club Deportivo Fortuna.

Photo: Iñaki Lopez de Luzuriaga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Start times

According to the official race sheet:

• 9:30: wheelchairs and handbikes.
• 9:35: inline skaters.
• 9:55: elite women.
• 10:00: runners, in waves.

Your wave and start time are printed on your bib. Line up behind the banner with your wave number. You may start in a later wave, but moving up a wave or starting early means disqualification.

Collecting your race pack

You collect your race pack and bib at the point you chose when you entered. If you chose the Kursaal Congress Centre, the hours are:

• Friday 6 November: 12:00 to 21:00.
• Saturday 7 November: 10:00 to 20:00.

The Kursaal is about an 8-minute walk from DSS Lockers.

Getting to the start in Behobia

The organisers recommend train + shuttle bus:

• Special €2 ticket (runners only, one way to the start). There are two operators, so check which suits you: Euskotren (line to Irun - Puente Internacional) or Renfe Cercanías (to Irun - Paseo de Colón).
• Where to buy it: at the Pío Baroja sports centre (C.D. Fortuna) from 26 October to 7 November, and at the Kursaal pick-up point on Friday 6 and Saturday 7. It's also sold on race day, but the organisers advise against it because of the crowds.
• Tip: any regular train ticket to the start, bought at any station in Gipuzkoa, also lets you board the shuttle if you show your bib.
• Personal guide: the official website has a train guide that tells you, by name, the best time and way to get to the start.

There are also public buses (EkialdeBus) from Pasaia and Lezo, and bus lines from Hendaye, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Bayonne. Club coaches drop runners next to the bag drop at the start.

The organisers ask supporters not to go to the start: it's better to wait somewhere on the course or at the finish.

The course, section by section

It's 20 km with two climbs everyone knows, Gaintxurizketa and Miracruz, and around 200 metres of total climbing:

1. Start to km 7 (Gaintxurizketa): rolling terrain out of Irun and the first big climb. Hold back.
2. Km 7 to 12 (descent to Errenteria): fast and favourable. Make the most of it, without overdoing it.
3. Km 12 to 17 (Capuchinos, Pasaia and Miracruz): the short, steep Capuchinos ramp, rollers through Pasaia and the Miracruz climb, with 16 km in your legs.
4. Km 17 to the finish: downhill through Gros to the Zurriola and the final straight along the sea to the Boulevard.

There are 8 aid stations on the course, and medical posts at km 0, 7, 13, 15, 18 and 19.5 and at the finish.

Photo: Joxemai, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The finish on the Boulevard

When you cross the line you get your finisher's medal and a recovery bag. Also:

• Recovery and massage area: in Plaza Okendo.
• Meeting points: also in Plaza Okendo, with A to Z signs to meet family and friends (for example, at the first letter of your surname).
• Showers: at the La Concha and Ondarreta beach cabins, the Manteo sports centre, the Anoeta velodrome and the Pío Baroja sports centre.
• Club coaches: parked at Anoeta and Illunbe, with shuttles from Avenida de la Libertad.

Photo: Kent Wang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The official bag drop: what it covers and what it doesn't

The organisers run a backpack drop that takes your bag from the start to the finish:

• Before race day: at the Kursaal on Friday 6 (12:00-21:00) and Saturday 7 (10:00-20:00).
• On race day: in Plaza Gipuzkoa from 7:30, or in the start area in Behobia from 8:30 to 10:00.
• Collection: in Plaza Gipuzkoa, after the race.
• Rules: backpacks of 5 kg maximum, labelled with the sticker from your bib. The organisers advise against leaving valuables or fragile items and are not responsible for them.

It's perfect for warm layers and a change of clothes, but it isn't designed for suitcases or a whole weekend's luggage. And it's no help to supporters.

Photo: Unuaiga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Your suitcase, at DSS Lockers

DSS Lockers is at Calle San Martín 46, in central Donostia, about 8 minutes from the Kursaal and 12 from the Boulevard. It runs unstaffed, 24 hours a day: book on your phone, get in with the pincode you receive with your booking, scan your QR at the kiosk and your locker opens. There are three sizes (S, M and XL) and the lockers are climate-controlled.

Here's how it fits into race weekend:

• Saturday: arrive in Donostia, leave your suitcase while you collect your bib at the Kursaal, and explore the city until check-in.
• Sunday morning: check out, leave your suitcase at DSS Lockers and head for the train to the start with just the essentials. Your post-race clothes go in the official drop backpack.
• After the finish: collect your backpack in Plaza Gipuzkoa, shower, pick up your suitcase and head home without rushing.
• If you're there to cheer: leave your things in a locker and travel light to watch at Miracruz, the Zurriola or the Boulevard straight.

Tips for Behobia day

• Book your locker early. It's one of Donostia's busiest autumn weekends.
• Buy your train ticket before Sunday and check the official train guide to know what time to leave.
• Be ready for November weather: cool and often rainy. Bring a throwaway layer for the wait at the start and dry clothes for afterwards.
• Expect road closures in Donostia during the morning, and leave plenty of time if you're heading home by train, bus or car that afternoon.
• Check the official website in the days before: the organisers update times, maps and transport for the 2026 edition.

Enjoy the liveliest 20 kilometres of the year!

Book my locker at DSS Lockers →

Sources

• Official Behobia-San Sebastián website: race sheet, start, finish and bag drop (accessed 26 October 2026).
• Course sections: Blogmaldito, Behobia-San Sebastián guide.
• Events listing: Turismo Euskadi and San Sebastián Turismo.

Photo credits

• Cover photo: Iñaki Lopez de Luzuriaga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• All other photos show their author and licence below each image.