Barcelona Half Marathon 2026: Your Essential Guide to Traffic Disruptions
Barcelona is bracing for one of its most traffic-intensive weekends of the year, as the city hosts the Hyundai Barcelona Half Marathon by Brooks 2026 this Sunday, February 15. The event, coupled with various Carnival parades and the Santa Eulàlia festivities, will lead to extensive road closures, parking prohibitions, and traffic diversions across the city.
The Barcelona City Council has released its mobility plan for the Half Marathon, primarily affecting the districts of Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Sants-Montjuïc, and Sant Martí. The race will follow the same route as last year, winding through the city center and along the coastline. The starting line is at Paseo de Picasso, with the finish line at Paseo de Pujades near Nàpols. Runners will also pass through:
- Avenida Marquès de l’Argentera
- Pla de Palau
- Paseo Colom
- Portal de la Pau
- Paral·lel
- Ronda Sant Pau
- Comte d’Urgell
- Gran Via
- Paseo de Sant Joan
- Arc de Triomf
- Poblenou
- Avenida Diagonal
- Paseo García Fària
- Avenida Litoral
- Vila Olímpica
Road Closures for Race Setup: Saturday, February 14
Significant traffic interruptions began on Saturday, February 14, due to the setup of the start and finish lines, as well as refreshment points.
- From 08:00 AM on Saturday: Sections of Paseo Picasso (central and Llobregat side lanes, between Marquès de l’Argentera and Pujades) and Paseo Pujades (sea lane, between Lluís Companys and Wellington) were closed. Only the bus lane on the Besòs side remained open. The bike lane on Paseo Pujades was also affected.
- From 03:00 PM on Saturday: Paseo Lluís Companys, between Comerç and Paseo Pujades, was closed.
- From 11:00 PM on Saturday: Closures expanded to include streets like Comerç. Installation of a raised pedestrian bridge on Paseo Pujades, between Lluís Companys and Roger de Flor, began to ensure safe passage for runners over affected roads.
Sunday, February 15: Race Day Closures
- From 04:30 AM on Sunday: The mountain lane of Paseo Pujades, between Wellington and Paseo Picasso, will be fully closed to prepare the entire circuit for the race.
Post-Race Dismantling and Return to Normal Traffic
- From 11:30 AM on Sunday: Dismantling will commence at Paseo Picasso.
- By 03:30 PM on Sunday: All installations on Paseo Pujades are expected to be removed, and traffic should return to normal.
Parking Prohibitions: What You Need to Know
Massive parking restrictions have been implemented across dozens of streets to facilitate the race setup, the event itself, and dismantling.
- From Thursday, February 13 (09:00 PM) until Sunday, February 15 (01:45 PM): Affected roads include Paseo Picasso, Sepúlveda, Entença, and sections of Avenida Diagonal.
- From Saturday, February 14 (07:00 AM) until the same time on Sunday: Additional streets along the coast and in the city center are affected, including Paseo de Pujades, Lluís Companys, Nàpols, Paseo Isabel II, Paseo Colom, Bailèn, Buenaventura Muñoz, Pallars, Llacuna, Perú, Marroc, Rambla Prim, Lope de Vega, Josep Pla, Paseo García Fària, Jonquera, Avenida Litoral, and Marina.
These restrictions also apply to motorcycle parking on sidewalks and exclusive resident parking zones. The City Council advises residents to remove their vehicles from affected streets in advance.
Road Closures and Circulation During the Race: Sunday, February 15 (08:00 AM – 01:45 PM)
It is recommended not to move vehicles on the following roads:
- Paseo Picasso
- Marquès de l’Argentera
- Paseo Colom
- Paral·lel
- Ronda Sant Pau
- Comte d’Urgell
- Sepúlveda
- Entença
- Bailèn
- Girona
- Ronda Sant Pere
- Buenaventura Muñoz
- Pallars
- Llacuna
- Perú
- Marroc
- Rambla Prim
- Avenida Diagonal
- Paseo Marítimo del Bogatell
- Avenida Litoral
- Salvador Espriu
- Marina
- Paseo Pujades
- Calle Comerç
Changes in Traffic Direction
Traffic directions will be reversed in some streets in Ciutat Vella (Comerç, Fusina, Josep Anselm Clavé, Arc del Teatre) and the Sant Martí district (Perú, Pere IV, Cristóbal de Moura, Selva de Mar, and Avenida Litoral, Port Olímpic section).
Ensuring Coexistence: Runners and Vehicles
To manage the flow of both runners and vehicles, many main roads will be subdivided with cones and barriers. This will create dedicated lanes for athletes while allowing restricted vehicle access in areas such as Gran Via, Sepúlveda, Plaza Drassanes, Avenida Litoral, Paseo García Fària, Josep Pla, Perú, Llacuna, and Plaza dels Voluntaris Olímpics.
Recommendations for Residents and Visitors
The Barcelona City Council strongly recommends using public transport and planning all journeys in advance. This weekend is particularly busy in Barcelona, with the Half Marathon coinciding with Carnival, Santa Eulàlia, and Valentine’s Day celebrations, which will significantly increase public presence on the streets.
Contact Information and Further Resources
For the latest updates and detailed information, please refer to the official Barcelona City Council website and public transport authorities.
Source: elperiodico.com.cat
