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Back to Irun

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Voykit pocket guide · Spain

Irun

Irún

Spend a half‑day in Irun for the border walk and train station, or a full day if you want the Alarde festival (30 June) and mineral springs.

Irun is a Basque border town on the Bidasoa River, a stop on the Camino Norte and a rail freight hub. Its compact centre is walkable; a day covers the train station, border island and a quick dip in the hot springs.

MadridA CoruñaA FonsagradaAdraAgostAinsaAlaróAlbaceteAlbarracínAlburquerqueAlcalá de HenaresAlcalá de los GazulesAlcalá la RealAlcobendasIrun200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Spain
Local name
Irún
Best months
Jun–Sep
Stay
1 night

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
Daily spend
Budget €30–45 excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
Emergency
Police 091 · Fire and ambulance 062 · General emergency 112
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
Tipping
Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
Water
Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
Toilets
Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.

Get in

By air

EAS · Donostia‑San Sebastián Airport
Domestic low‑cost flights; 30 min by bus to Irun centre

Typical fares

Irun ↔ Hendaye (Euskotren)
≈ €5 each way
City bus day pass
≈ €3 per day
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

Town centre is best explored on foot; city buses (ATG) connect outskirts. The Euskotren E2 line stops 650 m from the central station at Irún Colon.

See and do

Known for

  • Bidasoa River border
  • Camino Norte
  • Alarde de San Marcial festival
  • mineral springs

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Hendaye (France)Euskotren E2 cross‑border train, 5 min≈15 min total

Sleep

Albergue de peregrinos Jakobi
Pilgrim hostel, 5‑min walk from Irun station
Hotels near Irun station
Several options within 10 min walk

Language

Spanish (castellano) is spoken everywhere. Catalan is the first language of many in Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearics; Basque in the Basque Country and Navarre; Galician in Galicia. Answering in Spanish is fine; a few words of the local language are appreciated. English is good in hotels and tourist areas and patchy in bars and small towns.

  • In Catalonia, signs and menus often come first in Catalan: 'sortida' is exit, 'tancat' closed, 'carrer' street.
  • Spaniards speak fast and loud; that is enthusiasm, not anger.
  • Use 'usted' with older people and officials; 'tú' is fine with younger people and in bars.

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
  • Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
  • Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
  • Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
  • Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
  • Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish

Scams and watch-outs

  • Train schedules change for gauge‑change freight; verify times before travel.
  • Festival crowds on 30 June can block streets; plan early arrival.

Irun is generally safe; stay aware of pickpockets on trains and follow crowd control during the Alarde festival.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Irun yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Bidasoa River border
  • Camino Norte
  • Alarde de San Marcial festival
  • mineral springs

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

IrunIrún

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police091
  • Fire and ambulance062
  • General emergency112

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/irun). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.