QuickPickupsThe Zurich Marató de Barcelona is one of the big spring marathons in Europe, and according to the organiser its 2026 edition set a record of 32,000 runners. The city also hosts a half marathon, now the Hyundai Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks. For anyone flying in to run, the race is the easy part to plan; the arrival, the bib collection and the race-morning closures take a little more thought.
Race dates and bib collection
- Hyundai Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks (half marathon): Sunday 14 February 2027.
- Zurich Marató de Barcelona: Sunday 14 March 2027.
- Bib collection: at Expo Sports on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before each race — check the venue and opening hours on the official website.
- Dates change from one edition to the next: confirm them on the official race websites before you book flights.
Where the race starts
The official course page places the start and finish of the marathon on Passeig de Gràcia, in the centre of the city. Courses can change from one edition to the next, so check the current course map before you book a hotel near the start. The organiser runs pacers for target times from 2h45 to 4h30, with staggered starts, which is worth knowing when you work out what time to leave your hotel.
Getting in and out on race weekend
A pre-booked transfer takes you from the airport to your hotel at a fixed price, with your flight tracked, so a delay does not eat into your rest before the race. On race morning the streets on and around the course close to traffic; if you need a car on Sunday, tell us your address and we will agree a pickup point outside the closures. Book the airport transfer home for after the race, with time to recover.
The week after the marathon is busy too: KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe opens at Fira Gran Via on Monday 15 March 2027, the day after the race, so the airport stays busy into the following days.
Tips for runners
- Book the airport pickup as soon as you have your flight: race weekend is busy in the city.
- Share your flight number so we track any delay at no extra cost.
- Running with a club? A minivan or van keeps everyone together; bigger groups can ask for a minibus.
- Leaving on the Sunday? Choose a flight that leaves time to finish, eat and collect your bags.