Irun

Irun is a municipality in the Bidasoaldea region of Gipuzkoa, sitting along the Bidasoa River up to the French border. The town center occupies the river valley, with neighborhoods spreading from the northern coast to the first hills in the south.

The Roman settlement of Oiasso once occupied this area, with its harbor and trade routes shaping later development. The formal establishment as a municipality came on February 28, 1776, within the Basque administrative framework.

The name comes from the Basque word for three waters, as several rivers meet here. At the border between two countries, people speak both Spanish and Basque in daily life, and sometimes you hear French from nearby towns across the river.

The town hall is located at San Juan Arria Plaza 1 and provides general information about the area. Visitors coming from or going to France will find border crossings here for both road traffic and trains.

The railway station has tracks with two different gauges running side by side, because Spanish and French rail networks use different technical standards. Some trains must change axles or switch to another track here.

Location: Bidasoaldea

Inception: February 28, 1776

Capital city: Irun

Elevation above the sea: 20 m

Part of: Mancomunidad de Servicios de Txingudi

Shares border with: Hondarribia, Lezo, Oiartzun, Lesaka, Bera, Biriatou, Urrugne, Hendaye

Website: http://irun.org

GPS coordinates: 43.33781,-1.78881

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:42