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The Diagonal Race will close key Barcelona streets this Sunday
Barcelona will have to reorganise part of its transport this Sunday, 24 May. The 12th Cursa Diagonal DiR Guàrdia Urbana by Olistic will bring together more than 14,000 runners and close several major city routes during the morning. There will be a children’s race on Saturday, but that first day will not cause significant traffic disruption.
The main race will start from the upper part of the city and head towards the sea. The 10-kilometre route will begin beside the Palau Reial de Pedralbes and finish on Garcia Faria promenade, between Josep Pla and Selva de Mar. The 5-kilometre race will start at the junction of València street and Sant Joan promenade and share the finish line on the seafront.
The first runners will set off at 8:30 in the 5 km event and at 8:45 in the 10 km event. Before then, the Guardia Urbana will begin closing sections of the route and diverting vehicles. The impact will be felt especially in Les Corts, Eixample, Sant Martí and Poblenou, where some streets will be closed while the race passes through.
TMB recommends using the metro as the main means of transport until early afternoon, because the extent of the route will disrupt several bus lines. For participants, Palau Reial station on the L3 will be one of the most convenient ways to reach the 10K start.
The children’s edition, DiR Kids, will take place on Saturday 23 May in the Jardines de Piscinas y Deportes, in front of DiR Diagonal. It will be a more family-oriented event concentrated in a single space, with no major traffic closures.
This year’s race has closed registrations and expects participation to come close to the 2025 record of 15,000 race numbers. It also retains its charitable side: donations from the 5 and 10 km events will go to Amics del Clínic and projects linked to Hospital Clínic and EndoFest, while the children’s race will collaborate with Fundación Xana.
For a few hours, Diagonal will cease to be an avenue for fast traffic and become a long straight filled with runners heading down towards the sea. For participants, it will be a morning of urban sport. For anyone who needs to cross the city by car or bus, it is best to check the route before leaving and accept that Barcelona will move to a different rhythm on Sunday.