Short answer: From October 2026, Renfe will extend the Gipuzkoa Cercanías C-1 line from Irún across the French border to Hendaye, in the first ever cross-border Cercanías service. The agreement, signed in Paris on 2 July 2026 by Spain's Secretary of State for Transport José Antonio Santano, SNCF Réseau and Adif, defers dismantling the Iberian-gauge tracks at Hendaye station. TGV services to Irún will return from January 2027, linking the Basque coast with Bordeaux and Paris by high-speed rail.
For the first time in five years, a Spanish commuter train will roll across the Bidasoa river into France. The extension is modest on paper — a few extra kilometres of track and a small handful of new stops — but it is a historic first for Renfe's Cercanías network, which has never before operated a scheduled service outside Spain. For travellers on both sides of the border, the change reshapes the everyday map of the Basque Country.
The agreement between Spain and France
The deal was finalised in Paris on 2 July 2026 and made public the following day. Spain's Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano, signed on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Adif; for France, SNCF Réseau president Matthieu Chabanel signed on behalf of the infrastructure manager. The core concession is that France postpones dismantling the Iberian-gauge tracks (1,668 mm) at Hendaye station. SNCF Réseau had planned to convert tracks 101 and 102 to standard gauge, which would have ended any prospect of Spanish passenger trains running into France. Instead, the tracks will be kept available, and a linguistic exemption has been renewed so Renfe crews can operate the international section.
The agreement is a pilot project with a four-year horizon, and runs alongside two wider studies: a Zaragoza–Canfranc–Pau revival on the southern Pyrenean axis, and demand forecasting for the Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors. In practice, it means Hendaye keeps a dual-gauge capability for at least the next four years — long enough to test whether a genuine international commuter service is viable.
The new C-1 service to Hendaye
The extension builds on the existing Cercanías Gipuzkoa C-1 line, which today runs between Brinkola in the Goierri region and Irún, on the border. Stations on the C-1 include Zumarraga, Beasain, Tolosa, Donostia/San Sebastián and the terminus at Irún. From October 2026, the line will be extended by one stop to Hendaye (Hendaia in Basque), using the same Iberian-gauge tracks.
The rolling stock has already been authorised. Class 446 and 447 EMUs (electric multiple units) have received clearance to operate on the French section, alongside the language exemption that lets drivers and conductors work in French territory. Both classes are common on Renfe's suburban networks, with the 446 dating from the 1980s refurbishment programme and the 447 from the early 1990s — comfortable, three-car units that already handle the C-1 timetable today.
The last time a passenger train crossed the Bidasoa on Iberian-gauge tracks was the Connecting Europe Express on 4 September 2021, a one-off European Commission publicity tour. From October 2026, it will be a daily occurrence.
What changes for travellers
The practical impact is concentrated on a single corridor: the Donostia–Irún–Hendaye axis. Today, a passenger arriving at Donostia/San Sebastián by Cercanías has two options to reach France:
- a transfer at Irún to Euskotren's "El Topo" (E2 line, metre-gauge), which continues to Hendaia on the French side;
- or a transfer at Irún to SNCF's TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional trains, which serve Bayonne, Biarritz, Bordeaux Saint-Jean and beyond.
From October, Renfe's C-1 will reach Hendaye directly, removing the transfer for the roughly two-kilometre international hop. That is small in absolute terms, but it folds two suburban networks into one. A resident of Tolosa or Beasain will be able to board a single Renfe service, cross the border, and walk off the platform in France. Tickets, pricing and zonal fare integration are expected to be announced in September 2026, ahead of the launch.
For international connections, the E2 Euskotren Topo extension to Hendaye — under construction with completion expected around 2030 — will eventually add a second, metre-gauge cross-border route. For now, the C-1 extension is the headline change.
TGVs return to Irún in 2027
The same agreement also clears the way for TGV services to return to Irún from January 2027. SNCF Réseau will adapt the electrification at Irún to accommodate TGV Euroduplex trains, and Adif is finishing upgrades to the station itself. The TGV link will connect the Basque coast with Bordeaux and Paris, without the need to change trains at the frontier. Combined with the Cercanías extension, the Basque Country will be served by four rail modes on the same 30-kilometre corridor by 2027: Renfe Cercanías, Euskotren Topo, SNCF TER and TGV inOui.
The wider prize — a Paris–San Sebastián high-speed service in around five hours — remains dependent on completing the Bordeaux–Dax–Hendaye LGV, which is not a French priority before 2040. For now, the TGV link will use the existing classic line via Bayonne.
Frequently asked questions
When exactly will the Renfe Cercanías start running to Hendaye?
The service is scheduled to launch in the second half of October 2026. The exact date, timetable and fares will be published by Renfe in September 2026.
Will I need to change trains at Irún?
No. Renfe C-1 trains will run through from Brinkola to Hendaye without a transfer. Both Class 446 and 447 units have been authorised for the international section.
What about Euskotren's Topo E2 to Hendaye?
The Euskotren Topo E2 extension to Hendaye is a separate project, with 6 new stations between Errenteria and Hendaye. Construction started in 2026 and service is planned for 2030. It is a metre-gauge line, distinct from the new Renfe Cercanías extension.
Will TGVs stop at Irún?
Yes. TGV inOui services to Irún are scheduled to resume in January 2027, with links to Bordeaux and Paris. SNCF Réseau is currently adapting the electrification at Irún for TGV Euroduplex operation.
Can I travel from Donostia to Bayonne or Paris without changing trains?
From January 2027, the TGV inOui will connect Irún directly to Bordeaux and Paris. For points further down the French coast (Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz), SNCF TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine services already run from Hendaye station. Together, the two networks will give Donostia-SAN Sebastián through-ticketed access to most of southwestern France.
Is the line safe? The Bidasoa is a busy border.
Yes. The international section is just a few hundred metres of track between Irún and Hendaye, on infrastructure already used by SNCF freight and the occasional heritage train. Security, customs and police cooperation along the French-Spanish border are unchanged.
In summary
- On 2 July 2026, Spain and France signed an agreement in Paris allowing Renfe Cercanías to extend the C-1 line from Irún to Hendaye from October 2026.
- It is the first cross-border Cercanías service ever operated by Renfe, using Class 446 and 447 EMUs on Iberian-gauge tracks that SNCF Réseau had planned to dismantle.
- From January 2027, TGV inOui services will also return to Irún, linking the Basque Country to Bordeaux and Paris by high-speed rail.
- The deal is part of a 4-year pilot project that also covers the Zaragoza–Canfranc–Pau corridor and demand studies for the Atlantic and Mediterranean rail axes.
- The Euskotren Topo E2 extension to Hendaye (a separate metre-gauge project) is scheduled to open around 2030, adding a second cross-border option.
The Bidasoa has divided the Basque Country on a map for centuries. From October 2026, it will no longer divide the timetable. For Renfe, SNCF and the travellers who use them every day, that is a small border with a very big story — and a useful reminder that Spain–France rail links keep expanding. You can compare trains, buses, carpooling and flights from Donostia to Paris on Gopaxo, and check our travel guides for more cross-border ideas.
