27 September 2026

BMW Berlin Marathon

If you want to run a fast and enjoyable autumn marathon, Berlin is the perfect destination. The course is flat, the temperature is pleasant, the streets are wide and you have all summer to get in shape.

The Berlin Marathon is an amazing experience in every way – runners come from over 150 countries and there are 1 million eager spectators, thousands of skilled officials and plenty of performers to entertain along the way. In 2024, 54,280 runners finished! The race is very well organised.

Every year we bring a large group of runners to Berlin, most of them running, but we also have family supporters cheering them on along the course.

We always have several experienced leaders with us throughout the journey.

During the weekend, other activities such as sightseeing, pasta dinner and After Run dinner are also organised. Read more under the programme.

Don’t miss one of the world’s most beautiful maras in one of the world’s most beautiful cities!

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Berlin Marathon

Travel facts

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For this year’s race, you choose whether you want to wear a poncho after the finish or whether you want to hand in your clothes in the organiser’s bag. You also indicate your expected finish time to be placed in the correct starting pen. The choice is made when registering for the race via the personalised link sent out in the spring, and cannot be changed later. At registration you seed yourself by entering a finishing time, and if you enter a very fast time, the organiser may require a previous result to assign a fast start group.
The poncho option means you don’t hand anything in before the start, which saves time as you can go straight to your starting pen. After the finish, you will be given a warm poncho to keep you warm on the way back to your hotel. In cold or rainy weather, you should bring old clothes to throw away at the start. If you order the organiser’s bag instead, you can hand it in at the start and put on a change of clothes immediately after the finish. However, this requires more time on Sunday morning and means you need to go to the start earlier. The recommendation is to choose the poncho option.

Number plate distribution / Expo

The bib distribution will take place at the Marathon Expo, Messe Berlin*, with the following opening hours
Thursday 24 September 2026, 15:00-20:00*
Friday 25 September 2026 from 11:00 to 20:00*
Saturday 26 September 2026 from 09:00 to 19:00*
Times and location are provisional.

The fair is large and offers up-to-date sports products and activities. Travellers who have booked flights with us will be transferred by bus directly to the fair after arrival, while others will be directed to the programme to assemble for the joint metro transfer. It is also possible to pick up the badge individually, which must be done by 18:00 on Saturday. Together with the bib, you will receive a wristband required to enter the start area on Sunday, as well as the kit bag you ordered. All runners must collect their bib in person

Take-off and transport

The Crown, Premier Inn and Scandic Potsdamer Platz hotels are within walking distance of the start and finish. Remember the number tag and wristband required to enter the start area. During the weekend, all runners with a starting place travel free on public buses and trains in Berlin, and on Sunday all runners travel free on the underground with the number tag.

Mailing bag or poncho

All hotels are close to the start and finish, making logistics easy. If you do not order the organiser’s bag, the handling will be smooth on Sunday. If you have chosen a poncho, you go directly to your starting pen and get the poncho after the finish. If you have chosen a drop-off bag, you leave it in the right bus based on your start number, which takes longer in the morning and requires you to be out in good time.

Start area and start pens

There are water stations and plenty of toilets at the start area. The race has four starts (waves). Wave 1 starts at 09.15 and includes blocks A-D for runners with an expected finish time under 3.15. Wave 2 starts at 09.45 with blocks E-F for finish times under 3.50. Wave 3 starts at 10.10 with block H for finishing times under 4.15. Wave 4 starts at 10.40 for finishing times over 4.15. Check your bib number to see which wave and start block you belong to. There are pacesetters in each start pen carrying balloons with the times 3.00, 3.15, 3.30, 3.45, 4.00, 4.15, 4.30 and 5.00 hours.

The course in Berlin is flat and easy, with around 80 bands along the way and many Berliners cheering. The maximum time is 6 hours and 15 minutes.

COURSE MAP
COURSE PROFILE

Hydration and energy during the race

At kilometres 9, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 36, water, tea (hot and cold), Maurten sports drinks, bananas and apples will be served. At kilometres 5, 12, 17.5, 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, 34.5, 38 and 40, water is served. At 27.5 km, energy gel from Maurten will be distributed.

The objective

After the finish, water, non-alcoholic beer from Erdinger and sports drinks are available. You will also receive a bag of fruit and snacks. Transport back to the hotel is provided individually and the metro is free with the number tag.

App and website

We recommend downloading the Berlin Marathon app when it is released, where the latest information about the race can be found. The organiser’s website also contains comprehensive information.

Berlin – the city where running meets enjoying life

Join us in Berlin – one of Europe’s most dynamic and contrasting cities. Here, history meets the present, culture meets creativity, tranquillity meets metropolitan pulse. Whether you’re running the half marathon in April or taking on the world-famous Berlin Marathon in September, this is much more than just a race – it’s a weekend you’ll never forget.

Our weekend breaks to Berlin offer the perfect combination of movement, adventure and community. We’re centrally located, within walking distance of attractions such as the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island and Alexanderplatz. Here you can enjoy the city’s rich history – from the Berlin Wall to modern art galleries – while experiencing the unique energy that makes Berlin a favourite for both bon vivants and runners.

Beyond the race, a city full of opportunities awaits: relax in a green park, treat yourself to brunch in trendy Prenzlauer Berg, browse second-hand shops in Kreuzberg or celebrate with a local beer on the Spree River quays. Berlin offers food from all over the world, a vibrant cultural life and a hospitable atmosphere that attracts visitors all year round.

So why choose between exercise and pleasure, between achievement and discovery – when you can have it all in one trip?

Run with us. Experience Berlin – for real.

About the race

Welcome to the BMW Berlin Marathon, one of the world’s most iconic and legendary races. Here, speed, history and an atmosphere meet that makes every runner feel like a world star. On Berlin’s flat and fast tarmac, running history is made every year – it’s where Eliud Kipchoge set his world record in 2022 with an incredible 2:01:09, and where Tigst Assefa broke the barrier in 2023 with 2:11:53, the fastest marathon time ever for women. Berlin is simply the place where magic happens.

The race is a journey through Germany’s vibrant capital city, where the wings of history mingle with the rhythm of cheers and music. Starting at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, from the first step you’ll be embraced by a city that lives and breathes the marathon. You’ll pass the mighty Reichstag, sweep through the green avenues of the Tiergarten and feel the pulse at the Siegessäule where drums and crowd cheers echo through the trees. At Potsdamer Platz you’ll encounter Berlin’s modern energy, and when you reach Berliner Dom and Museumsinsel you’ll run through some of Europe’s most magnificent buildings. Along the Kurfürstendamm, the city’s elegant high street, thousands of people are packed in, shouting your name – a wave of energy that carries you all the way to your destination.

When you finally run under the Brandenburg Gate and hear the roar of the crowd grow to a roar, you are filled with an indescribable feeling. The Berlin Marathon is more than a race – it’s a moment of triumph, a celebration of community and a chance to experience one of the world’s six great marathons in a city that knows how to celebrate achievement.

The race is one of the six classic Abbott World Marathon Majors and an obvious destination for both elite and recreational runners. It is the perfect choice for those who want to experience one of the world’s fastest courses, a magical atmosphere and a trip to Europe’s most vibrant city.

Here your heart beats a little faster, the steps feel lighter and every metre brings you closer to your own story. Berlin is calling – are you ready to answer?

Abbott World Marathon Majors

Do you dream of running among the world’s top marathon cities and joining an exclusive group of runners? Then the Abbott World Marathon Majors is your ultimate challenge – a journey that takes you across six iconic cities, six unforgettable races and a destination that symbolises pure running joy and determination.

The Abbott World Marathon Majors consist of six of the world’s most prestigious marathons: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Together they form the ultimate marathon journey – a chance to experience new cultures, atmospheres and courses, while challenging both body and mind.

Each race you complete earns you a star on your way to the coveted Six Star Medal, proof that you have completed all six. The journey requires careful planning, perseverance and passion – but each goal you cross becomes a memory for life.

Beyond the races, you also become part of a global community of runners through the World Marathon Majors system, with rankings, virtual challenges and the opportunity to track your progress against the world’s best in your class.

When you run your last of the six races and receive your Six Star Medal, it’s more than a race you’re finishing – it’s a journey you’ve conquered.

The TCS Sydney Marathon has officially become the seventh member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors from 2025. The race has undergone a multi-year evaluation process in which the organisation, safety, spectator support and participation numbers have been improved to meet the high standards required to become a Major. The course takes runners through the city’s most iconic settings, including running across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishing at the world-famous Opera House.

Looking ahead, further expansion of the series is planned. Two marathons are currently in the candidate phase: the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in South Africa and the Shanghai Marathon in China. If the races fulfil all the criteria, they are expected to become official Majors in 2027.

With these additions, the Abbott World Marathon Majors could comprise a total of nine races, and there has already been discussion about the possibility of introducing a new Nine-Star Medal for those runners who complete all the marathons in the expanded series.

Programme

Preliminary programme (Please note that the programme is subject to change)

Friday 25 September

For those who booked flights: Departure from Arlanda, Copenhagen, Landvetter or Gardemoen to Berlin
Bus transfer directly to the number plate fair
After the visit to the fair we drive to the respective hotels for check-in

Saturday 26 September

08:00 Morning jog. Tour guides are available at each hotel
10:00 Generali 5KM
12:00 Meet in the lobby of each hotel for a joint journey by U-bahn to the number plate fair for those who want company to the number plate fair
13:00-16:00 Sightseeing around Berlin. Departing from Crown City Centre. Nürnberger Str. 65. Advance booking. Finishes at the licence plate fair for those who want
17:00 Meeting time in the lobby of all hotels. Stop by and talk to the tour guides
18:30 Pasta dinner at Scandic Potsdamer Platz. Pre-booking required

Sunday 27 September

06:00 Early breakfast in all hotels
07:00 Meet in the lobby of the Crown and Premier Inn for those who want to walk together to the start area
07:30 Gather in the Scandic lobby for those who want to walk together to the start area
09:15 Wave 1 starts (approximate time)
09:45 Wave 2 starts (approximate time)
10:05 Wave 3 starts (approximate time)
10:40 Wave 4 starts (approximate time)
19:00 After run dinner, we have booked a nice restaurant to socialise, talk about the race and eat well. Pre-booking is required

Monday 28 September

Gather in the respective lobby for those who are flying to Kastrup/Landvetter
11:00 Check-out

Our tour leaders

Inga instruktörer har tilldelats denna resa.

Our hotels

Hotell

Crowne Plaza Berlin City

Crowne Plaza Berlin City is a 4+ hotel with high standards and spacious and very cosy rooms. The hotel has a great location in one of the most popular areas of Berlin right now, around Kurfürstendamm and Zoologischer Garten.

Hotell

Premier Inn Berlin City Centre

Premier Inn Berlin City Centre Kurfürstenstraße 78, 10787 Berlin, Germany Ideally located in the centre of Berlin, Premier Inn Berlin City Centre offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi and private parking. The hotel has a bar and is close to several famous attractions, just 500 metres from Wittenbergplatz metro station and 1 km from Zoologischer …

Hotell

Scandic Potsdamer Platz

Scandic Potsdamer Platz Gabriele-Tergit-Promenade 19, 10963 Berlin, Germany The hotel is decorated in Scandinavian style and is one of Berlin’s greenest. Here you will find a restful environment in contrast to the hustle and bustle of Potsdamer Platz. The modern neighbourhood offers a fantastic range of shopping, dining and entertainment options. Breakfast is included and …

See all running trips

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27 September 2026

BMW Berlin Marathon

Travel facts

Tab Contents

About the race

Abbott World Marathon Majors

Programme

Our tour leaders

Our hotels

Crowne Plaza Berlin City

Premier Inn Berlin City Centre

Scandic Potsdamer Platz

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