World Marathon Majors · Berlin, Germany
Berlin Marathon Berlin
The Berlin Marathon has been held since 1974 and was one of the five founding races of the World Marathon Majors in 2006. It is best known for speed: 13 men's and women's world records have been set on its course, more than at any other marathon.
- Next edition
- September 26, 2027
- Finishers
- 50,0002026
- Course record, men
- 2:01:09Eliud Kipchoge, 2022
- Course record, women
- 2:11:04Tigst Assefa, 2026
Course map
The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 km.The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 mi.
Course profile
Elevation along the course, lightly smoothed. Hover or tap the chart to read any point; numbered markers match the list below.
Loop
- 10.7 km0.4 miVictory Column (Großer Stern)
- 216.8 km10.4 miHermannplatz, Neukölln
- 323.2 km14.4 miRathaus Schöneberg
- 433.3 km20.7 miOlivaer Platz, Wilmersdorf
- 534.9 km21.7 miKaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Kurfürstendamm
- 638.6 km24 miPotsdamer Platz
- 740.5 km25.2 miGendarmenmarkt
- 841.8 km26 miBrandenburg Gate
What it’s like
A single flat loop that starts and finishes on Straße des 17. Juni between the Victory Column and the Brandenburg Gate, heading out through Moabit and Mitte to Friedrichshain, south past Hermannplatz and Rathaus Schöneberg, then back via Kurfürstendamm and Potsdamer Platz before passing through the Brandenburg Gate about 350 m from the line. Elevation samples along the route stay between roughly 30 and 57 m. Race day falls in late September; 2026 was run in good conditions, while the 2025 edition was very warm. The field is huge, with more than 56,000 runners from 162 nations starting in 2026.
How to get in
- Ballot
Lottery
Most places are allocated by lottery because the race is an Abbott World Marathon Major. For the 2026 edition the lottery was open from 25 September to 6 November 2025 and results were emailed at the end of November; the entry fee was €205. The organiser had not yet published 2027 lottery dates as of 28 September 2026.
- Qualifying time
Fast runners
Runners with a recent qualifying marathon time can register as fast runners during the lottery window, uploading official proof; entry is not guaranteed until the proof is checked. For 2026 the limits were under 2:45 (men) and under 3:10 (women) in the youngest age group, easing to under 3:25 and under 4:20 for runners aged 60+, with times from 2024 or 2025 at AIMS-certified, AbbottWMM-ranked or USATF-listed races.
- Charity
Charity places
Places are also available through the race's charity partners, separately from the lottery.
- Tour operator
Tour operators
Official tour operators sell travel packages that include a race entry.
Registration
The lottery usually opens around race week and stays open for about six weeks; for 2026 it ran from 25 September to 6 November 2025, with results at the end of November. Dates for the 2027 lottery had not been announced on the official site as of 28 September 2026.
Plan your race
Facts checked against the official race website and the World Marathon Majors on September 28, 2026. Entry rules change every year: always confirm on the official site.