Choosing between Edinburgh Marathon and London Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Edinburgh Marathon | London Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 30 May 2027 at 10:00 am | Sunday, 25 April 2027 at 9:30 am |
| Elevation | Hilly with notable climbs - approx. 66m above sea level. ↑ 120 m · ↓ 120 m · net 0 m | Flat with minor bridges - approx. 25m above sea level. ↑ 127 m · ↓ 161 m · net −34 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild and humid spring | Cool to mild spring conditions |
| Typical participants | Approximately 30k finishers | Approximately 57k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Very competitive |
The Edinburgh Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 30k finishers on an urban road in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The course starts in Edinburgh and finishes in Musselburgh on the coast — point-to-point. Hilly only in the first few miles leaving Edinburgh.
The TCS London Marathon is one of the world's most popular races, famous for its incredible charity fundraising and electric atmosphere. The fast course passes Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. With gentle undulations and around 127 metres of total climbing, it consistently produces fast times — including Sabastian Sawe's 1:59:30 men's world record and Tigst Assefa's 2:15:41 women's-only world record, both set at the 2026 race.
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