Next race
Sunday, 3 October 2027
10:30 am start
Distance
42.195 km / 26.2 mi
Urban road
Elevation
Flat · 36 m gain
36 m climbing
Race profile
The Cologne Marathon (Generali Köln Marathon) attracts about 8,000 finishers each October on a fast loop through Germany's cathedral city. The course passes Cologne Cathedral, crosses the Rhine on the Deutzer Brücke, and finishes on the Rheinauhafen waterfront. October running weather and a flat profile make it one of Germany's premier autumn marathons.
Cologne Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
Approximately 8,000 finishers
Course & terrain
The Cologne Marathon is a loop starting near Cologne Cathedral and finishing by the Rheinauhafen, crossing the Deutzer Brücke and following both banks of the Rhine through the old town and Poller district. Minor rises on the Rhine bridges are the main interruption to an otherwise flat course, and spectators pack the cathedral area and line the embankments through the Altstadt.
The Cologne Marathon course is flat over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 36 metres of climbing and 31 metres of descent, with a net climb of 5 metres from start to finish.
Download the Cologne Marathon GPX file
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Registration
For the Cologne Marathon, the Generali Köln Marathon is held on the first Sunday of October. Registration is at https://generali-koeln-marathon.de/en/.
Getting there
Köln (Cologne) (CGN)
Cologne Bonn Airport
15 km / 10 mi
Race footage
Common questions
Official resources
Last updated 11 October 2026. Edition dates and course details are reviewed regularly.
Close to this race
Other races closest to Cologne.
The Bonn Marathon attracts approximately 1,200 finishers each April through the former West German capital on the Rhine. The course passes Beethoven's birthplace, the Post Tower, and the Rhine meadows (Rheinaue) on flat Bonn terrain. April's Rhine spring and the Beethovenstadt cultural heritage make it a charming Rhineland marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 11 April 2027
The Düsseldorf Marathon attracts about 5,000 finishers each April on a flat Rhine riverfront loop through the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. The course passes the Rheinturm TV tower, Königsallee shopping boulevard, and MedienHafen harbour district. Düsseldorf's spring marathon is a fast, scenic tour of one of Germany's most prosperous cities.
Next race: Sunday, 25 April 2027
The Rhein-Ruhr Marathon attracts approximately 1,144 finishers each May through Duisburg at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers. The course passes the Inner Harbour (Innenhafen), the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, and the Rheinpark on flat industrial-heritage terrain. May's Ruhr spring and the transformed industrial landscape make it a unique marathon in Germany's largest urban agglomeration.
Next race: Sunday, 23 May 2027
The Essen Marathon (Westenergie Marathon) draws approximately 1,200 finishers each April through the Ruhrgebiet's former coal and steel capital now transformed into a cultural city. The course passes the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex — a UNESCO World Heritage site — Baldeneysee lake, and the Grugapark on flat Ruhr valley terrain. April's Ruhr spring makes it a symbol of Germany's industrial reinvention.
Next race: Sunday, 25 April 2027
The Aachen Marathon draws approximately 1,800 finishers each October through Charlemagne's imperial city at the German-Belgian-Dutch border. The course passes the Aachen Cathedral — Germany's first UNESCO World Heritage site — the Dreiländereck tripoint area, and the Carolus Thermen spa district on rolling borderland terrain. October's golden autumn in the Eifel foothills makes it a historic tri-border marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 25 October 2026
The Marathon Eindhoven attracts about 3,000 finishers each October on one of the Netherlands' fastest courses. The flat loop through Brainport Eindhoven passes the Philips Stadium area, high-tech campus districts, and the city centre. October cool weather and dead-flat Dutch terrain make Eindhoven a popular personal-best attempt in the south of the Netherlands.
Next race: Sunday, 11 October 2026
Planning guides
Practical guides to help you plan, train for, and run this race.
When a flat course helps your time, when hills are worth the view, and how to pick terrain that fits your training and goals.
How temperature, humidity, wind, and rain affect marathon performance — and how to use typical race-day weather when choosing a start line.
Match a race to your goals — personal bests, sightseeing, atmosphere, or a major milestone — using course data and realistic expectations.
