The Hamburg Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 12k finishers on an urban road in Hamburg, Germany. The course starts and finishes at the Reeperbahn. The route follows the Alster lakes, passes the Elbphilharmonie, and crosses the Elbe via tunnels and bridges. Very flat with minor rises on Elbe crossings.
Hamburg Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
The next Hamburg Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 25 April 2027 with a 9:00 am start. The certified course covers 42.195 km (26.2 miles) with 40 m of climbing on a very flat layout.
The Hamburg Marathon is a loop that starts and finishes on the Reeperbahn and follows the Inner and Outer Alster, passes the Elbphilharmonie, and crosses the Elbe by tunnels and bridges. It is very flat apart from minor rises on the Elbe crossings, and spectators line the Reeperbahn, the Alster paths, and the waterfront.
The Hamburg Marathon course is very flat over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 40 metres of climbing and 40 metres of descent, with minimal net elevation change from start to finish.
Registration is available at haspa-marathon-hamburg.de. The race sells out in advance; early registration is recommended. International runners can also enter through official travel partners.
Race-day footage from the course to help you picture the route, crowds, and key landmarks on marathon day.
Last updated 18 July 2026. Edition dates and course details are reviewed regularly.
Other races closest to Hamburg.
The Spreewald Marathon draws approximately 1,200 finishers each April on a canal-region road in Burg, Germany. The Spreewald setting gives the race a strong regional identity built around waterways and villages. The course passes canals, meadows, and low-lying roads through one of Germany's most distinctive wetland landscapes. The course is very flat throughout.
Next race: Sunday, 4 April 2027
The Kiel Marathon draws approximately 1,200 finishers each September through Germany's sailing city on the Baltic Sea. The course passes the Kiel Fjord (Kieler Förde), the Kiellinie sailing promenade, and the naval harbour on flat Schleswig-Holstein coastal terrain. September's Baltic late summer and the windjammer atmosphere make it northern Germany's premier seaside marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 27 September 2026
The Hannover Marathon hosts about 6,000 finishers each April on one of Germany's flattest courses through the capital of Lower Saxony. The loop passes the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), Maschsee lake, and Herrenhausen Gardens on wide boulevards. Hannover's flat terrain and spring race date attract runners seeking fast times in northern Germany.
Next race: Sunday, 25 April 2027
The Rostock Marathon draws approximately 1,500 finishers each May through the Hanseatic port city on the Baltic Sea. The course passes the St. Mary's Church, the Warnemünde beach resort, and the harbour channel on flat northern German coastal terrain. May's Baltic spring and the seaside finish make it Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's premier marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 23 May 2027
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