The Salzburg Marathon attracts about 6,500 finishers each May through Mozart's birthplace. The course passes Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Salzach River, and the baroque old town with alpine peaks as backdrop. May spring weather in the Salzach valley creates a culturally rich Austrian marathon experience.
Salzburg Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
The next Salzburg Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 9 May 2027 with a 9:00 am start. The certified course covers 42.195 km (26.2 miles) with 100 m of climbing on a mostly flat with gentle undulations layout.
The Salzburg Marathon is a Salzach valley loop starting and finishing at Kapitelplatz below Hohensalzburg Fortress, following the river past Mirabell Palace and through the baroque old town. The riverside miles are the easiest because they stay mostly flat and scenic, while the minor rises toward the fortress hill and the cobbled old-town passages are tougher. Crowds gather at Kapitelplatz, around Mirabell Palace, and along the Salzach embankment near the finish.
The Salzburg Marathon course is mostly flat with gentle undulations over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 100 metres of climbing and 95 metres of descent, with a net climb of 5 metres from start to finish.
The Salzburg Marathon uses open registration at salzburg-marathon.com with no ballot or qualifying time. Sign-up for the May race typically opens the previous autumn. The Mozart-city course draws strong Austrian and international participation and can sell out before race day.
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 Salzburg.
The Linz Donau Marathon draws about 3,500 finishers each April along the Danube in Upper Austria's industrial-cultural city. The course passes the Ars Electronica Center, the Lentos Art Museum, and the Danube parklands on flat riverside terrain. April spring weather and a fast Danube-side profile make it Austria's largest marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 11 April 2027
The Regensburg Marathon draws approximately 1,100 finishers each May through Bavaria's best-preserved medieval city on the Danube. The course passes the Stone Bridge (Steinerne Brücke) — the oldest bridge in Germany — the Regensburg Cathedral, and the Thurn und Taxis Palace on flat Danube terrain. May's Bavarian spring and the UNESCO old town make it Germany's most historically intact marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 23 May 2027
The Karnten Lauft Marathon draws approximately 1,500 finishers each August on a lake road in Klagenfurt, Austria. Summer lake scenery makes it more of a holiday marathon than a city-center one. The route passes lake roads, resort areas, and scenic sections around one of Austria's best-known summer lakes. Lake roads, resort areas, and scenic sections around one of Austria's best-known summer lakes make August's Klagenfurt race more holiday marathon than city-center tour.
Next race: Sunday, 2 August 2026
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