The Vienna City Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 11k finishers on an urban road in Vienna, Austria. The course starts and finishes at the Reichsbrücke on the Danube. The route passes Schönbrunn Palace, the Ringstrasse, Prater, and the UN headquarters. Mostly flat with short climbs on Danube and canal bridges.
Vienna City Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
The next Vienna City Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 18 April 2027 with a 9:00 am start. The certified course covers 42.195 km (26.2 miles) with 110 m of climbing on a mostly flat with gentle undulations layout.
The Vienna City Marathon is a loop starting on the Ringstrasse and finishing in the Prater near the Riesenrad, crossing the imperial centre, the Danube Canal, and the long Hauptallee. The Prater and Ringstrasse sections are the easiest because they are flat and fast, while the short climbs on Danube bridges are the toughest gradients on the course. Spectators line the Ringstrasse, cheer through the Prater's Hauptallee, and gather at the Riesenrad finish.
Official course map — view on race website
The Vienna City Marathon course is mostly flat with gentle undulations over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 110 metres of climbing and 94 metres of descent, with a net climb of 16 metres from start to finish.
Official elevation profile — view on race website
Vienna City Marathon is held in April — typically the last Sunday of the month. Registration is open (no lottery) at vienna-marathon.com, opening months in advance. The combined event (marathon, half marathon, and relay) attracts approximately 40,000 participants across all distances, with around 10,000–12,000 full marathon finishers. The race expo is held at the Messe Wien exhibition centre and is one of Central Europe's largest running expos.
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 Vienna.
The Bratislava Marathon attracts about 4,500 finishers each April through Slovakia's capital on the Danube. The course passes Bratislava Castle, the Old Town, and the UFO Bridge (Most SNP) with views of the Danube and Austrian border. April race day on the flat Danube plain is Slovakia's premier marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 4 April 2027
The Wachau Marathon draws approximately 2,500 finishers each September on a point-to-point riverside road in Krems, Austria. The valley is a UNESCO landscape, making the marathon one of Europe's prettiest river races. The course passes Danube villages, vineyards, and postcard river scenery through the Wachau. Danube villages, vineyards, and postcard river scenery carry September's point-to-point race through the UNESCO Wachau, one of Europe's prettiest river marathon landscapes.
Next race: Sunday, 6 September 2026
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
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