Marathons in North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia is home to 7 marathons in our database in Germany, spread across cities including Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duisburg, and more. Cologne Marathon is the largest race in the lineup, typically drawing around 8,000 finishers, while the full spread offers everything from fast urban courses to scenic regional events. Browse the races below for course maps, elevation profiles, typical weather, and practical race-day detail to help you choose your next start line. Plan by month on our marathon calendar or filter by country and region.

Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Aachen Marathon

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

Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Bonn Marathon

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, 25 April 2027

Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Cologne Marathon

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.

Next race: Sunday, 4 October 2026

Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Düsseldorf Marathon

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

Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Essen Marathon

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

Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Münster Marathon

The Münster Marathon draws about 4,500 finishers each October through the bicycle capital of Germany. The course passes the Prinzipalmarkt arcades, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Aasee lake on flat Westphalian terrain. October autumn weather and the historic Prinzipalmarkt finish make it a charming western German marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 16 May 2027

Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany🇩🇪

Rhein-Ruhr Marathon

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

Nearby Marathons

Other races closest to North Rhine-Westphalia.

Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands🇳🇱· 102 km away

Marathon Eindhoven

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

Enschede, Overijssel, Netherlands🇳🇱· 111 km away

Enschede Marathon

The Enschede Marathon is the Netherlands' oldest marathon, drawing about 4,500 finishers each April through the eastern city near the German border. The flat course passes the University of Twente campus and the city centre on wide Dutch roads. April spring weather and dead-flat terrain make it a fast eastern Netherlands marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 18 April 2027

Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands🇳🇱· 157 km away

Utrecht Marathon

The Utrecht Marathon attracts about 6,000 finishers each May through the Netherlands' fourth-largest city. The course passes the Dom Tower, the Oudegracht canal, and the Jaarbeurs area on flat Dutch terrain. May spring weather and a central historic-city route make it a popular Dutch marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 2 May 2027

Namur, Namur, Belgium🇧🇪· 165 km away

Baloise Namur Marathon

The Baloise Namur Marathon draws about 2,800 finishers each October through the capital of Wallonia at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers. The course passes the Citadel of Namur, the historic centre, and the Ardennes foothills. October autumn weather and rolling Meuse valley terrain characterise this francophone Belgian marathon.

Next race: Sunday, 25 April 2027

Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany🇩🇪· 168 km away

Mainz Marathon

The Mainz Marathon attracts approximately 2,000 finishers each May through the Rhine city of Gutenberg and carnival fame. The course passes the Mainz Cathedral, the Rhine riverfront, and the citadel overlooking the river on flat Rhenish Hesse terrain. May's Rhine spring and the carnival-city atmosphere make it one of Germany's most cheerful regional marathons.

Next race: Sunday, 23 May 2027