About Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is one of the World Marathon Majors and is known for its flat, fast course and many world records. Tens of thousands of runners, skaters and wheelchair athletes take part, while spectators line the streets of almost every central district.
Marathon weekend at a glance
The Berlin Marathon is usually held on a weekend in September. Start and finish are on Straße des 17. Juni near the Brandenburg Gate, and the course loops through most central districts. The days before belong to the expo and bib collection. On Saturday the Berlin Marathon inline skating race uses the same course, and the Berlin Marathon kids' events such as the Bambini run and a 5K take place around the start area. Sunday is the marathon itself.
First stop after landing: bib collection
Bibs have to be collected in person before the race; in recent years this has happened at the expo in the hangars of the former Tempelhof airport. Tempelhof lies roughly on the way from BER into town, about 25–35 minutes by car. If you only have hand luggage, you can go straight there and continue to the hotel afterwards; with suitcases, check in first. Tell the driver which entrance of the old terminal the organiser names.
Closures: which streets are blocked when
The area around the start and finish is closed in stages from the middle of the week: Straße des 17. Juni, Ebertstraße and parts of the government district. On race Sunday the course is closed from the early morning until the last runners pass, section by section, in Mitte, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Tempelhof-Schöneberg. On Saturday the skating course is closed too. Drivers then use the A100 and the tunnels under the Tiergarten. Hotels inside the loop are hard to reach on Sunday morning; ask the driver for a stop on the open side.
How long does the taxi from BER take in race week?
On Thursday and Friday the drive to Mitte or Tiergarten takes around 35–55 minutes, depending on the closures near the finish. On Sunday many inner-city routes are cut until the afternoon, so arrivals that day should expect detours. Hotels in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain or near Potsdamer Platz are popular with runners.
Spring: the GENERALI Berlin Half Marathon
The GENERALI Berlin Half Marathon takes place in spring, usually in March or April. Runners start on Straße des 17. Juni and pass Kurfürstendamm, Potsdamer Platz, Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz and Karl-Marx-Allee before finishing along Unter den Linden. Inline skaters start before the runners. Barriers go up from Friday and are removed by Monday, so the same tips on closures apply.
After the finish: back to the hotel and to BER
Right after the race, ranks near the finish are blocked and taxis can only wait outside the closures. Walk to the nearest open road or take the U-Bahn one or two stops. For your flight home, book the ride from the hotel in advance via Berlin to BER; on Sunday evening and Monday morning many runners leave at the same time. A seat with legroom and a boot for a medal-heavy bag make the trip easier.
