Istanbul Marathon 2027
- Next event : End of October 2027
- Last event : Sun, November 1, 2026
The event in a few words
What if you dove back into your geography lessons? 🤓 Those classes that gave you cold sweats, forcing you to memorize by heart the capitals of every country... So, remember that strait whose name sounds like an element you find in toothpaste. The Bosphorus! 🌊 Not exactly a cousin of phosphorus, this channel connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The very one that runs through the city of Istanbul 🌆, the capital of Turkey... 🇹🇷 Or not! Ankara is the capital (come on, admit it—you’d forgotten, right? 😜). But Istanbul is indeed the country’s largest city, of which four historic areas are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO ! 🌍 Once called Byzantium by the Greeks and Constantinople by the Eastern Roman Empire, Istanbul marks the geographical passage between Europe and Asia 🚪. It’s this remarkable city that you’ll have the chance to discover with the famous Istanbul Marathon, one of the most attractive in the world, as well as its 15.5 km distance. Get ready: it’s a festive sporting event, popular and unmissable for Turkish and international athletics! 🤌
The Chinese, more than 1,000 years ago, even regarded it as "the city of cities" 🙌. It’s here, in November, in the heart of this urban area where history meets the most contemporary present, that the Istanbul Marathon has taken place since… 1979 ! 🙀 While the race was first named "Asia-Europe Run", because its course links the two continents ✌️, it was later called "Intercontinental Eurasia Marathon", before becoming, in 2013, "Istanbul Marathon"—a nickname that rightly honors this city of exceptional historical richness 🥰. Today, the event is part of the international circuit of the World Athletics Label Road Races in the "Gold Label" category 🥇. Suffice it to say, it’s a road race that matters on the international calendar for the queen distance of running ! 🏃♀️ The records set at this event are no small feat either: 2 hours, 9 minutes 44 seconds for Daniel Kibet and 2 hours, 18 minutes 35 seconds for Ruth Chepngetich 🏆.
Far from your middle-school geography class, the Istanbul Marathon lets you dive into the images that once seemed completely unreal in your textbook 📖. By coming to run one of the two distances on the program (42.195 km and 15.5 km), you’ll discover the city’s 7 hills, Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square 🐎 bathed in the song of the muezzins 🙏, the treasures of the Topkapi Palace, the Spice Bazaar, and even the abundance in the souk of jewelers 💍. You’ll be able to enjoy a unique experience since the race starts from the city’s Asian side, crosses the Bosphorus via the intercontinental bridge, the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, and reaches the historic city by running along the river and through the modern city, Levantine, Ottoman and Byzantine 🤤.
Alongside your race, you can hop aboard the steam boat 🛥️ that will take you to the Black Sea or dive into the cosmopolitan crowd that floods Istiklâl Avenue as night falls 🌙. After your marathon, you can replenish with a good dose of calories by tasting borek (stuffed filo pastry), a balik ekmek (fish sandwich), dolma (much more diet-friendly, since it’s stuffed vegetables 😉) or lokum (the best way to overdose on fast sugars !🫃). Around a tasting, you can lose yourself in the maze of the Grand Bazaar or lounge in one of the many hammams... 💆
No doubt about it : Istanbul is Byzantium ! 👏
6 reasons to join this race
A distance for every taste
MarathonTOP
15.5 km
- End of October 2027
- Elevation gain : 249mD+ / 261mD-
- 42.195 km
A few more words
The tone is set right from the start! In 2 km, you’ll cross the Bosphorus, moving from the Asian shore to the European shore of Istanbul. You’re running right through a powerful symbol! A moving moment that will give you wings 🪽 to take on the remaining forty-odd kilometers! At least, we hope so! 😂 After 5 km that are definitely not flat, capped off by the downhill stretch of Barbaros Boulevard toward Beşiktaş, you’ll finally be able to catch your breath. The rest of the course will be more runnable along the coast 🌊: the Bosphorus up to the Galata Bridge, the Golden Horn to cross, then the Sea of Marmara, which you’ll follow to km 26, before making a U-turn and returning along the same fast route. Only the finish changes: in Sirkeci, the route veers into Gülhane Park and climbs toward Sultanahmet ⛰️, all the way to the finish 🏁 on the former Hippodrome, between the Blue Mosque 🕌 and the obelisk. All the charm of the race lies in this exceptional route: after starting in a 21st-century neighborhood and crossing the legendary Bosphorus, you’ll tread the emblematic districts of Turkish and Ottoman history as you run alongside the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and then the Sea of Marmara. More than a race, the Istanbul Marathon is a true journey through time! ⏳
Here is the course route for the Istanbul Marathon 👇.
15.5 km : Road Running 15.5 km
Road Running- End of October 2027
- 15.5 km
A few more words
The race starts in front of the July 15 Martyrs Bridge, a few hundred meters behind the marathon start line, and takes you almost straight across the bridge 🌉. You then follow exactly the first 15 kilometers of the marathoners’ course. Among the many highlights that make up this route, you’ll see the Naval Museum, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Dolmabahçe Mosque 🕌, the Galata Bridge, the New Mosque Yeni Camii, the typical Egyptian Bazaar, the Topkapı Palace perched on the tip of Seraglio Point, and also the Little Hagia Sophia. The finish will be celebrated in style in Yenikapı, a lively port district located by the sea 🌊.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Bibs for the marathon and the 15.5 km race must be collected at the Dr. Mimar Kadir Topbaş Gösteri ve Sanat Merkezi (Show and Art Center) in Yenikapı, on the following dates:
Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, October 30, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bib numbers are not assigned in advance; you will find out yours when you pick up your bib.
To collect your bib, you will need to show the same ID that you provided in your registration. No pick-up voucher will be sent before the event.
The races will start in front of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge metrobus station in Istanbul on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
42 km marathon: 9:00 a.m.
15.5 km race: 9:19 a.m., 9:38 a.m. and 10:05 a.m. (staggered starts, about 400 meters behind the marathon start line).
No, the organizers do not require a medical certificate. However, the race rules recommend having a medical check-up before the race. They also advise against participating if you have a respiratory or heart condition.
The price is the same for the marathon and the 15.5 km race and depends on when you register:
from Tuesday, January 6, 2026 to Saturday, January 31, 2026: €60
from Sunday, February 1, 2026 to Sunday, May 31, 2026: €80
from Monday, June 1, 2026 to Friday, July 31, 2026: €100
from Saturday, August 1, 2026 to Tuesday, October 13, 2026: €120
The minimum age depends on the distance:
Marathon: you must be at least 18 years old on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
15.5 km: you must be at least 16 years old on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
The race rules do not require any mandatory equipment. However, you must wear your bib and attach the electronic chip to your shoe, otherwise your time cannot be recorded. The following are prohibited on the course:
strollers
animals
scooters, bikes or any other means of transport
children under 16
any visual representing a brand, association or organization, other than those distributed by the sponsors.
Water and snack stations are set up at regular intervals along the course. Public and portable toilets are also located along the route.
Yes. For the marathon, the time limit is 6 hours 20 minutes, and the cut-off times are as follows:
km 1: 9:10 a.m.
km 5: 9:45 a.m.
km 10: 10:32 a.m.
km 15: 11:18 a.m.
km 20: 12:04 p.m.
km 25: 12:50 p.m.
km 30: 1:36 p.m.
km 35: 2:22 p.m.
km 40: 3:08 p.m.
km 42: 3:20 p.m.
For the 15.5 km race, the time limit is 2 hours 15 minutes. The race officially ends at 12:20 p.m., and no times are recorded after that.
Runners who miss these cut-offs must board the sweeper bus. Those who choose to keep going must do so on the sidewalk, as the course is gradually reopened to traffic. Runners who finish after the time limit are not ranked and do not receive a medal.
Yes, baggage storage is available. Trucks are parked to the left of the start areas and transport bags to the finish line. Each truck corresponds to a range of bib numbers. You must use the bag provided at bib pick-up and stick the official label on its front pocket. Bags must be dropped off by 9:00 a.m. at the latest; after that, they will no longer be accepted. We recommend not leaving any valuables in your bag. You will collect your bag at the finish by showing your bib.
The race rules do not mention showers or changing rooms.
Your registration includes:
timing
the race kit (bib and electronic chip)
the athlete bag
the t-shirt
the finisher medal
the finisher certificate
water and snack stations on the course
the post-race meal pack
No. Participants registered through Finishers are not required to provide proof of a performance from a previous year.
No. If you registered through Finishers, no additional payment is required, even if an automated email from the organizer asks for one.
Yes. You can run in support of a charity through the "İyilik Peşinde Koş" platform run by the Adım Adım association, at ipk.adimadim.org. If you have any questions, you can write to iyilikpesindekos@adimadim.org.
If you have any remaining questions, you can contact the organizers by email: alp.ipekciler@spor.istanbul
You can check the race rules here
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