One exceptionally flat loop through Berlin, past some of the city's best-known landmarks and on a course that has produced more marathon world records than any other marathon. That is the Berlin Marathon route in a sentence, and it is why both runners and spectators benefit from knowing the course before race day.

Knowing the route can make planning easier. Runners can prepare their pacing, fuelling and approach to the second half, while supporters can choose course sections that are accessible and offer good opportunities to watch the race.

Here is the route from the start on Straße des 17. Juni to the final approach through the Brandenburg Gate, with key sections, landmarks, aid stations and practical tips for runners and spectators.

Key Takeaways

• The Berlin Marathon route is a single 42.195 km loop, with both the start and finish on Straße des 17. Juni.
• The course is exceptionally flat and fast. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has produced 13 marathon world records, more than any other marathon.
• Major landmarks include the Victory Column, government quarter, Rathaus Schöneberg, Kurfürstendamm, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Potsdamer Platz, Unter den Linden and the Brandenburg Gate.
• Water and refreshment points are available regularly between km 5 and km 40.
• The official interactive course map and downloadable GPX file are the best references for the exact route.

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2026 Course Overview

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2026 takes place on Sunday 27 September. Runners start on Straße des 17. Juni between the Brandenburg Gate and Kleiner Stern and return to Straße des 17. Juni for the finish after 42.195 km.

The course profile is exceptionally flat, with relatively small elevation changes across the marathon distance. Broad roads and longer straight sections help create favourable conditions for fast racing and have contributed to Berlin's long association with record-breaking performances.

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has produced 13 marathon world records, more than any other marathon. Well-known examples include Eliud Kipchoge's 2:01:09 in 2022 and Tigst Assefa's 2:11:53 in 2023.

The Blue Line painted on the road marks the officially measured 42.195 km ideal racing line around the course.

If you are preparing for race weekend, our Marathon Packing List 2026 covers clothing, nutrition, race-day essentials and charging gear.

Course Map and Key Sections

For the exact route, use the official interactive course map and BMW BERLIN-MARATHON GPX file. These are the best references for detailed course planning, particularly if you want to load the route onto a compatible watch or mapping app.

For easier orientation, the marathon can be divided into three broad phases:

• Start and early kilometres: From Straße des 17. Juni, runners pass the Victory Column before continuing through areas including Moabit and the government quarter. The Federal Chancellery and Reichstag are around km 6.5.
• Middle section: The route continues through different parts of Berlin before heading through southern areas of the city. Rathaus Schöneberg is around km 23, followed later by Platz am Wilden Eber at around km 28.
• The final 10 km: The course returns through City West, passing Kurfürstendamm, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and KaDeWe. Runners then head towards Potsdamer Platz before continuing through central Berlin, along Unter den Linden and through the Brandenburg Gate. The finish follows on Straße des 17. Juni.

Road closures can affect how spectators move around the course. If you are planning to support a runner at several locations, check the current course and road-closure information before race day and use our Berlin Marathon spectator guide for more detailed viewing and tracking advice.

Highlights and Landmarks

The Berlin Marathon course passes numerous well-known locations across the city. Exact kilometre points can change slightly with course adjustments, so use the following distances as orientation and check the latest official map before race day.

Major landmarks in course order include:

• Victory Column, around km 0.5: One of the first major landmarks after the start on Straße des 17. Juni.
• Federal Chancellery and Reichstag, around km 6.5: The early course passes through Berlin's government quarter.
• Rathaus Schöneberg, around km 23: A recognisable landmark after the halfway point.
• Platz am Wilden Eber, around km 28: Another useful reference point as the course moves towards the later stages.
• Kurfürstendamm, around km 34: Berlin's famous shopping boulevard forms part of the late-race City West section.
• Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, around km 34.5: The landmark at Breitscheidplatz follows shortly after the Kurfürstendamm section.
• KaDeWe, around km 35.5: From here, runners continue back towards central Berlin.
• Potsdamer Platz, around km 38.5: A major landmark with only a few kilometres remaining.
• Unter den Linden, around km 41: The route follows the boulevard towards the final approach.
• Brandenburg Gate, around km 42: Runners approach via Pariser Platz, pass through the Brandenburg Gate and continue for roughly 400 metres to the finish on Straße des 17. Juni.

Navigation, frequent screen use, tracking and photos can increase smartphone battery use across a long race day. A power bank can provide additional backup when you are away from a socket.

The UGREEN MagFlow Air Magnetic Slim Power Bank (10000mAh, Qi2 15W) provides magnetic wireless charging for compatible devices in a slim portable format. You can compare more options in the UGREEN wireless and magnetic power bank and power bank ranges.

Aid Stations and Key Course Points

Water and refreshment points are available regularly along the course. There are both water-only points and larger refreshment stations offering additional drinks and food.

The current aid-station schedule is:

• Water: km 5, 12, 17.5, 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, 34.5, 38 and 40.
• Water, fruit, tea and Maurten DRINK MIX 160: km 9, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 36.
• Maurten Gel 100: km 27.5.

There is also a VILSA mineral water station at Olivaer Platz shortly after km 33. BRITA refill points are available along the course, and ERDINGER Alkoholfrei is available after the finish.

For runners, these stations should fit into a fuelling and hydration strategy that has already been tested during training. Plan your race nutrition in advance and use the available aid stations in a way that matches that practised approach.

Runners have a time limit of 6 hours 15 minutes from crossing the start line.

Tips for Runners and Spectators

The flat profile can support fast running, but pacing still matters. Spectators, meanwhile, should choose viewing locations based on the current course map, access points and available transport connections.

For runners: the flat profile can encourage a quick start, so stick to the pacing strategy you have prepared rather than letting the early kilometres pull you ahead of plan. Your fuelling strategy should also be tested during training rather than decided around the aid stations for the first time on race day.

For more on smartphones, GPS watches, headphones and charging around the marathon, see our Marathon Tech Essentials guide.

For spectators: landmark areas such as City West, Potsdamer Platz and the final approach near the Brandenburg Gate can be attractive places to watch. Whether you can reach more than one viewing point depends on your runner's pace, crowds and transport conditions.

U-Bahn and S-Bahn are practical options for many journeys around the course because of the road closures. Bus and tram services may be diverted or disrupted, so check current transport information on race day rather than relying on a fixed route in advance.

If you are arriving in Berlin before race day, our BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2026 Expo Guide covers race-material pickup and practical Expo information.

Tracking, navigation, photos and communication can increase smartphone battery use over several hours. A portable power bank can therefore provide useful additional reserve. If you are travelling with several devices, UGREEN travel chargers can help simplify hotel charging, while suitable USB cables can be useful for wired charging on the trip.

The Wrap-Up

The Berlin Marathon route is an exceptionally flat, fast and landmark-filled 42.195 km loop. Knowing its main sections, landmarks and aid stations can make race-day planning easier whether you are running or supporting someone from the roadside.

Use the latest official interactive map and GPX file for detailed planning, and if you are running, base your pacing and fuelling decisions on strategies you have already tested in training.

Smartphones can also see heavier use across a long marathon day. A slim magnetic power bank such as the UGREEN MagFlow Air can provide additional battery backup for compatible devices used for navigation, tracking and photos.

UGREEN supports the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON as the Official Charging Partner, with additional charging options across power banks, wireless and magnetic power banks, travel chargers and USB cables.