Races

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONKZ / RACE GUIDE

Almaty Marathon

Name: Almaty Marathon 2024
Uploaded: 2024-06-25
Description: The Almaty Marathon is Central Asia’s largest running event, organized by the Courage to be the First Foundation. It is World Athletics-certified course and a full member event of AIMS (the Associatio

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Almaty
KZ

Dauren Nabijan · CC0Wikimedia Commons · 7afa, CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons · Dauren Nabijan, CC0Wikimedia Commons · Dauren Nabijan, CC0Wikimedia Commons · Dauren Nabijan, CC0Wikimedia Commons · Dauren Nabijan, CC0

Race date Expected Sep: September 2027
City · Distance: Almaty · 42.195km · 21.1km
Entry fee: KZT 25,000From the 2026 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon

2026Date Sep 27, 2026 · Entry Dec 11, 2025 ~ Sep 16, 2026 · Entry fee KZT 20,000 · Start 07:30

Official website ↗

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Nov 15, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The Almaty Marathon is Central Asia’s largest running event, organized by the Courage to be the First Foundation.

It is World Athletics-certified course and a full member event of AIMS (the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races),

as well as part of the TAN Series, a running series spanning Turkic countries.

Participants can choose from a range of events, including the full marathon (42.195 km),

half marathon (21.0975 km), 10 km, 10 km Nordic walking, and an ekiden relay, attracting everyone from beginners to advanced runners.

Thousands of runners from more than 60 countries take part each year,

and entry fee some of the proceeds go to charity campaigns supporting children with disabilities.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

#Almaty Marathon#Almaty#September Marathon#Full marathon

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3

Асел АскароваRan in 2025 · Finish time 05:56:00

“I ran the Almaty Marathon full marathon 42.2 km this autumn and finished in 5 hours 56 minutes.”

The runner completed the 2025 Almaty Marathon full marathon, 42.2 km, in 5 hours 56 minutes. They wanted to give up during the second loop because of the heat and the feeling of isolation, but finished within the 6-hour cut-off with encouragement from volunteers at the nearly closed finish.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Этой осенью я бежала Almaty Marathon на полной дистанции 42,2 километра. Я финишировала за пять часов 56 минут.

Read the original on Comode.kz

Emil YesselbayevRan in 2024 · Finish time 3:24:00

“By the last few kilometers, every step was heavy. I almost cried when I crossed the finish line, but it was worth it.”

The runner completed their first marathon in 2024 in 3 hours 24 minutes. They endured the leg pain in the final section and crossed the finish line. Meeting their running friends gave them even more strength.

Read the original on KIMEP Voice

The Running GingerRan in 2024

“We ran the Almaty Marathon, the largest sports event in Central Asia—an epic and challenging half marathon at 700 meters above sea level!”

The runner ran the 2024 Almaty half marathon. Despite the uphill first 7 km and the cold morning, the runner said it was a memorable experience thanks to the mountain scenery, frequent aid stations, and local support.

Read the original on The Running Ginger

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog
Alvarez Films RUNNING · Finisher vlog
View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

General entry · Marathon

Entry cost KZT 25,000

Full marathon entry fee

Organizer's page

General entry · Half

Entry cost KZT 20,000

Half marathon entry fee

Organizer's page

General entry · 10K

Entry cost KZT 20,000

10km entry fee

Organizer's page

General entry · Other

Entry cost KZT 17,000

Nordic Walking 10km entry fee

Organizer's page

About Team (Ekiden relay)

Team (Ekiden relay)

Entry cost KZT 300,000

Ekiden team relay entry fee (per team)

At least one female member is required.

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 42.195km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30

Time limit2 hours

10km · Nordic walking 2 hours · half marathon 3 hours · full marathon · Ekiden 6 hours

Event	Start	Entry fee
Marathon42.195km	07:30	KZT 25,000
Half Marathon21.0975km	07:45	KZT 20,000
10-km Distance Race10km	06:00	KZT 20,000
Ekiden Team Relay42.195km	07:30	KZT 300,000
Nordic Walking – 10 km10km	06:15	KZT 17,000

Payment method: Kaspi.kz, Visa, MasterCard. Charitable donation (support for children with disabilities) option available upon registration.

START

Abay Square, Almaty

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Republic Square, Satpayev Street, Almaty

Cutoff
21.1km 10:30

Original course map · almaty-marathon.kz

Runners start · local time — Full marathon 07:30 · half marathon 07:45 · 10km 06:00 · Nordic Walking 10km 06:15 · Ekiden Relay 07:30

Course starts at Republic Square in central Almaty, on Satpaev Street, and follows the city’s main arterial, Al-Farabi Avenue.

Runners have views of the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains throughout the race,

while course passes landmarks including First President Park and Almaty Botanical Garden.

Full marathon is a one-loop (circuit) course with 195m of total elevation gain.

It includes long climbs and steep descents, making Almaty’s undulating mountain-city terrain a defining feature.

World Athletics Label: Label Label
AIMS Certified: Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Race expo 2026

Aid stations 2026

Medical support 2026

Lockers 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Finisher T-shirt 2026

Timing chip 2026

Bag drop 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Hotels1.1km from the start · ★9.8

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Bib pickup

The exact pickup location will be announced separately closer to the race.
Packet Pickup is not available at the start area on race day — packets must be collected during the expo period.
September 25-26, 2026, 10:00-20:00

Forum Shopping Mall, Almaty

Nikitin Street parking (enter from Seifullin Avenue)

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startAbay Square
Transit cardGet an Onay card at the airport, metro stations, or Karavan kiosks — it's cheap and works on metro, buses, and trolleybuses. Foreign contactless bank cards do not tap directly at the gate, so don't rely on your own card. Where to buy
Getting to the finishRepublic Square, Satpayev Street

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Abay Square

Official 2026 course-announcement page: participants start at Abay Square, finish at Republic Square (new course, elevation reduced from 550m to 300m, no uphill start). No metro/bus/walking-access instructions published for this specific point yet.

The organizer (almaty-marathon.kz) has not yet published a metro/shuttle/road-closure advisory for the Sept 27 2026 race -- organizers historically issue notices only days before event. 2025 Half Marathon (started First President Park) recommended buses only, no metro.

Since 2026 uses a new start point, these precedents may not apply.

Map

Getting to the finish

Republic Square, Satpayev Street

Map

Transit card

Onay!

Metro station cashiers/machines, airport, railway stations, Karavan kiosks, and some newsstands/mobile shops Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

The Onay card costs 500 KZT (420 KZT of which is a refundable deposit), and a single ride is 120 KZT (valid 90 min). Buses have gone effectively cashless, so a working Onay card (or the Onay app) is close to mandatory.

App registration reportedly requires a Kazakh phone number, impractical for most tourists — the physical card is simpler.

Where to buy

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The Almaty Marathon starts at Republic Square.

The 10km starts at 6 a.m., the 10km Nordic walk at 6:15 a.m., the full marathon and Ekiden relay at 7:30 a.m.,

and the half marathon at 7:45 a.m. The time limit is 2 hours for the 10km and Nordic walk, 3 hours for the half marathon,

and 6 hours for the full marathon and Ekiden.

Course follows Almaty's main roads, centered on Al-Farabi Avenue,

with views of the Trans-Ili Alatau range and sections through the First President's Park and the Botanical Garden.

Gentle climbs alternate with steep descents, so pace management matters.

Packet Pickup runs 10 a.m.–8 p.m. starting two days before race day;

there is no race-day pickup.

The exact pickup location will be posted on the official website closer to race day.

Times are local to Almaty. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Intercontinental Almaty, An Ihg Hotel

Hotel · 464m · 7-minute walk

8.7/10(163)

View on Booking.com

Almaty｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Almaty International Airport

KZT 13,633

View on Klook

Almaty: Private Kazakh Food Tour with an English-Speaking Guide

KZT 92,345

Almaty Marathon

About Almaty Marathon — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run

Almaty Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

See it on video,feel it through their stories.

Finisher vlog

How to enter Almaty Marathon — registration routes

How to reach the start line —start with what fits you.

General entry · Marathon

General entry · Half

General entry · 10K

General entry · Other

Team (Ekiden relay)

Almaty Marathon course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

Abay Square, Almaty

Republic Square, Satpayev Street, Almaty

Participant benefits

Race expo 2026

Aid stations 2026

Medical support 2026

Lockers 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Finisher T-shirt 2026

Timing chip 2026

Bag drop 2026

Where and when to collect your Almaty Marathon race bib

To the start line,step by step.

Bib pickup

Forum Shopping Mall, Almaty

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Getting to the finish

Transit card

From race morning to after the finish.

The race is one day,the trip can be longer.

Intercontinental Almaty, An Ihg Hotel

Almaty｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Almaty International Airport

Almaty: Private Kazakh Food Tour with an English-Speaking Guide

Origins of Almaty City Tour: Golden Square & Historic Streets

Park Hotel Almaty

Almaty Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

One Day Private Charyn Canyon Black Canyon and Kolsay

Hotels near the Almaty Marathon start line in Almaty

Hotels that make race morning easy

Intercontinental Almaty, An Ihg Hotel

Park Hotel Almaty

Вдохновение центра

Париж приглашает

Апартаменты в центре золотого квадрата

Апартамент 1

Апартаменты в золотом квадрате

Tours and activities around the Almaty Marathon in Almaty

Time for you, before and after the finish

Almaty｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Almaty International Airport

Almaty Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

Almaty Airport Pickup (GetTransfer)

ALA Almaty International Airport Extime Lounge Access

Almaty: Private Airport Transfer and Customized City Tour

Almaty Airport Transfer: Comfortable and Affordable Transportation

Almaty Airport–City Private Taxi

Tanum Rock Carvings: UNESCO World Heritage Site Group Tour

Almaty Express Contrast: Nomadic Flavors, Museums and Modern Vibes

Almaty Highlights: City Tour with Museums, Bazaar and Kazakh Lunch

Almaty: Guided Day Trip to Altyn-Emel National Park

From Almaty: Day Trip to Issyk Lake and Turgen Waterfalls

Altyn-Emel National Park Private Day Tour from Almaty

Altyn-Emel National Park Private Day Tour from Almaty

Almaty: Butakovsky Waterfall Winter Hiking Tour

Horseback Riding Experience Exploring Scenic Spots in Ile Alatau National Park

Big Almaty Lake Hiking Tour

From Almaty: Day Trip to Kolsai, Kaindy Lake and Charyn Canyon

Almaty: Horseback Riding Experience Along the Nomad's Trail

Almaty: Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Day Trip

From Almaty: Charyn Canyon Day Trip (Lunch Box Included)

Almaty: City Tour and Photo Shoot with a Professional

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

To the start line,
step by step.

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

With runners who dream of
the same start line.