PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONPL / RACE GUIDE

Cracovia Marathon

Name: TAURON 22. Cracovia Maraton i wydarzenia towarzyszące | 5-6.04.2025 | Official video
Uploaded: 2025-04-23
Description: A marathon held annually in Krakow, Poland. Starts from the central square (Rynek Glowny) and returns to the same location.

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Krakow
PL

Igor123121 · CC BY-SA 4.0Zygmunt Put, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsIgor123121, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsIgor123121, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Race date in 195 days: Apr 18, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: Krakow · 42.195km
Entry fee: PLN 230Varies by event and entry period
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

Official website ↗

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D-day as of Oct 5, 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.

A marathon held annually in Krakow, Poland.

Starts from the central square (Rynek Glowny) and returns to the same location.

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.

#CracoviaMarathon#Krakow#Overseas Marathon#April Marathon#World certified marathon

Stories from those who ran it first.

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

3 race reports

Przemysław JaneckiRan in 2026 · Finish time 03:48:16

“The Cracovia Marathon is difficult for runners targeting a personal best or a course record, but it is worth running for its atmosphere.”

Przemysław Janecki finished the 2026 Cracovia Marathon in 3:48:16. The course started in the Old Town Square and wound through Błonia Meadow, Zwierzyniec, Kazimierz, the Vistula riverfront, Nowa Huta, and Wawel — he found the hills and a few gravel stretches tough going. The big crowds along the route, well-organized volunteers, and plentiful food and drink left a strong impression, and he'd recommend the race for the atmosphere more than for chasing a time.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Cracovia Maraton to zawody, gdzie ciężko walczyć o życiówki i rekordy, ale ich klimat sprawia, że warto tam pobiec.

Read the original on Bieganie.pl Forum

Paweł KrzyworączkaRan in 2025 · Finish time 3:28:02

“I planned to finish in 3 hours 30 minutes, but I finished in 3 hours 28 minutes 2 seconds.”

In the third marathon, the runner followed the 3 hours 30 minutes pace group and finished in 3 hours 28 minutes 2 seconds, improving on the previous year's time by 21 minutes. The runner prepared clothing for the cold and wind on race day, then used the remaining strength to increase the pace in the second half.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Planowałem 3h 30m, a wyszło 3h 28m 2s.

Read the original on Uzależniony od pasji

Rax

“The six-hour time limit gave me enough room to manage the knee pain and continue through a mix of running and walking.”

They alternated between running and walking because of early fatigue and knee pain. Although there was a variety of fueling, they advised slower runners to consider the possibility of the gels running out.

Read the original on NomadsUnveiled

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.

TAURON 22. Cracovia Maraton i wydarzenia towarzyszące | 5-6.04.2025 | Official video

Cracovia Maraton

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.

First come, first served

Online registration through the official website.

Closes when the deadline or capacity runs out, whichever comes first.

If there are remaining seats, you can also apply at the on-site registration office right before the competition (April 17-18).

Separate registration support for groups of 5 or more people.

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 42.195km I'll run

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

START

Rynek Główny

Main Market Square, Kraków · shared start and finish

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Rynek Główny (Main Market Square), Krakow

Finish · Google Maps

Original course map · maratonczyk.pl

Since 2014, start line and finish have been located in the Main Market Square.

Runners pass the Cloth Hall, Wawel Royal Castle and the Church on the Rock,

and also meet the city's modern spaces such as the TAURON Arena Kraków, the ICE Kraków Congress Centre and the Father Bernatek Footbridge.

Course includes a loop around Błonia Park and brings Kraków's historic district and riverside together in a single race.

The race was launched in 2002, could not be held in 2020–2021 due to COVID-19, and returned on April 24, 2022.

The 20th edition drew more than 5,000 runners from 45 countries, and athletes from 70 countries have run the Cracovia Marathon so far.

Nowa Huta, first visited in 2005, was again part of course in 2018, and 35 runners who have finished every edition are on record.

Alongside the marathon, a wheelchair race, an inline skating marathon,

a 10km night run the evening before and a Saturday mini marathon make it an urban running weekend.

World Athletics Label: Label Label
Typical race-season temperature: around 9°C (48°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Bag drop 2026

Finisher medal 2026

This may change for the next edition.

To the start line,
step by step.

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

Pick up your bib at the expo

Synerise Arena

Henryk Reyman Stadium

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

Just tap your foreign contactless bank card or phone on the on-board ticket machine (look for the 'Kup i skasuj' / buy-and-validate option) every time you board a tram or bus — it issues and validates a paperless ticket instantly, so you don't need to buy anything in advance.

Getting to the start

Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square), start line at ul. Szewska

Start and finish are both at Krakow's Main Market Square.

On race day the Market Square and ul.

Grodzka are fully closed to traffic 6:00-18:00, with the start at the Szewska Street side of the square.

Runners who selected the option during registration receive a race number marked with a hologram entitling them to free public transport (trams and buses) within Krakow's city limits on race day.

Getting to the finish

Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square)

Finish is at the same Main Market Square as the start;

the square and adjoining ul.

Grodzka remain closed to traffic until 18:00 on race day.

More details

Details below reflect the most recently published bulletin (23rd edition, 2026-04-19) -- detailed transit bulletin for the 24th edition (2027-04-18) not yet published,

but start/finish location (Rynek Glowny) confirmed unchanged.

Tram lines 1,4,8,10,13,14,22,76 typically run on detours ~8:00-14:30 (some until ~15:30);

bus lines 124,424,144,164,169,469,173,179,194,301,304,503,513 on detours ~7:30-12:00.

No official organizer-run shuttle bus found -- only the free-public-transit-via-hologram-bib scheme.

IC card

KKM (Krakowska Karta Miejska)

Registered to a name/PESEL number, so not practical for short-term tourists —

foreign visitors should use contactless card payment or the mKRK/Jakdojade apps instead

Works directly at the gates

Alternative: KrakowCard Approx.

€20-25/day equivalent for the 3-day version (~€60 total);

exact current pricing varies by provider — Worth it only if you're also visiting many museums (20+ included) —

for transport alone it's cheaper to just tap your card or buy a 24h ticket (15 PLN).

More details

Every tram and bus has an on-board e-ticket machine accepting contactless cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and BLIK;

tapping to pay auto-validates the ticket.

Ticket inspectors are frequent and fines are steep (~266 PLN), so always tap before or immediately after boarding.

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 race date is 18 April 2027.

Because the start and finish are both at the Main Market Square, prioritise access to this square when choosing accommodation.

With clear landmarks such as Wawel Castle, Cloth Hall and Błonia Park, course is also easy to plan around before the start.

Add the Packet Pickup location and time to your schedule based on the information provided during race week.

Most aid stations provide water supplied by Krakow's municipal water system.

If you plan to carry personal nutrition, calculate the amount you need based on this water supply.

The start package minimises the use of plastic and paper, and the participant T-shirt is made from recycled materials.

Choose your race clothing for the 18 April schedule, and if you also take part in the 10km Night Run or the mini-marathon on Saturday,

make separate plans for bib and transport around the Main Market Square.

Times are local to Krakow. 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.

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Main Square Apartments

Hotel · 117m

9.6/10(1213)

View on Booking.com

Apartments Rynek Glowny

Hotel · 101m

9.4/10(566)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Betmanowska Main Square Residence Adults Only

Hotel · 113m

9.2/10(2219)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Wentzl

Hotel · 106m

9.2/10(923)

View on Booking.com

Feniks Fragola Apartments

Hotel · 116m

9.1/10(1235)

View on Booking.com

Bonerowski Palace

Hotel · 103m

9.1/10(506)

View on Booking.com

Rynek 29 Aparthotel Main Square by Luvaro

Accommodation · 109m

9.7/10(11)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

46 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

RECOVERY & SPA7SIT-DOWN TOURS7CARB LOADING4LOCAL TRANSIT7FAMILY PASS7TRAIL & OUTDOOR5CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING2

Krakow: Zakopane, Thermal Baths, Cable Car and Local Food Tasting

PLN 104

Cracovia Marathon

About Cracovia 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