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Istanbul Marathon

Name: Istanbul Marathon
Uploaded: 2025-10-22
Description: The Istanbul Marathon is the only intercontinental marathon to cross a bridge linking two continents, Europe and Asia. It starts near the Bosphorus Bridge and finishes at Sultanahmet Square, by the Bl

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Istanbul
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Alexxx Malev · CC BY-SA 3.0Wikimedia Commons · Hunanuk, CC0Wikimedia Commons · Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0Gökhan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Race date in 24 days: Nov 1, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Istanbul · 42.195km
Entry fee: €60Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2026Date Nov 1, 2026 · Entry Jan 6, 2026 ~ Oct 13, 2026

2025Date Nov 2, 2025

Official website ↗

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Oct 8, 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 Istanbul Marathon is the only intercontinental marathon to cross a bridge linking two continents, Europe and Asia.

It starts near the Bosphorus Bridge and finishes at Sultanahmet Square, by the Blue Mosque.

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.

Stories from those who ran it first.

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

Race reports: 6

haxxshixxRan in 2025

“I took part in the 42 km Istanbul Marathon held on November 2, 2025.”

The writer entered the 42K at the 2025 Istanbul Marathon after applying directly from Japan and arranging the trip themselves. They wrote that, after the finish, they walked for about an hour to their accommodation despite being sore because of traffic restrictions.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

2025年11月2日に開催されたイスタンブールマラソン（42キロ）に参加しました。

Read the original on note

Ahmet KucukasciRan in 2024 · Finish time 1:06:49

“Running through Istanbul’s iconic streets with the Bosphorus on one side was surreal.”

Ahmet Kucukasci faced congestion at the start of the 15K at the 2024 Istanbul Marathon, then ran along sections with views of the Bosphorus, up a hill near Sirkeci, and across the Galata Bridge before finishing with a personal best of 1:06:49.

Read the original on triahmet.com

HealthobeingRan in 2024 · Finish time 04:01hr

“Overall, this race has very good route, I only encountered 2 times of slopes, and they are rather gradual.”

Participants in the 2024 full marathon took a ferry to the start and experienced sections along the coast, as well as fruit and biscuits at the aid stations. The cobblestones over the final approximately 1.5km were challenging, but they finished in 4 hours 1 minute.

Read the original on Healthobeing

Klaus-Dieter SchulzeRan in 2023

“On Sunday morning, I took a cable car to the Bosphorus, then crossed to Asia by ferry and walked to the start.”

Klaus-Dieter Schulze, who ran the 2023 full marathon, said bib pickup went smoothly on the Friday, and on race day he traveled to the start on the Asian side by cable car and ferry. After the opening climb, he said, the route continued along city highways with little shade or cheering.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Am Sonntag früh ging es mit der Seilbahn zum Bosporus, dann mit der Fähre nach Asien und dann zu Fuß zum Start.

Read the original on 100 Marathon Club Deutschland

Hakkı ŞenkeserRan in 2016 · Finish time 05:47:49

“It took 5 hours 47 minutes 49 seconds, 47 minutes longer than my 5-hour target, but I was happy to complete the marathon in good health.”

The runner completed the first full marathon in 5 hours 47 minutes 49 seconds at the 2016 Istanbul Marathon. The runner prepared while losing weight from 103 kg, but was unable to complete enough long training runs. Although pain developed in the ankles, knees, and soles of the feet after 30 km, the runner reached the finish by thinking of the race in sections.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Her ne kadar koyduğum 5 saat hedefinin üzerinde 5:47.49 ile hedefimden 47 dakika sapmış olsam da maratonu sağlıklı bir şekilde tamamlayabilmiş olmanın mutluluğunu yaşıyordum.

Read the original on Hakkı Şenkeser Blog

KoşuyoruzRan in 2015 · Finish time 3 Saat 56 Dakika

“I gave everything I had left, but I was happy to finish the race.”

The writer ran Istanbul full marathon aiming to finish under four hours, but developed calf pain at 21 km. Even after walking briefly in the latter stages, they finished in 3:56.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Rezervlerim tükenmişti ama mutluydum, koşuyu bitirmiştim.

Read the original on Koşuyoruz

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.

Course preview

Go&Race · Course preview

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.

Qualifying time

Entry cost TBD

The 2026 Istanbul Marathon full marathon requires runners who meet the qualifying standards to apply through the official website,

and the field is currently full.

You must provide proof that, within the past two years, you completed full marathon in 6 hours 20 minutes or less,

half marathon in 3 hours 25 minutes or less, or a 15 km race in 2 hours 15 minutes or less within the past year.

Organizer's page

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.

Runners start · local timeFrom 09:00

Time limit6 hours 20 minutes

6 hours 20 minutes (full marathon)

Event	Start	Time limit	Entry fee
Marathon42.195km	09:00	6h20m	€120

START

in front of the 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü Metrobus Station; finish: Sultanahmet Square

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Sultanahmet Square (Blue Mosque), Istanbul

Finish · Google Maps

Cut-off
1km 09:10 · 5km 09:45 · 10km 10:32 · 15km 11:18 · 20km 12:04 · 25km 12:50 · 30km 13:36 · 35km 14:22 · 40km 15:08 · 42km 15:20

Original course map · watchathletics.com

Start line is on the Asian side, near the First Bosphorus Bridge.

The race begins by crossing this bridge into Europe,

and the Istanbul Marathon is known as the only marathon in the world to include both Asia and Europe within a single course.

Course passes the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) and Hagia Sophia before finishing at Inonu Stadium on the European side.

Runners cross three bridges in total: the Bosphorus Bridge and two bridges over the Golden Horn.

There are three events: the marathon, the 15 km, and the public run.

A separate para-athletics category is also held.

The course has been revised several times throughout the race's history.

In 2020, both the start and finish were moved to Yenikapi on the European side,

and runners had to cross the Bosphorus Bridge twice, completing an out-and-back section in Asia.

World Athletics Label: Gold Label
Typical race-season temperature: around 12°C (54°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Marathon

Medical support

Marathon

Restrooms

Marathon

Water stations

Marathon

Aid stations

Marathon

Finisher medal

Marathon

Event T-shirt

Marathon

Finisher certificate

Marathon

Bag drop

Marathon

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

Show bib on race morning to travel free on IBB public transport (official information).
Based on the 2025 edition — 3 days, Thu 10/30 to Sat 11/1

Based on the 2025 edition

Yenikapı Dr. Mimar Kadir Topbaş Gösteri ve Sanat Merkezi (inside the Yenikapı event grounds, Fatih, Istanbul) — no official street address given

Google Maps

Nov 1, 2025

Shakeout run

A relaxed group run to loosen up before race day. No pace pressure — everyone's welcome.
Based on the 2025 race. This year's schedule is usually announced 1–3 weeks before race day.

Shakeout Run

Run Urban İstanbul × lululemon

When: Sat, November 1, 2025 08:30
Where: Smooth-e &more, Bebek, Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye
How to join: RSVP required

Sign-up & details Google Maps

Free public transit

Marathon

Stations & transport near the venue

Buy an Istanbulkart for the cheapest fares with transfer discounts — it works on metro, tram, bus, metrobus, and ferries. If you'd rather skip the card purchase and top-up hassle, you can also tap your own foreign contactless bank card or Apple/Google Pay directly at many metro and tram turnstiles, but you'll pay full fare each time with no transfer discount.

Getting to the start

Beylerbeyi (Asian side, Uskudar district) -- via free ferry from Eminonu (T1 tram) or from Kabatas (F1 funicular from Taksim), or free shuttle bus from Uskudar Marmaray Station (07:00-08:00)

Per prior edition (Nov 2, 2025).

Free public transport (metro/tram/bus/ferry) on race morning by showing bib number;

Marmaray is explicitly EXCLUDED from the free-fare arrangement.

From Sultanahmet/Eminonu: T1 tram then complimentary ferry.

From Taksim/Kabatas: F1 funicular then free ferry.

From Uskudar: free shuttle buses 07:00-08:00.

Getting to the finish

Sultanahmet Square (Old City, European side)

Famous as the only marathon starting in Asia and finishing in Europe, crossing the Bosphorus Bridge.

Same free bib-based transport applies for the return trip.

More details

Free transport window: metro/tram/bus until 17:00, ferries until 15:00 -- plan the return before ferry service cuts off.

More details

Free organizer-supported ferry crossings (Eminonu-Beylerbeyi and Kabatas-Beylerbeyi) plus a free shuttle bus loop from Uskudar Marmaray station to the start at Beylerbeyi,

staffed by volunteers.

IC card

Istanbulkart

Biletmatik vending machines at metro/tram/bus stations and many kiosks (multiple machines at busy stops like Taksim, Sultanahmet, Kadikoy, Besiktas)

Works directly at the gates

Alternative: Istanbul Transportation Pass (private tourist product, hotel-delivered) From roughly $58 USD for 1 day up to ~$208 USD for 15 days (third-party reseller pricing) —

Rarely worth it for a typical runner — it's a large markup over Istanbulkart's per-ride cost;

only consider it if you specifically want zero setup and hotel delivery and don't mind paying a big premium for convenience.

More details

The physical Istanbulkart itself costs about 165 TL as of Feb 2026, with a standard ride around 42 TL and discounted transfers within 2 hours.

Contactless bank-card tap is convenient for a quick single trip (e.g. straight from the airport) but gets expensive fast if you're making multiple transfers per day,

since it doesn't get the Istanbulkart transfer discount.

Source · checked Aug 22, 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.

You have to walk across the Bosphorus Bridge.

After vibrations from large numbers of runners crossing at once raised concerns about the bridge's structural stability,

organizers switched to walking only on the bridge section and staggered the start times.

The time limit is 6 hours 20 minutes for the 42 km and 2 hours 15 minutes for the 15 km.

Runners over the limit must board the shuttle bus that follows the last runner.

There's an aid station every 5 km, and your bib can't be picked up on race day, so collect it in advance.

The race was first held in 1979 and ran in October until 2012, when it moved to November.

That year's 34th edition earned a World Athletics (then IAAF) Gold Label, and by 2013 the field had grown to about 20,000 local and international runners.

The records have been lowered several times as the course changed.

The men's record fell from 2:13:37 by Moges Taye of Ethiopia in 1997 to 2:12:52 by Mindaugas Pukstas of Lithuania in 2006.

On the women's side, Madina Biktagirova of Russia ran 2:34:25 in 2005, then lowered her own record to 2:28:21 the following year.

Since 2006, official times have been recorded with electronic chips attached to runners' shoes.

Times are local to Istanbul. 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.

Berfinn Hotel Ortaköy

Hotel · 744m

9.4/10(260)

View on Booking.com

Istanbul Suleymaniye Hammam & Free Transfer Service

€65

Istanbul Marathon

About Istanbul 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