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Maraton Cartago race photo

Maraton Cartago

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Maraton Cartago race photoCartago
CR
Bernard Gagnon · CC0Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
Race date in 171 days
Apr 4, 2027 Sun
City · Distance
Cartago · 42.195km
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
2027Date Apr 4, 2027 · Soon
2026
2026Date Apr 12, 2026
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 15, 2026
Maraton Cartago race photo
Bernard Gagnon · CC0
Maraton Cartago race photo
Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Maraton Cartago — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

Chasing a personal best or dreaming of a first finish.
This trip is built around your race.

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.

Maraton Cartago runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

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

Finisher vlog

RunTuber · 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 enter Maraton Cartago — registration routes

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

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Maraton Cartago course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

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

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 04:00
EventStart
Marathon42.195km04:00
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Cartago

Show more

The Cartago Marathon is a single-event race (full marathon only) held, as the name suggests, in Costa Rica's Cartago province.

The start is at La Lima de Cartago, about 1,427m above sea level, and finish is in Orosi,

about 1,055m above sea level, making it a point-to-point course that drops about 370m.

The entire route runs through rural areas with no metro or rail service.

The previous edition, in 2026, started at 5:30 a.m.

Typical race-season temperature: around 21°C (70°F)
Short sleeves — hydrate for the warmth

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Event T-shirt 2026

Finisher medal 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Where and when to collect your Maraton Cartago race bib

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

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit — race starts in La Lima de Cartago, Cartago province (elev.
  • Getting to the finishNo public transit — finish in Orosi, Cartago province (elev. ~1,055m)

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit — race starts in La Lima de Cartago, Cartago province (elev. ~1,427m)

This race is based in/around Cartago — start in La Lima de Cartago, finish in Orosi (both Cartago province). Rural, point-to-point course, no metro/rail access.

Per the prior (2026) edition, organizers ran a bus/transport pickup from Momentum Pinares (Cartago) at 4:30 AM ahead of a 5:30 AM start — not yet confirmed whether it repeats for 2027.

Map

Getting to the finish

No public transit — finish in Orosi, Cartago province (elev. ~1,055m)

Course finishes in Orosi after a net descent of ~370m from the start. Being a rural point-to-point route, runners need organizer-provided or private transport back to the start/Cartago area; no public transit serves this corridor.

Map

Start shuttle

Per prior (2026) edition: organizer bus/transport departed Momentum Pinares, Cartago at 4:30 AM before the 5:30 AM start — not yet confirmed for 2027. Official site (grupopublicitariocr.net) returned a broken error page when fetched; details sourced from AIMS, Endorphins Running, and abuenpaso.cr listings instead.

Source · checked Aug 22, 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 is held early on the morning of Sunday, April 12, in Cartago, Costa Rica.

Full marathon starts at 5 a.m. and half marathon at 5:15 a.m.;

the start is at Paseo Metrópoli shopping mall and finish is in the Orosi area.

Course is a point-to-point route with a net descent of 372m.

The start is at 1,427m above sea level, and Orosi, finish, is at 1,055m.

The stretch leaving central Cartago toward Orosi is almost entirely downhill.

There are only two categories, 21km and 42km, and no relay.

Note also that the start sits at high altitude, above 1,400m.

Times are local to Cartago. 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.

Cartago car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Carthage car rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Hotels near the Maraton Cartago start line in

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

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

Country house with an incredible view to the city

Accommodation · 4.3km

9.5/10(25)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

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

Cartago car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Carthage car rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Cartago: Turrialba Volcano Sunrise Tour, Stargazing & Coffee Experience

₩137,252

View on GetYourGuide

San José, Costa Rica: Semi-Private Irazú Volcano, Rose Farm & Basilica Tour

₩183,182

View on GetYourGuide

Where runners eat in Cartago

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

What to see in Cartago after the race

Seeing Cartago with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Private San José Tour: Arenal Volcano Adventure & Hot Springs

₩865,330

View on Klook

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Cartago.

Total cost and budget for Maraton Cartago

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Maraton Cartago

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Cartago runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Maraton Cartago

FAQ
When does Maraton Cartago 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sun, April 4, 2027 in Cartago, Costa Rica.

What distances does Maraton Cartago 2027 offer?

Marathon. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Maraton Cartago 2027 start?

The race starts at 04:00. (From the 2026 edition)

What is the Maraton Cartago 2027 course like?

The Cartago Marathon is a single-event race (full marathon only) held, as the name suggests, in Costa Rica's Cartago province.

The start is at La Lima de Cartago, about 1,427m above sea level, and finish is in Orosi,

about 1,055m above sea level, making it a point-to-point course that drops about 370m.

The entire…

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