PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONAU / RACE GUIDE

Melbourne Half Marathon

Name: Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival 2025 – Live from Melbourne | Official Race Day Broadcast
Uploaded: 2025-10-12
Description: The half marathon event of the October Melbourne Marathon Festival. Held on the same weekend as full marathon.

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Melbourne
AU

Chris Phutully · CC BY 2.0Chris Phutully / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Chris Phutully / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Biatch / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainKeepActive Australia from Melbourne, VIC, Australia, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Race date in 1 day: Oct 11, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Melbourne · 21.1km
Entry fee: A$190Varies by event and entry period
Status: ClosedSee how to enter ↗

2026Date Oct 11, 2026 · Entry May 5, 2026 ~ May 12, 2026

2025

2025Date Oct 12, 2025

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Oct 10, 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 half marathon event of the October Melbourne Marathon Festival.

Held on the same weekend as full marathon.

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.

#MelbourneHalfMarathon#Melbourne#Overseas Marathon#October Marathon#Full marathon 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

Reddit · r/runningRan in 2025 · Finish time 2:04:23

“Was such a rush running through the finish line with my arms raised as I acknowledged my imaginary fans.”

The writer finished the 2025 Melbourne half marathon in 2 hours 4 minutes 23 seconds. Despite worries about injury, they matched pace with a companion runner, and thanks to the flat sections early on and the crowd support late in the race, they achieved their goal.

Read the original on Reddit · r/running

Kane Victoria runnersRan in 2025

“Our team tackled varied distances across the full marathon, half marathon and 10 km events, encouraging one another along the three routes, overcoming discomfort and celebrating every milestone.”

The Kane Victoria runners took part in several events at the 2025 Melbourne Marathon Festival and cheered each other on. After finishing, the team and their families shared a meal and talked about the experience.

Read the original on Kane Constructions

RedditRan in 2024 · Finish time 1:56:56

“I just wanted to finish - not in an ambulance because I didn’t listen to my body.”

They entered their first half marathon while still recovering from illness and asthma symptoms. Despite congested roads and an aid station location different from what they expected, they finished within 2 hours.

Read the original on Reddit

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

Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival · 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.

Lottery entry has closed

It ran May 5, 2026–May 12, 2026.
Check separately whether other entry routes are open and spots remain.

Registration history · The 2026 race opened entry on Tue, May 5, 2026

Lottery

Entry cost TBD

The initial and second-chance ballots for the 2026 marathon and half marathon have closed.

The 2027 schedule has not yet been announced.

Organizer's page

Charity

Entry cost TBD

You may enter through an official charity partner.

The minimum fundraising target is AUD 2,000;

check availability with the individual partner.

Organizer's page

Tour package

Entry cost TBD

Check official travel packages with Travelling Fit for Australian residents and Marathon Tours & Travel for international participants.

Confirm eligibility and availability with the operator.

Organizer's page

Official tour operators

Official tour operators listed by the race organizer. Check whether race entry is included and confirm the application requirements with the operator.

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 21.1km

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 09:45

The start time and cutoff follow the official announcement (checked Sep 26, 2026) — re-check on the official page before entering.

Event	Start	Time limit	Bib pickup
Nike Melbourne Half Marathon21.0975km	09:45	4h 15m	2026-10-10 16:00

START

Batman Avenue

start line · finish Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Melbourne Cricket Ground

MCG

Finish · Google Maps

Original course map · melbournemarathon.com.au

The start line is on Batman Avenue, 150 m north of the Rod Laver Arena.

The 2026 half marathon will use a new course that runs in the opposite direction from the previous course,

using the tram tracks and vehicle lanes extensively to secure running space.

The finish is at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and participants finish the race with a Lap of Honour around the stadium’s field.

This race will be held as part of the 2026 changes to the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival.

The event’s biggest changes in 20 years include a redesign of the course and spectator routes, and it will operate as a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday.

The half marathon has 10 pace groups, ranging from 1 hour 24 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, allowing runners with target times to choose an appropriate group.

A wave start will also be used to reduce congestion immediately after the start.

AIMS Certified: Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)
Typical race-season temperature: around 14°C (57°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Pacers

Finisher medal

Finisher certificate

Bag drop

To the start line,
step by step.

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

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

For Sunday's marathon and half marathon, collect your bib by Saturday 10 October.
Packet Pickup is unavailable on Sunday.
International participants must collect in person; visit between Thursday and Saturday as instructed.
A proxy collector needs the registration confirmation email and QR code.
2026-10-07 11:00–18:00; 10-08/09 08:00–18:00; 10-10 08:00–16:00; 10-11 07:30–15:00

Outside Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Concourse sections 2-3

Brunton Ave, Richmond VIC, Melbourne

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startMost convenient train stations: Richmond and Flinders Street
Transit cardJust tap your own contactless Visa/Mastercard or phone (Apple Pay/Google Pay) directly on the myki readers — as of mid-2026 this works across all Melbourne trains, trams, and buses, so you don't need to buy a myki card at all. Where to buy
Getting to the finishMost convenient train stations: Richmond, Flinders Street, and Jolimont

Source · checked Sep 26, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Most convenient train stations: Richmond and Flinders Street

Start Line: Batman Avenue. Runners advised to arrive at least 1 hour before their event start time; public transport strongly recommended due to limited parking and race-day traffic congestion.

Public transport is recommended because of road closures. Yarra Park Gate 5 parking is limited and costs AUD 20 by card; check current services before travel.

Melbourne Airport SkyBus goes to Southern Cross Station, not directly to the race start.

Map

Getting to the finish

Most convenient train stations: Richmond, Flinders Street, and Jolimont

Finish inside Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Free spectator entry 07:30–14:00 via Gates 3, 4 and 5. Agree on a meeting point in Yarra Park.

Map

Start shuttle

No dedicated shuttle bus. Guidance is to use PTV (Public Transport Victoria) journey planner.

Two official rideshare/drop-off ('Drop and Go') points: Wellington Parade (corner of Wellington Parade & Wellington Parade South) and Olympic Boulevard (out front of Rod Laver Arena, best for Sunday participants heading to the Start Line).

Transit card

myki (still usable, but no longer necessary for tourists)

7-Eleven stores, premium myki retailers, and myki machines at stations, if you still want a physical card Works directly at the gates

Victoria's tap-and-go contactless rollout completed across trains (mid-June 2026), trams (June 21, 2026), and buses (by July 26, 2026), so the whole network now accepts foreign bank cards and phones directly. Fares are automatically calculated and capped daily, same as myki.

Where to buy

Source · checked Sep 26, 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 starts at 9:45 am on October 11.

The start is on Batman Avenue, 150 m north of Rod Laver Arena, so calculate the travel time to this location first when choosing accommodation.

The finish is at the MCG, so it is also best to arrange a separate meeting point there with anyone accompanying you.

The minimum age for the half marathon Marathon is 16 on race day.

Entry fee costs 190 Australian dollars for Australian residents and 250 Australian dollars for international participants,

and includes bib, safety pins, a finisher finisher medal and a finisher certificate.

The runners’ expo operates during race week, so check the Packet Pickup schedule before the start.

If you want to watch the marathon finish first, you can watch from beside course or from the MCG stands before half marathon starts.

If you have a target time, choose a group between 1 hour 24 minutes and 2 hours 30 minutes from the pace group signs in your start corral.

Times are local to Melbourne. 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.

Melbourne: Peninsula Hot Springs Early Entry and Scenic Tour

A$200

View on GetYourGuide

Melbourne 3-Hour Gourmet Discovery Walking Tour

A$148

View on GetYourGuide

Werribee Mansion and Sovereign Hill Day Tour from Melbourne

A$170

Melbourne Half Marathon

About Melbourne Half 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