PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONCN / RACE GUIDE

Ningbo International Marathon

Name: Ningbo International Marathon
Uploaded: 2019-11-01
Description: The Ningbo Marathon, also known as Yongma, is held every March in Ningbo, in China's Zhejiang Province. It's organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau and the Ningbo Municipal People's Govern

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Ningbo
CN

Siyuwj · CC BY-SA 3.0HU ZEGU (Nbfreeh), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsDXR (Daniel Vorndran), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Race date Mar expected: March 2027
City · Distance: Ningbo · 42.195km
Entry fee: CN¥150From the 2026 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date March 2027 · expected · Soon

2026Date Mar 15, 2026 · Entry fee CN¥150 · Start 07:00

Official website ↗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.

The Ningbo Marathon, also known as Yongma, is held every March in Ningbo, in China's Zhejiang Province.

It's organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau and the Ningbo Municipal People's Government and carries an A1 technical certification from the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA).

Formerly called the Ningbo International Marathon, it is now officially the Ningbo Marathon.

The race offers a full marathon and a half marathon;

for the 2026 edition, the most recent confirmed,

the full marathon had 12,000 spots and the half marathon had 15,000, and more than 150,000 people applied, with runners selected by lottery.

The course starts at Yangguang Square in central Sanjiangkou and runs through Haishu, Jiangdong, and the Gaoxin District to the Dongqian Lake Scenic Area.

⚠️ As of the August 2026 check,

the exact date of the next edition (2027) had not been officially announced—the date shown on this page is a system estimate, not a confirmed date.

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.

#NingboInternationalMarathon#Ningbo#Overseas Marathon#March 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.

2 race reports

baby-黄小蓓Ran in 2025

“I finished the first half of the year perfectly. I didn't set a PB today, but I can proudly say that I am stronger!”

At the 2025 Ningbo Marathon, the writer faced heat ranging from 17°C at the start to 27°C at the finish, along with numerous hills. It wasn't a personal best, but after finishing, they felt stronger.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

我的上半年完美收官了，即使今天没有pb，我也可以大声说，我变强了！

Read the original on 新浪新闻

大TimFinish time 3:24

“In the end, I cut more than 20 minutes off my time and finally got back into the 3-hour-24-minute range.”

DaTim held steady through the first 30km of the Ningbo Marathon, then shortened his stride and slowed in heat that felt close to 30°C. After cooling himself with water in the final 5km, he picked up speed and finished in the 3-hour-24-minute range, cutting more than 20 minutes from his previous full marathon and regaining his confidence.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

最后进步了20多分钟，终于又跑回到了 324 的成绩。

Read the original on 新浪新闻 · 大Tim

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

Insight Ningbo · 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

Lottery

For the 2026 edition, applications exceeded the capacity of 12,000 for the full marathon and 15,000 for half marathon, with more than 150,000 applicants.

The process had four stages: pre-registration → lottery → payment by selected runners → supplementary lottery

General entry

Age requirements: full marathon 20 years or older, half marathon 16 years or older

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.

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00

Event	Gather
Marathon42.195km	Check-in closes 40 minutes before the start

Full marathon CNY 180 per person · half marathon CNY 150 per person
Lottery first, payment afterward — no payment is required during pre-registration; selected runners pay after the draw. 2027 fees have not been announced

START

Yangguang Square, Haishu District, Ningbo

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Full marathon: Ningbo International Conference Center (near Dongqian Lake) · half marathon: Ningbo International Conference and Exhibition Center, Ningbo

Finish · Google Maps

Original course map · imgbdb4.bendibao.com

Runners start · local time — (for the 2026 edition — the 2027 edition has not been announced)

Full marathon starts at Yangguang Square, follows central arterial roads including Zhongshan East Road, Zhongshan West Road and Changchun Road,

then continues along Jiangdong Road, Haiyan Road and Yin County Avenue to Dongqian Lake Avenue and the Dongqian Lake scenic area.

After a turnaround point on Yuquan South Road, runners follow the lakeside greenway to the finish at Ningbo International Conference Center.

The half marathon finishes at Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Course takes in the city's historic district, modern landmarks such as Tianyi Square, and the Dongqian Lake scenic area.

World Athletics Label: Label Label

Participant benefits

Completed finisher medal

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

Pick up your bib at the expo

A valid photo ID is required
Starting 3 days before the race, based on the 2026 edition (the 2027 edition has not been announced)

Hall 8, Ningbo International Conference and Exhibition Center

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

Set up Alipay (or WeChat Pay) with a foreign Visa/Mastercard, add the 'Ningbo Metro Ride Code' inside the app, and scan the QR code at metro gates and bus scanners.

Getting to the start

Metro Line 1, Dongmenkou Station Exit A; or Line 2, Gulou Station Exits H/J, or Chenghuangmiao Station Exit D

PER PRIOR EDITION (2026-03-15 race;

DB is 2027-03-14, not yet confirmed): start is Sunshine Square on Zhongshan East Road.

Getting to the finish

Half marathon: Exhibition Center Metro Station, Line 5. Full marathon: Dongqianhu Metro Station, via free shuttle

Half marathon finishes at Ningbo International Convention & Exhibition Center -- exit east gate, walk to Exhibition Center metro (Line 5).

Full marathon finishes at Ningbo International Conference Center.

More details

Sources are for the 2026 edition, not yet confirmed for 2027 -- re-verify closer to the date.

In 2026, the road by the Convention Center was closed to all traffic/pedestrians from 19:00 the night before through 06:00 two days later.

More details

Free shuttle bus from the full-marathon finish (Ningbo International Conference Center) to Dongqianhu metro station.

IC card

甬城通 (Yongchengtong / 'Yong City Pass')

Bus terminal waiting-room counters and Citizen Card (市民卡) service points across the city

Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

More details

Ningbo metro/bus accept Ningbo Metro app codes, WeChat ride codes, Alipay ride codes, and UnionPay QuickPass ride codes — all QR-based.

The realistic path for a foreign runner is Alipay: bind your foreign card, search 'Ningbo Metro Ride Code' (宁波地铁乘车码), and scan to ride.

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.

Bib·BIB pickup (expo) took place at Hall 8 of the Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Center from three days before the 2026 race (afternoon only on the first day, and morning through evening on the following two days).

A valid ID was required.

Check-in must be completed by 40 minutes before the start.

Timing mats are installed every 5 km along the entire course, and medical aid stations are located from mark at 2.5 km.

Because road closures are extensive on race day, taking the metro is recommended over driving.

Times are local to Ningbo. 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 easyHotels to rest in right after the finish

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

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

Near the startNear the finish

The start and finish are 15km apart.

Hotel Indigo Ningbo Riverside, An Ihg Hotel

Hotel · 829m

9.5/10(30)

View on Booking.com

Moxy Ningbo Old Bund

Hotel · 1.1km

9.0/10(53)

View on Booking.com

Shangri-La Ningbo

Hotel · 763m

8.8/10(244)

View on Booking.com

Ningbo Marriott Hotel

Hotel · 793m

8.8/10(72)

View on Booking.com

The Westin Ningbo

Hotel · 750m

8.8/10(67)

View on Booking.com

Holiday Inn Express Ningbo City Center, An Ihg Hotel

Hotel · 773m

8.7/10(267)

View on Booking.com

Sheraton Ningbo Hotel

Hotel · 1.5km

8.2/10(89)

View on Booking.com

Ningbo International Conference Center Wonderland Hotel

Accommodation · 152m

9.2/10(12)

View on Booking.com

Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort & Spa

Resort · 762m

8.1/10(15)

View on Booking.com

Hilton Ningbo Dongqian Lake

Resort · 3.1km

7.3/10(13)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

48 experiences

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

RECOVERY & SPA2SIT-DOWN TOURS7CARB LOADING7LOCAL TRANSIT7FAMILY PASS6TRAIL & OUTDOOR7CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING5

Yunlan Bay Hot Spring

CN¥84

Ningbo International Marathon

About Ningbo International 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