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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONCH / RACE GUIDE

Sierre-Zinal

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Sierre
CH

Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0Anthospace · wikimedia (CC BY-SA)Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0Johann Conus · wikimedia (CC BY-SA)

Race date in 300 days: Aug 7, 2027 Sat
City · Distance: Sierre · 31km
Entry fee: CHF 110From the 2026 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Aug 7, 2027 · Soon

2026

2026Date Aug 8, 2026 · Entry Apr 2, 2026 ~ Apr 2, 2026

Official website ↗

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Oct 11, 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.

This mountain race covers 31km from Sierre in Switzerland's Valais region to the mountain village of Zinal.

You run with views of five peaks over 4,000m, including Weisshorn and the Matterhorn,

which is why it is known as the "Race of the Five 4000s." The 2027 edition will take place on 7 August (Saturday).

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 runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 2

Chris ZRan in 2023 · Finish time 4:40

“Allow yourself a bit of freedom.”

I took part in the 50th edition in the Coureurs category and finished in 4 hours 40 minutes 27 seconds. It was slower than I had hoped, but I reflected on my mindset and how to manage pain.

Read the original on Das Z Letter

Matt FlahertyRan in 2017 · Finish time 2:48

“A race like this must be experienced.”

Running Sierre-Zinal for the first time, they broke the race into three parts—the climb, the high-altitude stretch and the descent—to review their pace. They finished in 2 hours 48 minutes 40 seconds and said they definitely want to come back.

Read the original on Run the Alps

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.

SIERRE-ZINAL 2026 - FULL RACE IN ENGLISH - GTWS

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES

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

Entry cost CHF 110

Touristes, Coureurs and Juniors are selected by lottery.

For the 2026 edition, online applications were accepted from 12:00 to 18:00 on 2 April, and the results were announced the following day.

The schedule for the 2027 edition has not yet been announced.

Touristes: age 10 or over;

Coureurs: age 18 or over (expected to finish within 4 hours 30 minutes);

no medical certificate required

Organizer's page

Transfer

Entry cost CHF 25

Winners may transfer bib to another person by application during the designated period (2 May to 21 July for the 2026 edition).

25 Swiss francs per transfer

Organizer's page

By invitation

Entry cost TBD

Elite athletes compete by invitation from the race organisers.

The women's race starts at 10:30, and the men's race at 11:00.

Invitation from the race organisers

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 31km

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

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 04:45

Time limit17:30

Zinal finish cut-off: 17:30 (2026 edition)

Event	Start	Time limit	Entry fee	Field size
Sierre-Zinal Coureurs31km	11:00	Zinal 17:30	CHF 110	2,100
Sierre-Zinal Touristes31km	04:45	Zinal 17:30	CHF 110	4,000
Chandolin-Zinal Juniors20km	10:15	—	—	250

START

Finges start line

600m from the registration area between the TCS roundabout and the A9 roundabout, east of Sierre

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Zinal village

Val d'Anniviers

Cutoff
Touristes: Chandolin 10:40 · Tignousa 12:00 · Hôtel Weisshorn 13:30 / Coureurs: Chandolin 14:10 · Tignousa 14:40 · Hôtel Weisshorn 15:20 / Zinal 17:30

Runners start · local time — Touristes 04:45–06:15 in blocks · Elite women 10:30 · Men and Coureurs 11:00–11:20 · Juniors (Chandolin) 10:15 (2026 edition)

Sierre-Zinal is one of Switzerland's leading mountain races and was first held in 1974.

The 31km course starts at Finges, east of Sierre in the Rhône Valley, and finishes in Zinal at the end of the Val d'Anniviers valley.

Course Along the route, you get successive views of Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn,

Ober Gabelhorn, the Matterhorn and Dent Blanche, giving the race its name,

"Race of the Five 4000s." The course has three distinct sections: a long climb to Chandolin,

a high-altitude section linking Tignousa and Hôtel Weisshorn, and the descent into Zinal.

There are two entry categories.

Runners expecting to take more than 4 hours 30 minutes enter as Touristes.

They start in blocks from 4:45 am, and their times are recorded but no rankings are published.

Runners aiming to finish within 4 hours 30 minutes enter as Coureurs.

They start at around 11:00 am and are ranked.

The elite women's race starts at 10:30 am and the men's race at 11:00 am.

The race is also part of the Golden Trail World Series.

Course The course records are held by Kílian Jornet in the men's race (2024, 2 hours 25 minutes 34 seconds) and Maude Mathys in the women's race (2019, 2 hours 49 minutes 20 seconds).

Juniors aged 10–17 run 20km from Chandolin to Zinal.

Field size: Touristes: 4,000 · Coureurs: 2,100 · Juniors: 250 · Children: 500
Aid stations: 6 aid stations
Series: Golden Trail World Series
First held: 1974

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Start shuttle 2026

Bag drop 2026

Aid stations 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Free public transit 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.

From the 2026 edition

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startSierre
Getting to the finishZinal, téléphérique (bus stop)

Source · checked Oct 7, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Sierre/Siders (SBB) — free shuttle from the Restaurant Le Bourgeois bus stop

The start line is at Finges, east of Sierre. Free shuttles run every 10 minutes from the bus stop in front of Restaurant Le Bourgeois in Sierre to the reception zone between the TCS and A9 roundabouts (Touristes 03:30–05:45, Coureurs 09:30–10:45); from there a marked 600 m walk leads to the line.

A special train from Geneva arrives in Sierre at 04:10 on race morning (2026 edition). Point-to-point course from Sierre in the Rhône valley up to Zinal at the head of Val d'Anniviers.

Several car parks in Sierre and Val d'Anniviers plus a van/camper area; regular PostBus (CarPostal) and Sierre-Anniviers buses serve the valley.

Map

Getting to the finish

Zinal, téléphérique (bus stop)

Special buses run from the Zinal cable-car stop back to Sierre about every 10 minutes from 12:00 to 19:45 — free for participants, CHF 12 for others (2026 edition).

Map

Source · checked Oct 7, 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.

Entries are allocated by lottery.

For the 2026 edition, online applications were open for 6 hours only, from 12:00 to 18:00 on 2 April, and the results were emailed the following day.

If you were selected, you had to pay Entry fee by 10 April.

The application schedule for the 2027 edition has not yet been announced.

The 2026 Entry fee was 110 Swiss francs for adults, excluding fees.

It is best to collect bib in advance at Sierre Town Hall on Friday between 13:30 and 19:30.

Collection is also available from 03:00 to 06:00 on Saturday, but the venue is 4km from the start area.

The start area is between the TCS roundabout and the A9 roundabout.

From there, follow the marked route for 600m to start line.

You should arrive at least 45 minutes before your start.

Free shuttles leave every 10 minutes from the stop in front of Restaurant Le Bourgeois in central Sierre (Touristes 03:30–05:45, Coureurs 09:30–10:45).

On race-day morning, a special train from Geneva arrives in Sierre at 04:10.

Bags checked at start line will be transported to the finish in Zinal.

Time limit cut-offs are Chandolin 10:40, Tignousa 12:00 and Hôtel Weisshorn 13:30 for Touristes,

and Chandolin 14:10, Tignousa 14:40 and Hôtel Weisshorn 15:20 for Coureurs.

Everyone must reach Zinal by 17:30. Poles and headphones are not permitted.

After the race, special buses run from the Zinal cable-car stop to Sierre from 12:00 to 19:45 at approximately 10-minute intervals.

They are free for participants.

Times are local to Sierre. 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.

Hôtel De La Poste Sierre

Hotel · 1.8km

8.3/10(557)

View on Booking.com

QC Terme Torino Spa

CHF 66

Sierre-Zinal

About Sierre-Zinal — 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

Sierre-Zinal runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

See it on video,feel it through their stories.

SIERRE-ZINAL 2026 - FULL RACE IN ENGLISH - GTWS

How to enter Sierre-Zinal — registration routes

How to reach the start line —start with what fits you.

Lottery

Transfer

By invitation

Sierre-Zinal course map and elevation

Your 31km

Finges start line

Zinal village

Participant benefits

Start shuttle 2026

Bag drop 2026

Aid stations 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Free public transit 2026

Where and when to collect your Sierre-Zinal race bib

To the start line,step by step.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Getting to the finish

From race morning to after the finish.

The race is one day,the trip can be longer.

Hôtel De La Poste Sierre

QC Terme Torino Spa

Food Tasting Experience in Bern

Bern Heiliggeist Church Half-Day Private Self-Guided Tour

Mirador Alpine Horizon -Crans Montana- Swiss Alps

Lausanne: Self-Guided Boat Trip to Evian

Bern Nobile Cioccolateria Half-Day Guided Chocolate Tour

Hotels near the Sierre-Zinal start line in

Hotels that make race morning easy

Hôtel De La Poste Sierre

Mirador Alpine Horizon -Crans Montana- Swiss Alps

Sunny Lily facing the swiss Alps - Crans Montana

Ô Bercail Gîte de basse montagne 7' de vercorin

Le Gite de Briey - à 7 minutes de Vercorin

SWISSPEAK Resorts by Pierre & Vacances Premium Vercorin

Tiny house Les Nomades

Time for you, before and after the finish

QC Terme Torino Spa

Lausanne: Self-Guided Boat Trip to Evian

Lucerne Travel Pass, 2nd Class: Unlimited Travel by Train, Bus & Boat

Swiss Travel Pass: Unlimited Train, Bus and Boat Travel (3–15 Days)

Lausanne–Évian Ferry Ticket

Paris–Geneva SNCF Train Ticket

Annecy｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Annecy–Haute-Savoie Airport

Zurich Airport & City: Scenic Transfer with Stops for Lake Photos

Gruyères Winter Tour from Lausanne: Chocolate Factory & Cheese Museum

Olympic Museum Ticket in Lausanne

Olympic Museum Admission Ticket, Lausanne

Lucerne History Museum & Spreuer Bridge Half-Day Tour

SBB Train Ticket from Zurich to Lucerne

Geneva City Pass

Turin Venaria Palace Half-Day Private Guided Tour

Mount Pilatus Paragliding Experience from Lucerne

Multi-Day Mountain Tour of Lucerne and the Swiss Alps

Lucerne Paragliding Experience

Lucerne Half-Day Private Electric Bike Tour

Haute-Savoie: Rafting Experience with Aperitif Included

Geneva Half-Day E-Bike Tour & Wine Tasting

Full-Day Ski Tour to Chamonix from Geneva

Lucerne Tandem Paragliding Flight

Geneva to Chamonix Mont-Blanc (Aiguille du Midi & Paragliding)

Geneva History-Themed Self-Guided Treasure Hunt

7-Day Swiss Mountains & Villages Exploration from Zurich

Mount Rigi & Lucerne Multi-Day Tour

Zurich Self-Guided Treasure Hunt

Discover Bern: City Highlights & Old Town Walking Tour

Scavenger Hunt and Walking Trip in Bern

Bern Half Day Walking Tour

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

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

To the start line,
step by step.

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

With runners who dream of
the same start line.