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Tartu City Marathon race photo

Tartu City Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Tartu City Marathon race photo
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Tartu
EE
Boreaallane · CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Race date Oct expected
October 2027
City · Distance
Tartu · 42km · 21km · 10km
Entry fee
€95From the 2025 edition
2027Date October 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Oct 3, 2026 · Entry ~ Oct 2, 2026 · Entry fee €55 · Start 09:30
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 6, 2026
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Boreaallane · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tartu City Marathon race photo
Wikimedia Commons · Sillerkiil, CC BY-SA 4.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Tartu City Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

Nearly 4,000 people participate in the three main events, with over 200 overseas runners from 20 or more countries.

The full marathon race records are 2:28:09 for men (Laibu Ala) and 2:56:05 for women (Mari Boykova).

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.

#TartuCityMarathon#Tartu#Overseas Marathon#October Marathon#Full marathon Marathon

Tartu City Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

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

Race reports: 2
CrissiRan in 2024
“The run was hard, but I enjoyed running through Tartu in the fall.”

With fitness depleted after a cold, Krissi entered the Tartu City Marathon 10km. Picking up speed over the final 2km and drawing energy from live music at course helped Krissi achieve a sub-50-minute finish.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Kuigi joosta oli raske, siis samas oli see ka tore sügiseses Tartu linnas.

Read the original on Crissi blogi
mslaputaRan in 2022 · Finish time 2:16:58
“I felt great most of the run.”

Five days before the race, the writer switched from the 10K to half marathon and entered the 2022 Tartu City Marathon 21K as their first race. Fatigue set in from 18–19 km, but they finished without walking in 2:16:58.

Read the original on Reddit r/running

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.

Full recap

TartuMaratoniKlassik · Full recap

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 Tartu City Marathon — 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 2025 edition

First come, first served · Marathon

Entry cost €55

Full marathon (42km) general entry, with tiered pricing based on the registration date

Early registration (through 9/7) 55 euros, regular (9/8-28) 65 euros, late registration (9/29-10/2) 95 euros, on-site registration (10/3) 105 euros

Organizer's page

First come, first served · Half

Entry cost €40

Half marathon (21km) general entry, with tiered pricing based on the registration date

Early registration (through 9/7) 40 euros, regular (9/8-28) 50 euros, late registration (9/29-10/2) 65 euros, on-site registration (10/3) 75 euros

Organizer's page

First come, first served · 10K

Entry cost €30

10km general registration. Entry fees vary by registration date.

Early registration (through 9/7): 30 euros;

regular registration (9/8-28): 40 euros;

late registration (9/29-10/2): 55 euros;

race-day registration (10/3): 65 euros.

Organizer's page

Youth and senior discount

Entry cost TBD

A 30% discount off the regular price is available to entrants under 18 or receiving a pension.

Available through 10/2;

the discount does not apply to on-site registration (10/3).

Organizer's page
About group discount · Team Ranking Entry · Virtual Entry · Marathon · Virtual Entry · Half · Virtual Entry · 10K

group discount

Entry cost TBD

A 10% discount on Entry fee is available for groups registering 10 or more runners at the same time.

Group registration for 10 or more runners is required;

the discount does not apply to on-site registration (10/3).

Organizer's page

Team Ranking Entry

Entry cost TBD

Enter a team name during individual registration to compete in the team rankings;

no separate Entry fee

At least 5 runners per team;

the times of the top 5 runners are combined.

The top 3 teams receive free entries for the following season: 7 for first place, 5 for second, and 3 for third.

Organizer's page

Virtual Entry · Marathon

Entry cost €55

Full marathon (42km) virtual entry, allowing runners to run wherever and whenever they choose;

no rankings

Participation period: 9/25~10/11.

The distance may be completed in segments of at least 4.2km;

registration closes 10/11.

Organizer's page

Virtual Entry · Half

Entry cost €40

Half marathon(21km) Virtual entry. Run at any place and time. No rankings.

Event period: 9/25–10/11. Registration closes 10/11.

Organizer's page

Virtual Entry · 10K

Entry cost €30

10km virtual entry. Run at any place and time. No rankings.

Event period: 9/25–10/11. Registration closes 10/11.

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Tartu City Marathon course map and elevation

The 42km I'll run

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

From the 2025 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 09:30
Time limit2026 Tartu City Marathon official limits: 42 km in 7 hours
Show more

2026 Tartu City Marathon official limits: 42 km in 7 hours, 21 km in 3 hours and 30 minutes, 10 km in 2 hours.

EventStartEntry fee
Tartu Linnamaraton 42 km42km09:30€55
Tartu Linnamaraton poolmaraton 21 km21km11:00€40
Tartu Linnamaraton 10 km10km14:00€30
START

Vabaduse Street, Tartu (start) · Raekoja plats/Town Hall Square

finish

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

Raekoja plats (City Hall Square), Tartu

Finish · Google Maps

Cut-off
2026 Tartu City Marathon official cut-off point: 42km Karlova 4.7km 10:20, Annelinna 7.1km 10:45, Rõõmu tee 12.3km 11:35, Ihaste 17.4km 12:25, Lammi 22.3km 13:15, Annelinna 28.3km 14:15, Lodjakoja 32.2km 2:50 p.m., Supilinna 35.1km 3:20 p.m., Laululava 38.2km 3:50 p.m., Toomemäe 40.4km 4:15 p.m., Độtị 4:30 p.m.; 21km finish 14:30, 10km finish 16:00.

Original course map · tartumaraton.ee
Show more

Runners start · local time — 42km 09:30 · 21km 11:00 · 10km 14:00

Course starts on Vabaduse Avenue and crosses the city centre along the Emajõgi riverfront.

Full marathon (42.195km, approximately 287m of elevation gain) is designed as a single loop with no overlapping sections,

passing through the Ropka industrial district and the former harbour railway site before continuing through the Karlova neighbourhood.

It then crosses the Sõpruse Bridge and includes a loop around the large Annelinn housing estate and the outskirts of Ihaste,

followed by the riverfront route across the Rahu and Kroonuaia bridges and through the Tartu University sports park area.

The course then climbs Rõõmu Street into the Tähtvere Hill area.

In Tähtvere, runners pass Tartu University's historic landmarks, including the cathedral ruins, Angel's Bridge, the Gunpowder Cellar and the observatory.

The final section follows Vallikraavi Street through the city park and finishes on the red carpet finish in Raekoja Square (Town Hall Square).

Half marathon (elevation 151m) and the 10km race (elevation 63m) also start and finish in the same square,

passing through the Old Town, including the historic wooden-house district of Supilinn and St John's Church.

AIMS Certified
Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Timing chip 2026

Finisher certificate 2026

Finisher medal 2026

Bag drop 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Where and when to collect your Tartu City Marathon 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 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Date discrepancy confirmed between official site pages
The exact time for 2026 is not confirmed (2025 schedule remains on the old page)

Race Centre, Town Hall Square

Raekoja plats

Google Maps
Stations & transport near the venue

Buy an Ühiskaart (public transport smartcard) for a few euros at an R-Kiosk or the bus station and load it with cash/card before you ride — that's the reliable way for a foreign visitor, since tap-your-own-bank-card support is not confirmed for physical cards yet.

Getting to the start

City centre - Vabaduse Avenue (Vabaduse puiestee)

All three distances start on Vabaduse Avenue in central Tartu.

Start gates open 15 min before each wave: Marathon 09:30, Half Marathon 11:00, 10km & Nordic Walking 14:00.

Bib pickup at race office on Town Hall Square (Oct 2: 12:00-21:45;

Oct 3: 07:30-16:30).

Getting to the finish

Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats)

Finish on Town Hall Square in Tartu's historic centre, walking distance from Vabaduse Avenue start.

More details

Official 2026 road-closure/bus-route page had no published content -- typically published a few days before race day.

No dedicated runner/spectator shuttle indicated;

in a prior edition (2023) organizer recommended arriving on foot/bicycle (free supervised bike parking on Poe Street) since start/finish both in compact city centre.

IC card

Ühiskaart (Public Transport Card)

R-Kiosk stores, shopping centres, and other retailers (full list at tartu.pilet.ee), Tartu Bus Station, or Selver stores

Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

More details

Tartu is not on the same city-card system as Tallinn, but Ühiskaart cards are broadly interchangeable across most Estonian cities/counties.

iPhone users can pay via Apple Pay Express Mode (tap a phone/watch with a bank card loaded into Apple Wallet) even with a dead battery — this is confirmed.

Direct tap of a physical foreign contactless bank card on the validator is not confirmed as supported.

Card costs around €2-3 to purchase.

Source · checked Aug 20, 2026Source · 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 Tartu City Marathon is held every year in early October, centered around Town Hall Square.

Registration for Packet Pickup begins during the day the day before the competition, and a separate 4km night run is held on Friday evening.

On the day of the race, the race center opens at 7:30 a.m.

Full marathon starts at 9:30 a.m., half marathon starts at 11 a.m., and 10km starts at 2 p.m.,

and time limit lasts 7 hours, 3 hours 30 minutes, and 2 hours, respectively.

Course is a single loop that passes through downtown Tartu, sections are marked with signs,

and the road is only partially closed, with some sections shared with vehicles.

For water supply, there are 7 aid station and 3 beverage supply stations for full marathon, 3 aid station and 3 beverage supply stations for half marathon,

and 2 aid station for 10km.

Course Bicycles are prohibited, and walking poles cannot be used in the 10km event.

Times are local to Tartu. 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.

La Dolce Vita
La Dolce Vita
Tartu Town Hall Square
Tartu Town Hall Square

Hotels near the Tartu City Marathon start line in

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

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

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Loft Style Studio Apartment- Free Parking- Free Gym- Keyless Access

Accommodation · 1.1km

9.6/10(147)
View on Booking.com

Modern apartment with self-check-in in central Tartu

Accommodation · 843m

9.2/10(32)
View on Booking.com

Golden Residence in Tartu Center by EasyRentals

Accommodation · 1.1km

8.8/10(159)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

11 experiences

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

Tartu 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

Tartu Airport Pickup (GetTransfer)

Verified article matching, preliminary quote comparison reservation (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Reservation after price confirmation

View on GetTransfer

Tartu Airport–city private taxi

Fixed rate advance reservation, pickup at the door, check price and reserve

View on Kiwitaxi

Tartu 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

Where runners eat in Tartu

Eating well is part of the trip

7 places

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

La Dolce Vita

Restaurant · Tartu 566m

★4.6(3279)
Map

Vapiano Tartu

Restaurant · Tartu 153m

★4.3(2360)
Map

Sirius Aardla

Fast Food Restaurant · Tartu 2.6km

★4.6(2067)
Map

Vilde Ja Vine

Restaurant · Tartu 350m

★4.6(943)
Map

Gunpowder Cellar of Tartu

Restaurant · Tartu 597m

★4.4(3899)
Map

Pompei

Restaurant · Tartu 506m

★4.6(517)
Map

Kolm Tilli

Restaurant · Tartu 1.1km

★4.5(2143)
Map

What to see in Tartu after the race

Seeing Tartu with the medal on

7 places

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

Sculpture "The Kissing Students" sculpture and fountain

Sculpture · Tartu 461m

★4.8(374)
Map

Backward House (Peapeal OÜ)

Museum · Tartu 1.9km

★4.6(3931)
Map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Tartu.

Total cost and budget for Tartu City Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about Tartu City Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Tartu runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Tartu City Marathon

FAQ
When does Tartu City Marathon 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in October 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, October 3, 2026.

How much is the Tartu City Marathon 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about €55.

How do I register for Tartu City Marathon 2027?

Entry routes: General entry.

Registration is handled on the official website.

(From the 2025 edition)

What is the time limit for Tartu City Marathon 2027?

2026 Tartu City Marathon official limits: 42 km in 7 hours, 21 km in 3 hours and 30 minutes, 10 km in 2 hours.

(From the 2025 edition)

What distances does Tartu City Marathon 2027 offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K. (From the 2025 edition)

Where does Tartu City Marathon 2027 start?

Vabaduse Street, Tartu (start) · Raekoja plats/Town Hall Square.

(From the 2025 edition)

Where does Tartu City Marathon 2027 finish?

Raekoja plats (City Hall Square), Tartu. (From the 2025 edition)

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