Hungary
Budapest Marathon 2027
Sunday 10 October 2027 · expected date
352 days to go
Key facts
- Race day
- Sunday 10 October 2027
- Expected date
- Start
- 09:00
- local time
- Course
- Mostly flat · Loop
- Pázmány Péter Promenade, by the ELTE Lágymányos campus (Buda) to Pázmány Péter Promenade, by the ELTE Lágymányos campus (Buda)
- First held
- 1984
The organisers haven’t announced the 2027 date yet. It follows the usual pattern (a Sunday in mid-October); check the official website before you book travel.
The race
About the Budapest Marathon
The Budapest Marathon has been held since 1984 and, with SPAR as title sponsor since 2009, is the centrepiece of a weekend running festival that the organisers say drew around 100,000 people over two days in 2025. The marathon itself starts at 09:00 on the Sunday, from the Buda side of the Danube.
The appeal is the city: the route follows both banks of the river, crosses its bridges and runs through the UNESCO-listed riverside, with the Parliament and Buda Castle in view. It suits runners who want a scenic autumn marathon on a largely flat course rather than a pure record attempt.
Course
The Budapest Marathon course
The start and finish are on the Pázmány Péter Promenade by the ELTE Lágymányos campus, on the Buda bank south of the centre. From there the course follows the Danube embankments on both sides of the river, crossing several of the city's bridges, including the Chain Bridge, with the Parliament and Buda Castle in view.
The route also includes a stretch on Margaret Island, which is closed to traffic. The course is largely flat; the ramps onto the bridges and the wind along the open quays are where you will feel it most, so save some energy for the riverside kilometres late in the race.
Race-day weather
Mid-October mornings in Budapest are usually cool and often dry, around 8–14°C, with wind along the Danube the main variable.
Train
Training for the Budapest Marathon 2027
50 weeks to go. A marathon plan runs 12 to 24 weeks and ends on race week. Here is when each one starts.
| Plan | Starts on |
|---|---|
| 24 weeks | Monday 26 April 2027 |
| 20 weeks | Monday 24 May 2027 |
| 16 weeks | Monday 21 June 2027 |
| 12 weeks | Monday 19 July 2027 |
For this course
Your build-up for Budapest runs through summer, so do key sessions early in the day and expect race morning to be much cooler. The course is largely flat but has bridge ramps and exposed riverside sections, so add short hill strides once a week and practise holding effort in the wind. Long runs along a river or another open route are a good rehearsal for the quays.
See the marathon pace chart or a sample sub-4 plan.
Print a pace band for the Budapest Marathon, with the race clock at every kilometre.
Entry
How to get a place
Entry is by online registration on the official website. Registration for 2026 has closed, and the 2025 edition set a participation record, so sign up early for future years.
Every marathon lottery date for 2027 → Which marathons have no lottery? →Organised by Budapest Sportiroda
Official websiteQuestions
Frequently asked
When is the Budapest Marathon 2027?
The Budapest Marathon 2027 is expected on Sunday 10 October 2027: the race is usually held on a Sunday in mid-October. Check the official website before you book travel.
When should I start training for the Budapest Marathon?
Count back from race day: a 16-week plan for the 2027 edition starts on 21 June 2027, a 20-week plan on 24 May 2027. Most runners need 16 to 20 weeks; 12 is the shortest block worth doing.
Is the Budapest Marathon flat?
Largely, yes. Most of the course follows the Danube embankments, and the main rises are the short ramps onto the bridges.
Where does the Budapest Marathon start?
On the Pázmány Péter Promenade by the ELTE Lágymányos campus, on the Buda side of the Danube. The finish is in the same area.
More marathons nearby
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