Course Map
Route based on 2025 course — may differ slightly from this year.
About this Race
The Shanghai Marathon is China's flagship road race, a flat and fast course that starts on the historic Bund waterfront with its colonial-era skyline and the futuristic towers of Pudong glittering across the river. The route runs through the city's modern boulevards and parks on smooth, wide roads built for steady rhythm, with only minor undulations to interrupt the pace. Staged in late autumn, it offers cool, generally favorable conditions and has grown into one of Asia's largest and most sought-after lottery entries. Crowds are enthusiastic if less continuous than the Western majors, and the flat profile keeps the focus squarely on splits. It suits runners chasing a quick time in a fast-rising global city with an iconic riverside start.
Course Insight
Shanghai is a flat, fast, big-city course that opens near the historic Bund waterfront and runs broad urban boulevards built for rhythm rather than drama. With little terrain to enforce discipline, the challenge is self-regulation, and the temptation on the wide, smooth straights is to drift faster than planned. Late-autumn timing usually brings cool, runnable conditions, though the open riverside stretches can carry a breeze. There are few standout obstacles, which is exactly the point: this is a metronome's course, won by even pacing and lost by anyone who reads the flatness as licence to push early.
Difficulty Breakdown
Mostly due to very flat.
Course Details
- Course type
- Point-To-Point
- Elevation gain
- 75m
- Elevation loss
- 85m
- Highest point
- 15m
- Lowest point
- 4m
- Net drop
- -10m
- Start
- The Bund
- Cutoff time
- 6h 30m
Course Records
Race History
The Shanghai Marathon was first held in 1996 and has grown into China's flagship road race, starting from the historic Bund waterfront. Over the years it expanded enormously in both size and stature, earning elite World Athletics recognition and becoming one of Asia's most coveted lottery entries. It is currently in the candidacy process to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors, potentially as soon as 2027 should it pass its assessments. Run each late autumn, it now draws tens of thousands of runners through the rapidly modernizing city.
Plan Your Trip
Everything you need to know to get there, get settled, and get to the start line.
- Nearest airport(s)
- Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA)
- Best area to stay
- The Bund in Huangpu for staying near the iconic start with grand hotels, the former French Concession for boutique charm, and Jing'an for modern hotels with great transport.
- Getting to the start
- The start is near the Bund and People's Square; take the Metro to People's Square or Nanjing East Road and walk to the start zone.