EuropePoland

Warsaw Marathon

48th edition

A flat, fast autumn tour of the rebuilt Polish capital across the Vistula.

Good for PB Good for Debut
2.6/10 Difficulty
105m Elevation Gain
1979 Founded

Course Map

Elevation Profile
km
mi

Route based on 2025 course — may differ slightly from this year.

About this Race

The PZU Warsaw Marathon is the Polish capital's flagship road race, a flat, fast course that runs through the rebuilt old town, past communist-era monuments, and across the Vistula River. The smooth, gently profiled roads make it a reasonable personal-best target, with only minor undulations to interrupt the rhythm. Held in autumn, it offers cool conditions well suited to hard racing and a growing international field. Crowds are warm and the route blends the city's layered history into the miles. It suits runners who want a fast, affordable Central European city marathon with a strong sense of place.

city flat urban stadium-finish

Course Insight

Warsaw is a flat, largely even autumn city marathon, smooth and rhythm-friendly with little terrain to slow a well-drilled pace. The flatness means the discipline to hold back early is entirely your own. Cool autumn air suits fast running. Open urban stretches can carry a breeze worth sheltering from. Pace it as a steady time trial and the level profile pays out in the closing kilometres.

Pro tip: Hold an even target pace on the flat, smooth course and shelter from any breeze on the open urban stretches.

Difficulty Breakdown

2.6/10

A fast, runner-friendly course.

Elevation
2.3
Hill Placement
4.2
Weather
2.0
Turns
1.8

How we calculate difficulty →

Course Details

Course type
Loop
Elevation gain
105m
Elevation loss
105m
Highest point
115m
Lowest point
82m
Net drop
0m
Start
Świętokrzyska Street
Cutoff time
6h 0m

Course Records

Men
2:08:17
John Kibet
Kenya — 2011
Women
2:28:35
Demissie Ayantu
Ethiopia — 2022

Race History

The PZU Warsaw Marathon was first held in 1979 and has grown into one of Poland's flagship road races, touring the rebuilt old town and monuments of the capital across the Vistula. Its flat, fast course made it a popular autumn destination for personal bests. From its early editions it expanded into a major Central European marathon. Held each autumn, it now draws a large field through the heart of Warsaw.

Plan Your Trip

Everything you need to know to get there, get settled, and get to the start line.

Nearest airport(s)
Warsaw Chopin (WAW), Warsaw Modlin (WMI)
Best area to stay
Śródmieście and the Old Town for central hotels near the route, the city centre for modern high-rise stays, and Praga for hip, affordable digs across the river.
Getting to the start
The start is by the National Stadium (PGE Narodowy); take the Metro (M2) to Stadion Narodowy and walk to the start.

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