The Warsaw Marathon ranks among the fastest marathon courses in Europe. The route is predominantly flat, with a total elevation gain of just around 84 meters, placing it alongside many of the world’s most renowned marathons in terms of a highly favorable course profile.
In practice, this means long, smooth stretches perfect for locking in your pace, very few demanding inclines, and optimal conditions for maintaining a steady rhythm from start to finish.
The course has been meticulously designed to enable a smooth, fast race, creating the perfect environment for both first-time marathoners and seasoned runners chasing their personal bests.
With city traffic completely shut down, participants get to experience Warsaw from a thrilling, entirely new perspective. There will be plenty of sights to take in.
Check out the highlights below. It’s a rare opportunity to race through and admire the heart of the capital!
Course profile
Start & Finish
113 meters a.s.l.
Total elevation gain
83 m
On the course:
- Krakowskie Przedmieście – Warsaw’s historic Royal Route
- Nowy Świat
- Poniatowski Bridge with a panorama of Warsaw
- PGE Narodowy – national stadium
- National Museum
- Palm (don’t ask, you’ll see)
- Presidental Palace
Route Description & Analysis
Both the start and finish lines are located in the very heart of the city. Right from the first few meters, you will feel the electric atmosphere of a massive sporting festival that takes over the streets of the capital once a year.
Our Marathon perfectly blends the unparalleled vibe of a grand urban celebration with an elevation profile built for competing, crushing personal bests, and achieving your athletic goals.
The route weaves through Warsaw’s most recognizable districts. Runners will sweep through the prestigious avenues of Śródmieście (Downtown), pass the historic streets of the Old Town and the Royal Route, cross the Vistula River, run by the PGE Narodowy Stadium, visit the vibrant Praga, Żoliborz, and Bielany districts, before heading back to the center. Every segment reveals a different face of the city – from historic architecture to sleek, modern skyscrapers, lush green stretches, and wide urban arteries.
The Warsaw Marathon is one of the few races where you can take in so many of the capital’s iconic landmarks in a single day – without ever stopping!
The start and finish lines, dramatically positioned at the foot of the Palace of Culture and Science, serve as an undeniable symbol of the race’s magnitude. On September 27th, a record-breaking number of marathoners will set off from Świętokrzyska Street onto the 42.195 km course.
The initial kilometers allow you to ease into your pace smoothly – the beginning of the route is either flat or slightly downhill. The start is at an elevation of 113 meters above sea level, dropping gently to about 85 meters. This is the perfect window to find your rhythm, calm your nerves, and avoid getting too carried away by the adrenaline of the start.
The following segments guide you through long, consistent stretches, perfectly suited for locking into your target pace and executing your race strategy.
The biggest challenge awaits around the 16th kilometer, featuring the most demanding section: a short, roughly 500-meter uphill climb. This is the only significant accent in the course’s elevation profile. The rest of the marathon consists mainly of gentle rolling changes, long runnable stretches, and the pure freedom to focus on your rhythm and personal goal.
At the 38th kilometer, the route takes you over a viaduct, bringing an elevation increase from 98 to 105 meters above sea level. This is followed by a descent from 105 down to 102 meters. Then comes another gentle incline (between kilometers 38.9 and 39.5) rising from 102 to 106 meters. Both of these inclines are significantly milder than the classic marathon hills known from many other European courses.
From the 40th to the 41st kilometer, expect a gradual ascent – from 106 to 111 meters. The final stretch is beautifully flat, with the finish line sitting at 113 meters above sea level.
The route of the 48th Warsaw Marathon has been crafted to give runners the ultimate platform for a strong race – whether your goal is a marathon debut, pushing your own limits, or hunting down a new personal best.
