TCS London Marathon 2027

Saturday, 24 April 2027 and Sunday, 25 April 2027 · London, United Kingdom

In the RunningChecked 1 October 2026Read the sources

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Which day you run

The elite races are split. The men's elite and wheelchair races, with male Championship and Good for Age runners, are on the Saturday. The women's are on the Sunday. The mass races on both days are mixed.

Saturday has a harder limit, because the roads have to reopen. The Mall finish closes at 17:30, giving runners a maximum of 7 hours 45 minutes. If you think you'll need longer, you're asked not to pay for a Saturday place. On Sunday the secondary finish line in Green Park stays open until 23:59:59, and if you fall behind eight-hour pace your bib may be scanned by hand.

If you can't take your day, the deferral deadline is 23:59:59 on Friday 23 April for Saturday and 23:59:59 on Saturday 24 April for Sunday.

Getting to London 2026 details

For Heathrow, Transport for London says the Elizabeth line takes 28 minutes to Paddington and goes on to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street. The Heathrow Express is faster, at 15 minutes to Paddington. Eurostar arrives at St Pancras.

On race morning in 2026, runners travelled free to the start. Your bib covered Southeastern trains, the DLR, the Elizabeth line, the Tube, the Overground and buses, with no tapping in or out. Free travel home ran until 20:00 on everything except Southeastern. The 2027 arrangements aren't announced.

Your bib colour tells you where to go. In 2026 blue and green numbers went to Blackheath station, pink to Maze Hill, red to Greenwich and yellow to Blackheath. From Blackheath and Maze Hill it was a 10-minute walk to the assembly area, and from Greenwich 20. Southeastern ran trains to Blackheath and Greenwich from 6:50 from Cannon Street, and the DLR started at 5:30 from Tower Gateway. Your wave time comes by email about three weeks before the race.

Your family can't come into the start area unless they're running, so it's best if they don't travel with you.

Where to stay in London

The start is in south-east London and the finish at The Mall, so you can base yourself on either side. In central London you take a train out to Blackheath, Greenwich or Maze Hill early. Staying in Greenwich or Blackheath means a walk of 10 to 20 minutes to the start, but a ride home in the evening when everyone's tired.

Work back from your arrival time and the first train. The Saturday finish line also closes earlier than the Sunday one, so a slower Saturday runner has less slack.

Collecting your number 2026 details

You collect your event pack at the TCS London Marathon Running Show at ExCeL London. It's open from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 April 2027, and the hours aren't published. The show is open on Saturday while the first day's race is under way. Saturday runners should check their collection deadline in the participant guide; it hasn't been published yet.

In 2026 you needed your QR code and a photo ID, and the deadline was 17:30 on the Saturday before the race. Someone else can collect for you with a copy of your ID, your written consent and their own ID. Nothing is posted, and nothing is handed out on race day.

Race morning 2026 details

You're emailed your assembly area, start wave and arrival time about three weeks before. You can't move to an earlier wave, but you can start in a later one without telling anyone. If you predict a finish over seven hours, you start on the Pink start.

In 2026 the waves went between about 9:30 and 11:30, with short gaps between them, and the start lines closed at 11:30. On the Saturday the first start is likely at 9:00.

The bag lorries are at the start, and you collect your kitbag from the same numbered lorry at the finish. Use the official kitbag with your bib sticker, and don't put a phone or any valuables in it. There was no bag drop at the green assembly area in 2026, but Team Green runners could leave a small bag at the finish the day before.

Toilets were at the start, at every mile from 1 to 24 and at the finish. Clothes you don't want to run in go into collection points near the start lines and are donated.

The course 2026 details

The route is the same on both days, from Greenwich and Blackheath past the Cutty Sark and over Tower Bridge, through Canary Wharf and on to The Mall. The climb is 246 feet, about 75 m, on terrain described as fast and flat.

There was Buxton water every three miles from mile 3 to 12 and every two miles to 24 in 2026. Lucozade Sport was at miles 7, 15, 21 and 23, and Lucozade gels at 13 and 19. Water refill stations were at miles 5, 10, 14, 17 and 20, so bring a bottle you can fill. The same drinks stations may not repeat in 2027.

Where to watch 2026 details

Weather in London in April

A race at Blackheath in late April can be 7 °C at 9:00 and 19 °C by 13:00. These are the last five race days at 9:00 and at 13:00. The first of the five was in October, so it doesn't tell you much about April.

At Blackheath, the wind was 25 km/h in 2024 and just 1 km/h a year later.

Afterwards 2026 details

The 2026 finish area had a Meet and Greet area up to 30 minutes' walk from the line, with lettered meeting points at Whitehall and Horse Guards. Pick a letter before the race. Westminster station was exit only. The week also has the Mini London Marathon for school groups on Friday 23 April, and a 5K planned for the same evening.

Other race weekends

TCS London Marathon is part of the European Marathon Classics. The series' other races with a guide here are Frankfurt Marathon, Rome Marathon, Vienna City Marathon, Madrid Marathon, Copenhagen Marathon, Warsaw Marathon and Lisbon Marathon.

TCS London Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The series' other races with a guide here are TCS New York City Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, TCS Sydney Marathon, Berlin Marathon and Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Close by, and with guides of their own, are Brighton Marathon, Manchester Marathon and Paris Marathon.

The next races with a guide

Haspa Marathon Hamburg25 April 2027 · Hamburg, Germany Madrid Marathon25 April 2027 · Madrid, Spain Belfast City Marathon2 May 2027 · Belfast, United Kingdom

All race weekend guides

Sources

Written from the organiser's published information and the app's own race data, checked on 1 October 2026.

If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us.