Istanbul Marathon: date, two-continent course and entry price

Plan your race pace

The Istanbul Marathon is the only marathon in the world that links two continents: it starts on the Asian side of the city, beside the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, crosses the Bosphorus and finishes in Sultanahmet Square, in Europe. It is held every year in early November and holds a World Athletics Gold Label.

Date and start time

The 48th edition was held on Sunday 1 November 2026, with the marathon starting at 9:00. The date of the 2027 edition has not yet been announced; we will update this page as soon as the organisers publish it.

Course

The start is on the Asian side, beside the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, which runners cross into Europe in the opening kilometres. The finish is in Sultanahmet Square, in the historic centre. The final stretch climbs towards the old city: in 2026 both the men’s and women’s races were decided on that last hill.

As well as the marathon, the programme includes a shorter race and a non-competitive fun run.

Registration and price

For international runners, entry in 2026 cost between 60 and 120 euros, depending on the registration period: the earlier, the cheaper. Registration is on the official Istanbul Marathon website.

Participation and records

In 2026 there were 45,000 entrants from 143 countries across all events, and a record 8,427 in the marathon. The race is organised by Spor Istanbul, part of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

The men’s course record is 2:08:45, set by Philimon Kipchumba in 2026, improving on Daniel Kibet’s 2:09:44 (2019). Read the full report of that edition: Kipchumba breaks the Istanbul Marathon course record.

2026 winners

• Men: Philimon Kipchumba (Kenya), 2:08:45.
• Women: Kasanesh Baze (Ethiopia), 2:24:41.