The Race
| Next Race Date | Saturday 24 April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop: two laps, start and finish at Bryggen |
| Registration | Open online entry, NOK 800 to 1,000 by date, plus a Norwegian athletics licence |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Bryggen, 08:00 on the 2024 timetable |
| Finish | Bryggen |
| Total finishers | Not published |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours, with Bryggen halfway by 10:45 |
| Free race-day transport | Not published |
| Course certification | Organiser states AIMS membership; certificate not published |
History
The Bergen City Marathon is run by TIF Viking and started in 2012. The organiser's participation series, which covers every distance, lists 1,700 entrants in 2012, 12,329 in 2019, no race in 2020 and 11,600 in 2023, while the AIMS website gives 600 runners for 2012, so the two sources disagree. The 2026 guide calls 2026 the 14th edition, which makes 2027 the 15th; the 2027 welcome page is reported to call it the 16th.
The organiser's record list names Tage Morken Augustsson with 2:24:50 in 2025 and Live Tjemsland with 2:45:21 in 2026 for the marathon. Nationalities and the record criteria were not verified. The marathon is the full-distance race in a festival that also holds a half marathon, a 5 km, a children's run, a ten-leg relay and a wheelchair race, which was reported at 25,000 participants in 2026. That is not a marathon figure.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes at Bryggen and is a half-marathon circuit of about 21 km, run twice. Each lap runs north along Sjøgaten and Sandviksveien on the Sandviken shore at km 1 to 3, turns near Munkebotn at about km 3.3 and climbs onto Fjellveien, the hillside road above the city, at km 5 to 8. It descends through Nordbøveien and Ulriksdal at km 9 and 10, passes Haraldsplass at km 10 and loops through Kronstad at km 11 to 13, then returns by Seiersbjerget, Nonnestien and Thormøhlens gate at km 14 to 16, Dokkeboder at km 17, Nordnesparken at km 19 and C. Sundts gate to Bryggen at km 21.1.
The first 1.9 km are flat. The course then climbs 107 m over 4.6 km, 2.3% on average, to the first high ground of 113 m on Fjellveien at km 6, with 3.9% in kilometre 4 and 2.6% in kilometre 5. It falls 111 m over 11.0 km to the harbour at km 17.5 and is flat at 5 to 11 m through Nordnes to the lap point. The second lap repeats it: 108 m of climbing over 4.6 km at km 23.0 to 27.6, the day's high point of 120 m at km 27.7, a 103 m descent over 9.7 km to km 38.6 and a level run in. The organiser has not published an ascent figure.
Marathon runners must pass Bryggen at the halfway mark by a set time, 10:45 on most sources and 10:30 on the 2026 guide. A runner who misses it is recorded as a half-marathon finisher. The total time limit is six hours. Aid points on the first lap are at about 3.5, 6.5, 10, 14 and 19 km and at the lap point, serving water, sports drink, bananas and dark chocolate, and a cinnamon bun waits at the finish.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 4: out of Bryggen. The marathon starts at Bryggen and the opening kilometres follow the harbour and the Sandviken shore on the flat, so everyone feels good. Hold back. The first aid point is at about 3.5 km at Sandviken Sykehus, and the climb starts soon after the turn near Munkebotn at about km 3.3, with 29 m in kilometre 3 and 39 m in kilometre 4.
Km 4 to 9: Fjellveien. The climb continues to 87 m at km 5 and 113 m at km 6, then the road runs along Fjellveien at 106 to 113 m to km 8, the viewpoint road above the city. The organiser lists an aid station on Fjellveien at about 6.5 km, labelled Hesten trenger hvile (the horse needs a rest). Run it by effort, because the same hill returns on the second lap.
Km 9 to 19: the descent and the south side. The course falls 111 m between km 6.5 and 17.5, with 24, 18, 27 and 25 m lost in kilometres 8 to 11, past Haraldsplass at km 10 (aid point at about 10 km) and through Kronstad. The AdO arena aid point is at about 14 km, near Store Lungegårdsvann, and the harbour stretch at km 14 to 18 is flat at 5 to 11 m, a chance to recover.
Km 19 to 21.2: Nordnes and the lap point. Nordnesparken has an aid point at about 19 km, then the route returns along C. Sundts gate to Bryggen at about km 21.1. Check the clock. The halfway cut-off is 10:45 on most sources and 10:30 on the 2026 guide, and a runner who passes after that is credited with a half-marathon finish and cannot start the second lap as a marathoner.
Km 21 to 42.2: the second lap. The second lap repeats the first. The 2026 guide warns that marathon runners share the circuit with later participants on the second lap, and asks everyone to give way to emergency vehicles. The Fjellveien climb returns at km 23 to 27.6, 108 m on tired legs, peaking at 120 m at km 27.7, and the aid points come round at about 24.7, 27.7, 31.2, 35.2 and 40.2 km. The last kilometres run flat back along the waterfront to Bryggen.
A flat harbour and shore opening to a turn near Munkebotn at about km 3.3. Hold back, because the climb starts immediately after it.
A 107 m climb at 2.3% to 113 m above the sea, then the viewpoint road above the city. Aid point at about 6.5 km.
A 111 m descent, then flat harbour running. Pass Bryggen before the halfway cut-off.
The same hills on tired legs, peaking at 120 m at km 27.7, with other distances on the course. The finish is at Bryggen.
Course Map
Two laps from Bryggen: out along the Sandviken shore, up onto Fjellveien, down through Haraldsplass to the south side and back past Nordnes. Tap a marker for details, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
Flag-bearing pacers run on the marathon course. The 2025 guide listed targets of 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30, and the 2027 allocation is unconfirmed. The guide explains that the hills affect pacing and that pacers may aim ahead of the nominal schedule, so do not chase a flag after an aid station.
| Start | Pacing targets (2025) | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 (2024 timetable) | 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 5:30 | By estimated finish time |
The marathon has a checkpoint at Bryggen at the end of the first lap. The web page and 2024 guide give 10:45 and the 2026 guide gives 10:30. On an 08:00 start that is 2 hours 45 minutes or 2 hours 30 minutes for a first lap that includes the Fjellveien climb. A runner who misses it is recorded as a half-marathon finisher. A six-hour finish target does not mean you can run a three-hour first half.
The marathon starts at 08:00 on a Saturday in late April on the 2024 timetable. No verified average temperature for that hour exists, so plan from the forecast in race week. Bergen is wet, and April can be cool at the start and mild by the second lap, so do not assume a dry day.
A light, wicking top with arm sleeves and a thin, packable shell is a sensible kit. No clothing-donation scheme was found, so leave unwanted clothes in your bag. The surface is road, with narrow streets in Nordnes, and road shoes with decent grip help on wet cobbles and painted lines. Bring dry clothes for the finish: only the official orange bag, collected with your number, is accepted at Vikinghallen, and the bib is needed to reclaim it. Storage ran from 07:15 to 15:00.
Entry
Entry is open and online through the organiser's registration link. There is no ballot, and the organiser places runners by estimated finish time, so check that your estimate and the halfway cut-off agree: a runner needing more than about 5 hours 30 minutes should read the cut-off rule closely before entering. The marathon price bands are NOK 800 before 30 September 2026, NOK 900 from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 and NOK 1,000 from 1 February to 24 April 2027. The first deadline has passed. A sterling conversion was not retrieved.
The organiser says no administration fee is added, but a Norwegian Athletics Federation licence costs extra and its price is not published, so ask before you calculate the total. Read the purchase terms: the organiser may keep 50% of the entry fee for expenses if it cancels the race before race day. Refunds, transfers and deferral for runners have not been published. The youngest listed marathon category is 18 to 19 years. No guaranteed charity place, good-for-age standard or official travel package was found. Headphone, buggy, wheelchair and assistance rules have not been published.
| Registration window | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| Before 30 September 2026 | NOK 800 |
| 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 | NOK 900 |
| 1 February to 24 April 2027 | NOK 1,000 |
Fast runner standards
There are no Good For Age or fast-runner standards for this race.
Register on the organiser's site →Race Weekend
Number collection
Number collection is at Vikinghallen, Øvre Dreggsallmenningen 7, 5003 Bergen, which is also where bags are stored. You need the bib number sent by email or SMS. The 2024 guide listed the Sports Fair at Vikinghallen on the Friday and Saturday from 09:00 to 20:00, and the live web page still shows weekday and date combinations from an older year, so the hours are not the 2027 hours. Collect on Friday if you can, since a late flight may make collection impossible, in which case ask the organiser what to do.
You receive the orange bag at collection. It is the only bag accepted on race morning, and you need your bib to reclaim it. The Sports Fair is a short errand, and a separate commercial expo is not documented. Proxy collection, required identification and race-day collection have not been published.
Getting to the start
The marathon started at 08:00 from Bryggen in the 2024 programme, and the 2027 welcome page says the schedule will follow. Corrals are by estimated finish time. Bags go to Vikinghallen in the official orange bag only, 07:15 to 15:00, and the latest published routine has showers and changing there, though the 2024 guide lists none. The halfway cut-off at Bryggen is 10:45 on the web page and the 2024 guide and 10:30 on the 2026 guide, and the total limit is six hours.
Staying at Bryggen makes the start and finish simple. From the railway station, allow a walk to the harbourfront of about 0.9 km in a straight line plus collection and queue time. Bergen Light Rail line 1 links the airport with Byparken, and Nonneseter serves the station; do not promise bus access through closed streets on race day. Pack dry clothes and your own gels. A cinnamon bun from Baker Brun is handed out at the finish with a medal.
The 2026 guide documents UltimateLIVE split tracking and an optional RaceConnect phone-based GPS app. A split time is not a continuous live position. The recovery meeting point and exit route have not been published.
Nutrition on course
The organiser lists six aid points on the first lap and says water, sports drink, bananas and dark chocolate are served at each. The finish has a cinnamon bun. The 2026 PDF refers to five stations and the web page to six, which may be explained by the lap point. The second-lap positions are the first-lap positions plus about 21.2 km, which gives about 24.7, 27.7, 31.2, 35.2 and 40.2 km, and are inferred and not published.
The Fjellveien station sits on the climb, so you pass it when you are working hardest. Gels, the sports-drink brand, personal bottles and ice have not been published. Carry your own gels and dispose of wrappers properly, as the 2026 guide asks.
| First-lap km | Location | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | Sandviken Sykehus | Water, sports drink, bananas, dark chocolate |
| 6.5 | Fjellveien, Hesten trenger hvile | As above |
| 10 | Haraldsplass Sykehus | As above |
| 14 | AdO-arena | As above |
| 19 | Nordnesparken | As above |
| 21.2 | Bryggen, lap point | As above |
Spectating
Bryggen is the spectator base. Runners pass it at the lap point and finish there, so a spectator can see the start, the halfway pass and the finish without moving. A runner on 4:30 pace reaches the lap point at about 2:12 and finishes at about 12:30 on an 08:00 start. The course passes Nordnesparken at about km 19 and again at about km 40, and tight tram-based multi-sighting plans are not asserted. Tracking, finish-area ticketing and crowd levels for 2027 have not been published.
- Stay at Bryggen for the start.
- Watch the lap point at about km 21.1.
- Wait at the finish.
- Watch the start at Bryggen.
- Walk to a permitted point in Nordnesparken, the aid point at about km 19 and again at about km 40, about 1.5 km west of Bryggen in a straight line.
- Return to Bryggen for the lap point and finish. Measure the walk and check the crossing rules.
- Use the area around Store Lungegårdsvann and the AdO arena, which runners pass at about km 14 and 35 and which is on the light rail line, only after checking which side of the road is open.
- Return to Bryggen by the light rail or on foot.
Post-race food
The first food is the cinnamon bun at the finish, with a banana and a drink. It is a snack and not a recovery meal. For a proper meal, book a table in your hotel or near Bryggen and tell the staff your likely arrival window. A slower runner should confirm kitchen hours and not assume lunch is still available.
Where to Stay
The start and finish are at Bryggen on the harbourfront, so the choice is how far you want to walk and how hilly the walk is.
Bryggen
The shortest walk to the start, the finish and the lap point, with the Bryggen hotels within about 0.2 km in a straight line. Ask about street-facing noise on Friday and Saturday nights.
Torget and the harbour centre
Close to meals and the race geography, about 0.3 km from Bryggen. Expect event activity around the harbour.
Station and Nonneseter
The light rail connects the airport with Byparken, and Nonneseter serves the railway station, about 0.9 km from Bryggen in a straight line. Good for rail and airport arrivals, with a walk to Bryggen.
Nordnes
A quieter-feeling base, but its streets are on the course and are hilly, which complicates access. A short distance on a map is not an easy walk after a marathon.
Florida and the south waterfront
Moxy Bergen is listed five minutes from the Florida light rail stop, about 2 km from Bryggen. It suits light-rail users and is further from race headquarters.
Saturday-night noise and 2027 rate premiums were not available.
Recommended hotels
A close fit for the start and finish. Older references call it Clarion Collection, so verify the booking name.
The tourist board confirms a walk to Bryggen. No race rate was verified.
A harbour-centre base. Check street and event noise for the room you are given.
A city-centre tourism listing. Rates and breakfast times were not verified.
Five minutes from the Florida light rail stop, according to the tourist board. Further from the start.
Booking timeline
There is no ballot. The organiser's price increase on 1 February 2027 is the one milestone that is documented. Enter once your travel dates and the halfway cut-off suit you. No hotel sell-out pattern or room premium was found. Book a cancellable central room once entry is settled, and compare the cancellation deadline, breakfast start, lift access and late checkout and not price alone.
For excursions, reserve the main transport first and leave flexibility for April weather. Fjord and mountain services may run reduced timetables in April, so check dates before you buy.
See & Do
Everything below is within a short walk or funicular ride of the finish. Distances are straight-line from Bryggen.
Bryggen
The wharf of old merchants' houses is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the race starts and finishes there. A short heritage walk fits a recovery day. Avoid a long standing tour.
Fløibanen funicular
A funicular that climbs Mount Fløyen, 320 metres above sea level, in about six minutes. It runs year-round, 07:30 to midnight on the October 2026 listing, and a return ticket cost NOK 145 for adults in winter 2026. Prices and hours change by season. There are restaurants, cafés, trails and a viewpoint at the top, and it is wheelchair accessible. Use the funicular after the race instead of walking up.
Gamle Bergen
The old-town museum area in Sandviken, near the Sandviksveien section the course runs at km 3 and again at km 24. The April opening schedule has not been published, so check before you go.
Mostraumen fjord cruise
A seated cruise of about 3.5 hours, with departures through the year according to the tourist board. Check the 2027 date and boarding access.
After the Race
April in western Norway is cool and often wet, which suits a seated fjord cruise or a rail day. The four itineraries run from a cruise on Mostraumen to three nights in Oslo by the Bergen Line. Journey times are left to check against the operators.
A mostly seated cruise from the harbour, with the hotel as your base and no luggage to move.
Bryggen, the funicular up Fløyen and an old-town museum, spread over one slow day.
The Bergen Line to Myrdal, then the Flåm railway down to a fjord village.
One long railway day across the mountains, then Oslo as an unhurried base.