The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 11 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (start and finish ~1.5km apart) |
| Registration | Open online entry; 2026 sold out |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Start | Montgomerylaan, 09:30 and 09:45 in two waves |
| Finish | Vestdijk, in the centre |
| Total finishers | Not confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | Not confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | Atletiekunie (national register) |
History
The Eindhoven Marathon is run by Golazo Athletics and is one of the larger Dutch road races. The organiser gives 1982 as its starting year and counted the 2025 race as the 41st edition. Edition numbers and calendar years do not line up, so the page does not work out a chronology from them.
The race has been fast. In 2009 Geoffrey Mutai won in 2:07:01, improving his own course record. The organiser’s current record board lists Kenneth Kipkemoi at 2:04:52 for men, set in 2023, and Paskalia Chepkogei at 2:22:47 for women, set in 2022. Some databases show the men’s time as 2:04:51; the page uses the organiser’s figure.
The weekend has grown into a festival. The organiser reports 27,000 participants in 2023 and 38,500 in 2025, counting walkers, young athletes and runners of every distance. Those are weekend figures, so the marathon field itself is much smaller.
The course
The marathon starts on Veldmaarschalk Montgomerylaan, north of Eindhoven Centraal, and runs a long clockwise circuit of the city before finishing on Vestdijk, about 1.5 km from the start. Kilometres 0 to 10 follow residential avenues through Woensel, north then west to Hondsruglaan and Huizingalaan, and the course turns west through Strijp on Estafettelaan and Anthony Fokkerweg to its westernmost point at Welschappad, 6.3 km from the start, at about km 18.
It comes back east on Welschapsedijk and Elburglaan, passes the Evoluon area at km 24, and runs south on Noord Brabantlaan, Meerenakkerweg and Kasteellaan through Gestel. The High Tech Campus fills km 32 to 35. The return is north on Genneperweg, Boutenslaan and Elzentlaan through Stratum, and the finish is on Vestdijk in the centre. The course does not pass the Philips Stadion, which stands 1 km from the nearest point.
This is an outer-city circuit and not a tour of the historic centre. The ground is flat: the profile spans 11 m, from 15 m at km 26.5 to 26 m on the campus, and no kilometre changes by more than 5 m. No total ascent is published. Some runners describe the middle sections as industrial.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 10: north of the station. The race starts on Montgomerylaan and runs north on Generaal Pattonlaan at km 1, Winston Churchilllaan at km 2 and Sterrenlaan and Kosmoslaan at km 3 to 4. Airbornelaan at km 5, Bisschop Bekkerslaan at km 6, Rode Kruislaan at km 7 and Hondsruglaan at km 8 lead to Huizingalaan at km 9 to 10. These are residential and ring-road streets. Water stations are at km 5 and 10, with extra water and sponges at 7.5.
Km 10 to 20: west across Strijp. The course passes Oude Bossche Baan at km 11 and Estafettelaan at km 12, then Anthony Fokkerweg at km 13 to 14, Achtseweg Noord at km 15, Oirschotsedijk at km 17 and the Welschappad at km 18 to 19, the westernmost part of the day. This is the industrial and open stretch, and a headwind can make it feel slow. Water stations are at 15 and 20 km and bananas at 12.5 km.
Km 20 to 31: back across the city. Vensedijk at km 20, Welschapsedijk at km 21 to 22 and Elburglaan at km 23 lead to the Evoluon area at km 24. The course runs south on Noord Brabantlaan at km 25 to 26, Meerenakkerweg at km 27, Dillenburgstraat at km 28 and Kasteellaan at km 29, then Roffart and Locatellistraat at km 30 to 31. Aid points are at 25 and 27.5 km, and a second banana point is at 30 km.
Km 31 to 42.195: the High Tech Campus and home. The High Tech Campus fills km 32 to 35, a large site with restricted access and few spectators. Professor Holstlaan at km 36, Genneperweg at km 37 and Sint Claralaan at km 38 lead north through Gestel to Boutenslaan at km 39 and Helmerslaan at km 40. The closing streets are Elzentlaan in Stratum at km 41 and Vestdijk at km 42. The finish is on Vestdijk and not on Stratumseind, which some older reports mention.
Run the blue line where one is painted; the shortest legal line saves a measurable distance over 42.195 km. Gun time is the official result, and the chip time is also given.
Residential avenues in Woensel from Montgomerylaan. Water at km 5 and 10, so the opening is easy to control.
Wider roads and open ground to Welschappad, 6.3 km out. Wind is the main variable.
The Evoluon area at km 24, then south through Gestel. Water at 25 and 27.5 km, bananas at 30.
The High Tech Campus at km 32 to 35 is quiet and open. Then north through Stratum to the finish on Vestdijk.
Course Map
North through Woensel, west across Strijp, south past the Evoluon and the High Tech Campus, and home through Stratum to Vestdijk. Tap a marker for the start, the finish, the 2026 race office and the station, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
The Dutch Pacing Team provides three pacers per target, with flags showing the time. Targets of 3:00, 3:15 and 3:30 run in wave 1 at 09:30, and 3:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45 and 5:00 run in wave 2 at 09:45. Availability can change if a pacer is injured. Use your bib and dashboard for your own pen.
The marathon starts in two waves, at 09:30 and 09:45. Your wave comes from the finish time on your bib and dashboard, and you cannot choose either. Plan around your wave and not the obsolete 10:00 times still on the entry page.
The marathon starts on Montgomerylaan and finishes on Vestdijk, about 1.5 km apart. The race office and lockers are at the TU campus, a third location. Plan your return before you start.
October in the Netherlands is cool and changeable. The waves start at 09:30 and 09:45, so the pens are less cold than at dawn, but the western ring and the High Tech Campus stretch are open to wind. Start-hour temperatures are not published, so use the forecast.
Ordinary bags and backpacks are not allowed in the start pen, though hydration packs are accepted, so wear any extra layer you are happy to discard. No clothing-donation point has been confirmed. A cap helps in rain, and road shoes suit the course. Check the forecast the week before and again the evening before.
Entry
Entry is online and sells out. The 2026 marathon opened on 5 March at noon and sold out. Prices rose in three tiers: €95 for the first 1,000 entries, €105 for entries 1,001 to 2,000 and €115 after that. A shirt is optional at €27. Lockers and postage within the Netherlands are separate options.
Entries can be transferred through the entrant dashboard, with a €5 administration fee for the marathon. After 1 September the printed name on a bib cannot be changed, and a posted bib goes to the original address. Cancellation cover was offered until 1 September. Deferral rules are not published. No 2027 registration date has been published.
Fast runners can request an invitation with a verified result achieved after 1 October 2024: men under 2:25:00 and women under 2:53:00. The request must reach the organiser at least six weeks before race day. Places are limited and meeting the standard does not guarantee approval. This is an invitation process and not an age-graded system.
Charity places through KWF are described inconsistently on the entry page, and the stated fundraising deadline has passed. A charity route is not confirmed for the next edition. No ballot or tour operator is published.
Fast runner standards
Men under 2:25:00 and women under 2:53:00, achieved after 1 October 2024, can request an invitation at least six weeks before race day. It is an organiser request process: places are limited and approval is not guaranteed.
Official Eindhoven Marathon site →Race Weekend
Race office
The race office is at TU Eindhoven. The 2026 hours are Friday 9 October from 16:00 to 20:00, Saturday 10 October from 11:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 11 October from 07:30 to 17:00. Runners from abroad collect their bib in person, because paid postage is for the Netherlands only. The organiser’s locker information names MetaForum on the campus, but the exact building and entrance should be confirmed in your entry email or the current site map.
Collect on Friday or Saturday, and leave race morning for transport and toilets. Bring your confirmation and identification as a precaution. There is no large expo. The runners’ guide on the organiser’s site is the 2025 version and does not give the 2026 hours.
Getting to the start
Plan around your wave, 09:30 or 09:45. Pens open at 09:00, and your pen comes from the estimated finish time on your bib and dashboard. The FAQ prints pen-closing times five minutes after the wave starts, which looks like a labelling error, so do not treat it as permission to arrive late.
Getting there. Eindhoven Centraal is a walk from the start, and the organiser recommends public transport because streets are closed from Friday to Sunday. Use the organiser’s access map to choose pedestrian crossings, especially while the quarter marathon is running. Do not plan for a taxi to the start barrier.
Lockers. Secured lockers are on the TU campus: medium €6.50 and large €7.50, with limited stock. The finish is on Vestdijk and not beside the lockers, so allow a separate trip after the race. Toilets are at the start and finish and at the main refreshment points.
Nutrition on course
The organiser’s 2026 pages list water and AA Drink Iso Lemon with toilets at every 5 km, extra water and sponges at the 2.5 km points between them, and Chiquita bananas at 12.5 and 30 km. No course gels are promised, so carry tested gels. A Reddit complaint about missing sports drink concerned the half marathon and does not apply here. Cup volume, drink concentration, personal bottle service and medical posts are not published.
| Km | Provision |
|---|---|
| 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 | Water, AA Drink Iso Lemon, toilets |
| 7.5, 12.5, 17.5, 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, 37.5 | Extra water and sponges |
| 12.5 and 30 | Chiquita banana |
| Finish | Water, AA Drink, TREK bar, Lindahls Protein Milk |
Spectating
The start on Montgomerylaan and the finish on Vestdijk are about 1.5 km apart, so a supporter can see both with a short walk. The organiser’s map marks pedestrian crossings, and buses may be disrupted during the weekend. The High Tech Campus section, km 32 to 35, has restricted access, so it suits a supporter only with prepared transport. The plans below are proposals.
- Watch the start on Montgomerylaan, then walk to Vestdijk through an authorised crossing
- Wait at the finish
- Suits supporters with limited mobility
- After the start, move toward the Boutenslaan and Elzentlaan area at km 39 to 41
- Return to Vestdijk only if a permitted crossing and the runner’s pace allow
- Choose one viewing point on the High Tech Campus stretch, km 32 to 35
- Prepare transport back to town; this may miss the finish for a fast runner
Post-race food
The finish on Vestdijk is next to two hotel restaurants. Restaurant and Bar Vestdijk47 at the Pullman, at Vestdijk 47, advertises a marathon pasta party in its package. VANE, at the NH Collection at Vestdijk 5, is a panorama restaurant and a fine-dining option and not a plain-pasta menu. Piet Hein Eek’s café and restaurant in the former Philips ceramics workshops suits a later design visit.
Sunday kitchen hours, dishes and capacity are not confirmed. Reserve in advance, choose food you can tolerate, and allow time to collect your belongings.
Where to Stay
The start is north of Eindhoven Centraal and the finish is on Vestdijk, so choose which end matters more. A room by the station eases the start and the TU campus collection trip. A room on Vestdijk shortens the last walk.
Vestdijk and the centre
Finish convenience, restaurants and two large hotels, the Pullman and the NH Collection, both within 250 m of the finish. Expect race noise and closures.
Station and Montgomerylaan
Easy arrival and start approach, with a short walk to the start pens. The Holiday Inn is 0.8 km from the start.
Mathildelaan
Between the station and the stadium, with an organiser-listed package at the WestCord. The old start prose for this street no longer applies: the start is on Montgomerylaan.
TU campus side
Useful for bib collection and lockers, but no verified hotel shortlist is on the campus.
Strijp-S
A design-led area for a longer stay, 2.8 km west of the finish, with a longer journey on race morning.
Compare the full cost of a two-night stay, including breakfast and transport. Ask for a quiet room away from event streets, and ask about early breakfast and luggage storage. Staying on Sunday night avoids combining the finish with a same-day connection.
Recommended hotels
The organiser’s athletes’ hotel at Vestdijk 47, with a published 2026 half-board offer per person in a double room. City tax is extra, and late checkout is not automatic.
A central hotel at Vestdijk 5 near the finish, with the VANE restaurant. Check early breakfast and runner rates.
An organiser-listed package with a pasta buffet and breakfast, between the station and the stadium. The start is on Montgomerylaan and not this street.
A start-area hotel at Montgomerylaan 1, about a four-minute walk from the station according to IHG. Allow for the walk back after the race.
A boutique hotel in the design district. Allow time for the transfer on race morning.
Booking timeline
The 2026 race sold out, so secure an entry as soon as registration opens, and then book a flexible room. The organiser lists packages at the Pullman and the WestCord, but a package is not a guarantee of stock. No 2027 date has been published, so keep accommodation refundable until it is.
Dutch Design Week begins on 17 October 2026, six days after the race, so staying on can change prices across the second weekend. The two events are not on the same weekend. Record the cancellation deadline, early breakfast, city tax and baggage policy before paying.
See & Do
The finish is on Vestdijk in the centre, with the Van Abbemuseum and the Kazerne a short walk south and the Philips-era design district 2.8 km west.
Van Abbemuseum
A contemporary art museum in the centre. A short visit with seating suits the day after. Check opening days and whether it is closed on Mondays.
Kazerne
Design exhibitions in a former barracks, open year-round according to tourism sources. Check hours and step-free access.
Piet Hein Eek showroom and café
Furniture and design in the former Philips ceramics workshops at Strijp-S, with a café. A good rest stop.
Philips heritage
The city grew around Philips, and the Evoluon sits at km 24 of the course. Check opening times before a visit.
After the Race
October is cool and often wet, and Dutch Design Week follows the race by six days. Den Bosch, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam are all reachable by direct or one-change trains from Eindhoven Centraal.
A walled town with a cathedral, Bosch’s painted world and canal boats, close and flat.
A canal city with a sunken waterfront, a flat centre and a direct route toward Schiphol.
A modern port city of architecture and design, with level walking and a direct train to Schiphol.
Canal-side museums with lifts, a seated cruise and a short rail link to the airport.