The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 9 May 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop: start and finish about 1 km apart |
| Registration | Open online entry |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Start | Koninginnelaan, Leiden, 08:30 |
| Finish | Vismarkt, in the centre of Leiden |
| Total finishers | Not confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | Not confirmed |
| Cutoff time | To be Confirmed |
| Free race-day transport | To be Confirmed |
| Course certification | Atletiekunie (national), valid to 2030 |
History
The organiser calls the 2027 race the 36th edition. Its records page lists Edwin Kiptoo’s 2:12:42 from 2023 for men and Abigael Jepkemboi’s 2:31:39 from 2022 for women. The 2024 race was stopped by the municipality because of heat, so that year has no full results.
The course
The race starts on Koninginnelaan in the south of Leiden and finishes at the Vismarkt in the centre, about 1 km to the north. Between them it is a countryside loop of the polders around the city. It runs south through Zoeterwoude at km 4 to 6, east through Weipoort, Benthuizen and Hazerswoude at km 7 to 10, and north to Leiderdorp at km 12.
From there the line follows the Rhine dyke roads through Koudekerk aan den Rijn at km 13 to 18 and loops north through Hoogmade, Rijpwetering and Roelofarendsveen, reaching its furthest point, 11.1 km from the start, at about km 26. It returns through Rijpwetering, Oud Ade and Leiderdorp at km 29 to 38 and enters Leiden by the Herensingel, Maresingel and Morssingel at km 39 to 41 for the finish on the Aalmarkt and Vismarkt.
The ground is as flat as the Netherlands gets. The profile spans 13 m, from below sea level in the polders to 7 m in the old town, and no kilometre changes by more than 4 m. No ascent, surface description or official route map is published, and the 2027 route may differ.
Kilometre by kilometre
Start. The race starts at 08:30 on Koninginnelaan. Arrive early, because streets in the centre of Leiden are narrow and closures are likely.
Km 0 to 12: south and east through the polders. The line leaves the city on Lammenschansweg at km 1 and runs south on Vrouwenweg at km 3, with Zoeterwoude-Dorp at km 4 to 6. It turns east through Weipoort and Benthuizen at km 7 to 8 and Hazerswoude at km 9 to 10, then north on Hoge Rijndijk to Leiderdorp at km 11 to 12.
Km 12 to 26: the Rhine dyke and the Kaag polders. Hondsdijk and Dorpsstraat in Koudekerk aan den Rijn at km 13 to 15 are exposed dyke roads, with the Mattenkade at km 16 to 17. The line runs through Hoogmade at km 19 to 21 and Rijpwetering at km 22 to the furthest point at Roelofarendsveen, 11.1 km out, at km 26. Support will be thin on this stretch, and wind decides the pace.
Km 26 to 42.195: back to Leiden. The line returns through Nieuwe Wetering and Rijpwetering at km 28 to 31 and along the Leidseweg through Oud Ade at km 32 to 35, then Leiderdorp on Nieuweweg and Zijldijk at km 36 to 38. It enters Leiden by the Herensingel at km 39, the Maresingel at km 40 and the Morssingel at km 41. The finish is at the Vismarkt, close to cafés and the station.
Pacing. Pacers run from 3:00 to 5:00 in 15-minute steps.
Zoeterwoude, Benthuizen and Hazerswoude on polder roads, back to Leiderdorp at km 12. Flat, at -2 to 2 m.
Koudekerk, Hoogmade and Roelofarendsveen, 11.1 km from the start at km 26. Exposed and quiet.
Rijpwetering, Oud Ade and Leiderdorp along the Leidseweg and Zijldijk.
The Herensingel, Maresingel and Morssingel to the finish at the Vismarkt, with cafés and the station close.
Course Map
A loop of the Rijnland polders: south through Zoeterwoude, the Rhine dyke at Koudekerk, the furthest point at Roelofarendsveen and back along the Leidseweg into the old town. The 2027 route is not published. Tap a marker for the start, the finish, number collection, the bag drop and the station, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the line with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
The organiser’s pacer range is 3:00 to 5:00 in 15-minute steps: 3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45 and 5:00.
Race day is in May. The 08:30 start means cool conditions at the start and rising temperatures through the morning, and the 2024 race was stopped for heat, so plan for both. A removable layer is useful for the start, and a cap and sun cream belong in your bag.
Entry
Registration opened on 1 October 2026 and the marathon fee is €75. Fee steps, refund and deferral terms, a cap and transfer rules are not published. The 2026 cut-off was six hours, and the 2027 limit should be confirmed. There is no ballot.
Fast runner standards
No fast-runner or good-for-age standard is published.
Official Leiden Marathon site →Race Weekend
Number collection
Numbers are collected at the Tentendorp at Johnson & Johnson Park and Garenmarkt. On Saturday collection is open from 13:00 to 18:00, and on Sunday it opens from 07:00. Bag drop is on Doezastraat from 07:00 to 15:30.
Getting to the start
The race starts at 08:30. Bag drop opens at 07:00, and on Sunday collection opens at the same time, so arrive with enough margin to do either. Leiden Centraal is the main arrival point. Streets around the start and finish will be closed, so allow extra time.
Nutrition on course
No aid-station list or drink and gel detail is published. Bring your own fuel and check the organiser’s course page for the final provision.
Spectating
Start and finish are in different parts of the city, about 1 km apart, so supporters need a plan. The plans below are proposals only.
- Watch the start on Koninginnelaan
- Walk or take the bus to the Vismarkt for the finish
- Skip the start
- Wait at the Vismarkt, which is close to cafés and the station
- Pick a point on the route once the map is published
- Meet at the Vismarkt
Post-race food
Trattoria Italiana City Hall and Restaurant Verboden Toegang are the places to try. Hours and menus are not confirmed, so reserve and order something simple.
Where to Stay
The centre is compact. A hotel near the station or the canals is within about a kilometre of the finish at the Vismarkt. The start on Koninginnelaan is about 1 km south of the finish, so check how to reach it on race morning.
Station area
Convenient for trains to Schiphol and The Hague, about 1 km from the finish.
Canal centre
The best evening, and close to the finish, 0.7 km from the Vismarkt.
Koninginnelaan
Close to the start, with fewer evening options.
Check cancellation terms, breakfast times and luggage storage.
Recommended hotels
A central option close to the station. Check the walk to the start.
A smaller central hotel. Confirm breakfast time for an 08:30 start.
A central hotel. Check availability and lifts.
A chain hotel on the western edge of the city, a train or bus ride from the finish. Check the route to the start.
Booking timeline
Secure your entry, then book a cancellable room. No sell-out window or marathon premium is published. Leiden is close to the Dutch bulb fields, and May rooms can be busier than the race alone suggests.
See & Do
The finish is in the centre, and the sights below are all within 1.5 km of the Vismarkt.
Hortus Botanicus Leiden
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the Netherlands, with flat paths and benches. Check opening days.
Canal boat trip
A seated way to see the centre. Check the schedule.
Naturalis
A natural-history museum in a large modern building, with lifts and seating. Check Monday opening.
After the Race
Leiden sits between Amsterdam and The Hague, so short rail trips fill the days after the race. The bulb season is ending in early May.
Government city with a seafront at Scheveningen and the Mauritshuis.
A small canal town of blue-and-white pottery.
A compact city with a large market square and a short ride to the beach at Zandvoort.
Museums with lifts and a short link to the airport.