The Race
The London Marathon starts at Blackheath in southeast London and follows a largely flat, 42.195 km route through the city, passing Tower Bridge at the halfway point before turning west along the Embankment and finishing on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. The course holds a IAAF Platinum Label (the highest road race certification), and the world record has been broken here multiple times. Fast conditions are the rule rather than the exception.
| Distance | 42.195 km |
| Course type | Flat, city streets. Point-to-point from southeast to central London. |
| Certification | IAAF Platinum Label |
| Series | Abbott World Marathon Majors |
| Start location | Blackheath, SE London (multiple wave starts) |
| Finish location | The Mall, Westminster |
| Elevation gain | Approximately 50m total |
| Total participants (2027) | ~100,000 across two days (one-off format; ~56,000 in a standard year) |
| Cutoff time | 8 hours (individual wave cutoffs apply) |
| Avg race-day temp | 8 to 14°C (April, SE England) |
| Free race-day transport | Yes: bib covers all TfL services |
Elevation profile: The course is effectively flat. The steepest section is the underpass and bridge crossings approaching Tower Bridge at km 19. Total gain is approximately 50m. There are no significant hills. Carbon-plate super shoes deliver closest to their measured benefit on courses like this; what the research shows.
Entry
The 2027 TCS London Marathon Double runs across two days: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027.
Field size is 100,000 participants across both days - up from approximately 56,000 in a standard year. The route is unchanged: Greenwich to Westminster on both days. This is a one-off format and not a permanent change.
Everyone who has already applied is entered into a ballot for both Saturday and Sunday. Places are allocated by completely random draw. Participants cannot run both days in person, but may run one day and complete TCS London Marathon MyWay (virtual) on the other.
Ballot results: early July 2026. Book your hotel within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your result.
| Entry Type | Ballot (Abbott World Marathon Majors) |
| 2027 Ballot Results | Early July 2026 - day assignment (Saturday or Sunday) notified at the same time |
| Charity Entry | Available through official charity partners, with fundraising commitment |
| GFA Entry | Good for Age entry - qualifying times published at tcslondonmarathon.com |
| Club Entry | UK Athletics clubs receive a ballot allocation - check with your club |
| Schools | Every London school receives two guaranteed entries for teachers or staff |
| London Boroughs | Extra guaranteed entries allocated to every London borough along the route |
1.33 million people entered the ballot for the 2027 event - the demand figure that prompted London Marathon Events to expand to a two-day format. For context, standard ballot acceptance rates are typically 3 to 5 per cent. If unsuccessful, the options are: a charity place (fundraising commitment typically £2,000 minimum), a Good for Age entry (qualifying times published on the official website), or a UK Athletics club allocation if you are a member of an affiliated club. International tour operators also offer guaranteed entry packages with travel and hotel combined.
The wider event week also includes the TCS Mini London Marathon on Friday 23 April - the world's largest one-day timed children's event, with more than 20,000 young participants - alongside an extended Running Show at ExCeL and a Friday Night Lights 5K.
Every finisher receives a medal and a mylar blanket at the finish on The Mall. Race bib covers free travel on all TfL services - Tube, bus, DLR, London Overground - all day on race day.
Race Weekend
Expo and Number Collection
The expo runs Thursday to Saturday before race Sunday at ExCeL London in the Royal Docks. Number collection is at the expo only - there is no race-day collection. From central London, take the DLR from Bank or Tower Gateway to Custom House; the journey takes approximately 25 minutes. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the expo itself including bag and merchandise queues.
Getting to the Start
The start is at Blackheath in southeast London, 10km from the finish. Free race buses operate from designated pick-up points - primarily London Bridge, Charing Cross, and Waterloo - from around 07:00. Alternatively, National Rail trains run to Blackheath, Greenwich, and Maze Hill stations; all three are within a short walk of the start. Your race bib covers free travel on all TfL services, but National Rail requires a paid ticket. April mornings in London can be 5 to 9°C with wind on Blackheath. Bring a throwaway layer.
The Course
The course runs from Blackheath through Greenwich and Deptford to Tower Bridge, crossing at half marathon. After Tower Bridge, the course splits into a brief detour through the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf before reconverging at the Embankment. The final 10km follow the north bank of the Thames through the City of London, Blackfriars, Waterloo, and Westminster to the finish on The Mall, directly in front of Buckingham Palace. The route is almost entirely flat; the only notable rises are the slight inclines over the Thames bridges.
After the Finish
Bag collection is at Horse Guards Parade, allocated by bib number zone. The post-race area extends along Birdcage Walk and St James's Park. Reuniting with spectators is typically arranged at pre-agreed points on the park perimeter - mobile signal in the finish area is unreliable for the first hour. Most Westminster and Victoria hotels are within walking distance; Green Park and St James's Park Tube stations are accessible once the crowds ease.
Where to Stay
Stay near the finish on The Mall. The start is at Blackheath in southeast London, 10km away with no significant hotels - staying near the start adds an unnecessary journey to reach the finish area for the rest of the weekend. Westminster, St James's, and Victoria are the most practical bases: within walking distance of the finish, served by multiple Tube lines, and close to the bag collection at Horse Guards Parade. Book immediately when ballot results arrive in October; hotels within a mile of The Mall fill within days of ballot day.
The traditional choice. The Royal Family stayed here during the Coronation. Quiet garden, exceptional service.
Full spa. Correct for pre-race treatment and post-race recovery. On the Embankment, five minutes walk from The Mall.
Edwardian hotel with a famous rooftop honeybee programme. Close to St James's Park Tube and the finish area.
Large rooms by London standards. Strong restaurant. Pall Mall location suits marathon weekend.
Reliable and well-priced by London standards. 10 minutes walk from the finish. Book immediately after ballot results.
See & Do
The finish on The Mall places you in the centre of Westminster, within 1km of four of London's most significant buildings. The post-race area itself is surrounded by St James's Park, one of the most easily navigable parks in the city. All distances below are from the finish on The Mall.
Buckingham Palace and St James's Park
0.2km (0.1 miles) from the finish. The Palace gates are at the top of The Mall; St James's Park runs alongside the last kilometre of the course. On race day the park is the post-race gathering area. In the days after: the Blue Bridge provides the best urban view in central London, looking east toward Whitehall and west toward the Victoria Memorial.
Westminster
0.9km (0.6 miles) from the finish. The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and the Jewel Tower (the best-preserved medieval building in the complex) cluster around Parliament Square. Westminster Abbey is the correct monument for runners staying in the area: a working church, quieter than its reputation, with Poet's Corner and the tomb of the Unknown Warrior best viewed on a weekday morning.
National Gallery and Trafalgar Square
1.0km (0.6 miles) from the finish. Free entry, no booking required. The Sainsbury Wing holds the early Renaissance collection; the main building holds Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, and Constable. Trafalgar Square functions as a marathon-weekend gathering point for runners on the days either side of the race.
Tower Bridge and the Tower of London
3.2km (2.0 miles) from the finish, on the race course itself. Tower Bridge is one of the loudest points on the course at the half-marathon mark. The Tower of London, immediately east of the bridge, houses the Crown Jewels (advance booking required). The walk from Westminster to Tower Bridge along the north Embankment takes 35 to 45 minutes at recovery pace and follows the Thames continuously.
Read Before you Run
Rivers of London
Ben Aaronovitch
A London police procedural with a supernatural twist, set in a city Aaronovitch knows street by street. The Thames, the bridges, the backstreets of Covent Garden and Soho — runners who know the London Marathon course will recognise the terrain immediately.
Buy on Amazon →Capital
John Lanchester
A state-of-the-nation novel set on a single street in south London as the 2008 financial crisis arrives. Lanchester captures the city's extraordinary social compression — the banker, the Polish builder, the Zimbabwean traffic warden — with the precision of someone who has walked every street.
Buy on Amazon →After the Race
The London Marathon runs in late April. Spring at this point means consistent daylight, mild temperatures, and the English countryside at its best. All the excursions below depart from central London termini and are planned for post-marathon legs: flat where possible, public transport throughout, with no logistics that require a running knee.
The Cutty Sark, the Prime Meridian, the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College. Pie and mash at Goddards.
The Promenade, The Lanes, the Palace Pier. Sussex oysters at Riddle and Finns. April sea air after 26.2 miles is the correct medicine.
Chauffeured punting on the Backs. King's College Chapel. Chelsea buns at Fitzbillies.
Two nights on the seafront. Day two: Seaford and the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. Depart from Brighton direct to Gatwick: 30 minutes.
Chauffeured punting on the Backs. King's College Chapel. Then north to Norwich: medieval streets, the Cathedral cloisters, and no hills.
Hands-free outlet shopping on entirely flat boulevards. Then 15 minutes to Oxford: punting, Christ Church Meadow, dreaming spires.
Two nights in Bath (Roman Baths, Thermae Spa, Georgian crescents), two in Oxford. Return to Paddington in 50 minutes or direct to Heathrow.
Honey-limestone villages, the Lygon Arms, Dover's Hill. Then Stratford: the RSC, the flat Avon path, and a river cruise that requires nothing of your legs.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stay near the start or the finish?
Near the finish. The start is at Blackheath in southeast London, with no significant hotels nearby. Stay in Westminster, St James's, or Victoria: all are within walking distance of the finish on The Mall.
How far in advance should I book a hotel?
For the 2027 event, ballot results arrive in early July 2026 - book within 24 to 48 hours. Hotels within a mile of The Mall sell out in days after ballot day. Prices roughly double between announcement and race weekend.
Is there free transport to the start?
Yes. Free buses run from designated pick-up points to Blackheath from around 07:00. Your race bib covers free travel on all TfL services (Tube, bus, DLR) all day on race day.
What is the best area to stay?
Westminster and St James's are closest to the finish. Victoria is 10 minutes walk and has better-value options. Tower Bridge suits those who want to base east and explore that part of the city.
When does the expo open?
Thursday to Saturday before race Sunday at ExCeL London in the Royal Docks. You must collect your number at the expo; there is no race-day collection. Allow 30 minutes from central London via DLR.
What is the weather typically like?
8 to 14°C at race start, 30 to 40% chance of rain. Overcast is the most likely condition. April 2018 reached 24°C, an outlier worth knowing. Check the forecast in the week before.
How do I get from the airport?
Heathrow: Elizabeth line to Paddington (25 min), then Tube. Gatwick: Gatwick Express to Victoria (30 min). Stansted: train to Liverpool Street (50 min). All accept Oyster or contactless.
Is there a bag drop?
Yes, onto numbered coaches at the start. Bags are reunited at Horse Guards Parade after the finish. Use the official marathon bag; standard rucksacks may not be accepted.
Should I bring a throwaway layer?
Yes. Start corrals at Blackheath involve up to an hour's wait in April morning temperatures. Bring a charity-shop layer to discard at the start: London Marathon collects these for charity.
How do I get back to my hotel after finishing?
Your race bib covers all TfL travel for the day. Green Park and St James's Park stations are a short walk from the finish. Wait 20 to 30 minutes post-finish for the initial crowds to clear.