As the 2026 London Marathon approaches, thousands of participants and spectators are expected to converge on the capital on Sunday. The event promises to draw large crowds, all eager to support the runners tackling the 26.2-mile course through the city.
The marathon will commence at Greenwich Park and Blackheath Park, guiding runners across iconic landmarks such as Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, Canary Wharf, The Shard, Big Ben, and the Tower of London, culminating at The Mall in St James’s Park.
Given the scale of the event, significant travel disruptions and road closures are anticipated throughout the day. Below are details regarding the affected roads and their respective closure times.
2026 London Marathon Route and Road Closures
The marathon route will provide runners with a scenic tour of central London, traversing both the north and south banks of the River Thames at various points along the way.
To facilitate the marathon, numerous roads will be closed at different intervals throughout the day. Here is a comprehensive list of the roads that will be affected and their closure times:
- Charlton Way (Red start) – closed 4am-2:30pm
- Shooters Hill Road (Blue start) – closed 4am-2:30pm
- St John’s Park (Pink start) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Charlton Park Road (Red route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Shooters Hill Road (Blue route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Old Dover Road (Pink route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Little Heath (Red route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Charlton Park Lane (Blue route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Artillery Place (Red route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- John Wilson Street (Blue route) – closed 7am-2:30pm
- Woolwich Church Street – closed 7am-3pm
- Woolwich Road – closed 7am-3pm
- Trafalgar Road – closed 7am-4pm
- Creek Road – closed 7am-4pm
- Evelyn Street – closed 8am-4pm
- Surrey Quays Road – closed 8am-4pm
- Salter Road – closed 8am-4pm
- Brunel Road – closed 8am-4pm
- Jamaica Road – closed 8am-4pm
- Tower Bridge – closed 8am-8:30pm
- The Highway (South side) – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Narrow Street – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Westferry Road – closed 8am-8:30pm
- East Ferry Road – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Marsh Wall – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Bank Street – closed 8am-8:30pm
- North Colonnade – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Poplar High Street – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Commercial Road – closed 8am-8:30pm
- The Highway (North side) – closed 8am-8:30pm
- Byward Street – closed 7:30am-9pm
- Upper/Lower Thames Street – closed 7:30am-9pm
- Victoria Embankment – closed 7:30am-10pm
- Parliament Square – closed 7:30am-10pm
- Birdcage Walk (Eastbound) – closed from 6am Friday, April 24 to 6am Monday, April 27
- Birdcage Walk (Westbound) – closed from 6am Saturday, April 25 to 6am Monday, April 27
For further details on road closures, individuals can download the official guide from the TCS London Marathon website.
Transport Considerations on Marathon Day
As in previous years, the London Underground, London Overground, and Docklands Light Railway are expected to operate additional services throughout marathon day, making them the preferred mode of transport for those wishing to follow the race.
Due to the high volume of spectators, stations near the marathon route are likely to experience significant congestion, particularly on the Jubilee, Circle, and District lines, as well as the DLR.
On the day of the marathon, the Waterloo & City line will be entirely closed, and there will be partial closures on the Piccadilly line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, and Cockfosters and King’s Cross St. Pancras.
Transport for London advises everyone to plan their journeys ahead of time and to consult the TfL website or the TfL Go app for the latest travel updates.
Additionally, marathon participants wearing their bibs will be allowed to travel for free on the Tube and London buses.
Bus Services on Marathon Day
Bus routes along the marathon course will either be diverted or will not operate their full routes until the roads are reopened.
For those planning to travel by bus on marathon day, it is recommended to check tfl.gov.uk/bus/status to determine if their bus route will be affected.
Start Times for the London Marathon
While official start times have yet to be confirmed, it is anticipated that the race will begin around 8:50am with the Elite Wheelchair category. The Elite Women are expected to start at approximately 9:05am, followed by the Elite Men at 9:35am.
The mass event will then commence for all other participants between 9:35am and 11:30am. Start times are assigned based on the runners’ predicted finish times, which they will have submitted to the organizers in advance.
Participants will have a total of eight hours to complete the marathon. Those who exceed this time limit will be directed to continue running on the pavement, with assistance from London Marathon staff to help them reach the finish line.
For additional updates, readers can contact the news team via email at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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Bildquelle: Foto von Charles Postiaux auf Unsplash
