Generali Köln Marathon

Generali Köln Marathon

From the start the course crosses the Deutzer Brücke at kilometre 1, runs south along the river past the Chocolate Museum and the Kranhäuser, reaches the Bismarcksäule in Bayenthal at 5 and Rodenkirchen at 7, and turns back through the Südstadt and the Severinstorbogen at 12. Then it heads west: Rudolfplatz at 14.5, Sülz at 18.5, Dürener Straße in Lindenthal at 21, Aachener Weiher at 22.5, Ehrenfeld and Venloer Straße at 27, Nippes and Neusser Straße at 34, Neumarkt at 40.5, and the Dom at 42.

There are eleven aid stations: water only at 4.9 and 9.2 km, water, banana and energy drink from 13.8 to 27.6 km, and cola and gels added from 30.6 km on. The limit is 6 hours net; timing mats lie roughly every five kilometres and missing one means disqualification. Relay change zones are at kilometres 12, 23.5 and 29.5. The field is capped at 15,000 and the minimum age is 18.

This page is about the 2026 marathon. The course comes back toward the centre several times, so a supporter can see a runner more than once — if they know when to be there. On Livebib family and friends open the runner’s shared link in a browser, with no account and no app, and see position on the course line, distance covered and a finish estimate for Komödienstraße that updates as the race goes. Where the phone’s signal drops between buildings, the position is carried forward along the course and marked as estimated instead of freezing.