The Moscow Marathon is a running event held every September, billed as the largest in Russia, with a 42.2 km marathon through central Moscow, a 10 km race, relays and children’s races. The marathon runs along the Moskva River embankments, the Garden and Boulevard Rings and Tverskaya Street, passing the Kremlin walls, and finishes at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex.
The modern race was first held in 2013, as the successor of the Moscow International Peace Marathon that began in 1981. For visitors, it is an event to watch rather than to join, with road closures in the center on race day, and the program, the route and the registration rules are published by the organizers each year, so check the official website for the current edition.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Московский марафон |
|---|---|
| Type | Recurring event |
| When | Every year in September, over a weekend: shorter races and a children's run on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday, usually around the third or fourth weekend; the dates change each year. |
| Typical duration | A weekend, with the 10 km race and the children's run on Saturday and the 42.2 km marathon on Sunday. |
| Address | Luzhniki Olympic Complex, Luzhnetskaya Embankment, Moscow (finish area); start near Moscow State University, Kosygina Street OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Khamovniki |
| Metro | Sportivnaya (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red) and Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11, teal), The station serving the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, the finish area; the exit and the walking time were not verified, and access can be restricted on race days) Vorobyovy Gory (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), The station on the Sparrow Hills side, near the start at Moscow State University; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Admission | Watching from the streets is free. Running requires registration for a race, with fees and rules set each year by the organizers and not verified here. |
| Best time to visit | The marathon starts in the morning on Sunday, with the leaders passing the center in the first hours, and the crowd of recreational runners follows for several hours. The 10 km race and children's run are on Saturday. Start times and crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Website | moscowmarathon.runc.run |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
Dates, programs and prices change from year to year. Always check the official website for the current edition.
Why Visit Moscow Marathon?
The marathon turns the center of Moscow into a race course: runners pass the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Polytechnic Museum, the Stalin-era high-rises and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, with thousands of spectators lining the streets. The route is designed to show the capital’s architecture, with more than thirty landmarks.
For a spectator, the event offers a free, lively morning with cheering crowds and an easy view from several points along the embankments and boulevards, while runners can enter the 10 km race or the marathon if they register. Road closures change the usual routes, and the metro is crowded, so plan your movements carefully on race days.
What to Expect at Moscow Marathon
The race weekend usually begins on Saturday with the 10 km race and the children’s run, and the full 42.2 km marathon takes place on Sunday. Over recent editions the program has also included a 42.2 km relay, corporate and student relays, and children’s races of 400 or 800 meters, with handcycle and wheelchair categories. A sports exhibition, where runners collect their bibs, is held for a few days before the race, and its location has changed between editions.
The marathon is a linear route, starting near Moscow State University on Kosygina Street and finishing inside the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, through central Moscow past the Kremlin walls. The 10 km race starts at the university and finishes at Luzhniki. Spectators gather along the route and at the finish. The program, route and times change each year.
Highlights of Moscow Marathon
The start at Moscow State University
The marathon starts near Moscow State University, on University Square at Kosygina Street, on the Sparrow Hills with a wide view across Moscow, and the 10 km race starts there too. The hill is a good place to see the start with a panorama behind the runners. See the Sparrow Hills guide and the Lomonosovsky guide on this site.
Tip: Arrive early, since the area around the start is closed to traffic and the metro is crowded.
The embankments of the Moskva River
The route follows the embankments of the Moskva River, the Novodevichy embankment among them in the 10 km race, giving runners views of Moscow City, the Stalin-era high-rises and the river. These embankments are good places to watch with a less dense crowd. See the Novodevichy and Khamovniki guides on this site.
Tip: Choose an embankment spot for photos, away from the crowded center.
The Kremlin walls and the center
The marathon route passes under the Kremlin walls, across the Krymsky Bridge, along the Garden and Boulevard Rings, Tverskaya Street and Teatralny Proezd, past the Bolshoi Theatre and the Polytechnic Museum, with Christ the Saviour Cathedral also on the route. This is the most photographed stretch. See the How to visit Red Square guide and the Krymsky Val guide on this site.
Tip: Check the road-closure map, since crossing the route is allowed only at certain points.
The finish at Luzhniki
The race finishes inside the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, where spectators gather for the finish line and the medal ceremony. The complex also has the Luzhniki stadium and large sports grounds. Access to the finish area can be restricted to runners and registered people, so check the rules.
Tip: Plan to meet runners at the family area or outside the finish zone, as set by the organizers.
The sports expo and race-weekend events
A sports exhibition with bib distribution is held before the race, in recent editions near a sports arena, with fan items and activities. The location changes between editions. It is a place to feel the race atmosphere before the main day.
Tip: Check the expo's address on the official website, since it has moved.
The 10 km race and the children's run
On Saturday the 10 km race has a linear route from the university to Luzhniki, and a children's run for ages 4 to 13 has distances of 400 or 800 meters. They are good for visitors who want to take part without the full marathon and also easier to watch. Registration is required and rules change each year.
Tip: Register early if you want to run, since fields fill up before the race.
What It Means for Your Visit
The marathon is not a public holiday, so museums, shops and transport work as usual, except in the center. On race day many streets along the route are closed to traffic for hours, public transport routes are diverted, and crossing the route is possible only at designated points. Metro stations near Sparrow Hills, Luzhniki and the center are crowded, and taxis and buses can be slow.
The 10 km race and children’s run on Saturday have a smaller impact. Check the official website for the current dates, the road-closure map and the transport changes, since they change every year, and allow extra time to cross the center.
Atmosphere
On race morning the streets of the center are empty of cars and full of people: runners in bright shirts and numbered bibs, volunteers handing out water, drum groups and families with homemade signs along the barriers. The air is cool in the September morning and the first runners pass in a silent, fast stream.
Later the stream thickens into a long colorful column that flows along the embankments, around the Kremlin and down the boulevards, and the cheering swells at each landmark. The finish at Luzhniki is loud and joyful. The crowd varies by day and no figures were verified.
History of Moscow Marathon
The Moscow Marathon’s predecessor was the Moscow International Peace Marathon, founded in 1981, which held its last edition in 2012. The modern Moscow Marathon was first held in 2013, as a citywide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners take part together, over the classic distance of 42.195 kilometers.
The race grew quickly: the early editions had a few thousand finishers in the marathon and the 10 km race, and by the late 2010s the city reported over thirty thousand participants from dozens of countries in one edition, with a 10 km race alongside the marathon. The marathon and 10 km courses have been certified by AIMS since 2013, and the marathon course was included in a list of certified courses of the international athletics federation in 2015.
The route has changed over the years. It has been a loop and a linear route, and in recent editions the marathon starts near Moscow State University and finishes inside the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, passing the Kremlin, Tverskaya Street, the Garden and Boulevard Rings and the embankments of the Moskva River, while the 10 km race was changed to a linear route in 2025.
The event has expanded to include relays, corporate and student races, a children’s run and categories for handcyclists and wheelchair users. The dates, the routes and the registration rules are announced by the organizers every year, and the race is held on the weekend of the third or fourth week of September in recent years.
Tickets and Booking for Moscow Marathon
Watching the marathon from the streets is free, with no ticket. Running requires registration for a specific race on the organizer’s official website, with entry fees, age limits and health or identity requirements that are set each year. International runners should read the rules for foreign participants on the website. Registration usually opens some months before the race, and places in the popular races can run out, so if registration is not yet open, the details have not been announced. Runners collect their bibs at the sports expo before the race. The finish area at Luzhniki may be restricted to runners and registered people.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so check the payment options for registration on the official site, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, so check the official website, moscowmarathon.runc.run, for all categories and the current edition.
Get Tickets for Moscow Marathon
How to Get to Moscow Marathon
The finish is at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, reached from Sportivnaya (Lines 1 and 11), and the start near Moscow State University is reached from Vorobyovy Gory (Line 1). The route runs through the center, so choose a viewing point near a metro station, such as the stations around the Kremlin. Exits and walking times were not verified, and on race day some stations and exits are closed, so check the organizers’ transport plan.
- Metro: the metro guides on this site explain the lines and how to avoid rush hour.
- Taxi: streets along the route are closed; the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
No accessibility information about spectating was found. Streets along the route are mostly level, but crowds and barriers make movement difficult, and the finish area has its own rules, so check the organizers' information for spectators with reduced mobility.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants along the Boulevard Ring, Tverskaya Street and Arbat are open on race day, though some streets are closed. The finish area has food stands. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours on site.
What to Bring
Warm layers for a cool September morning, comfortable shoes for walking between viewing points, a charged phone and a power bank, and rubles in cash for snacks, since foreign cards are reported not to work. Runners also need their bib, ID and the items required by the organizers.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Moscow Marathon
Sparrow Hills at the start
The start area on University Square with the city panorama behind the runners and the university building. See the Sparrow Hills guide on this site.
Best time: At the start, in the morning.
The Krymsky Bridge
The long column of runners crossing the bridge with the river and the cathedral behind. See the Krymsky Val guide on this site.
Best time: Mid-morning.
Tverskaya Street
Runners on the empty main street with the buildings behind and the crowds along the barriers. See the Tverskoy guide on this site.
Best time: Late morning.
The Kremlin wall
Runners passing under the red wall and the Kremlin towers, the most iconic frame of the race. See the How to visit Red Square guide on this site.
Best time: Mid-morning.
Photography Rules
No special photography rules for spectators were found. Security zones around the Kremlin and Red Square may restrict tripods and drones, and drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked. Do not step onto the course or interfere with runners.
Family Suitability
The event suits families, with free spectating, a children's run for ages 4 to 13 and a festive atmosphere, though road closures and crowds make travel harder. Stroller access along the barriers depends on the crowd, and some areas are fenced.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Choose one viewing point and stay, since crossing the closed streets is limited.
- Pick a point near a metro station that is open on race day, and check the transport plan.
- Watch the start at Sparrow Hills for the panorama and the finish at Luzhniki for the atmosphere.
- Look at the race-day road-closure map before you plan a taxi or a bus trip.
- If you want to run, check the foreign participants' rules on the official website well in advance.
- Combine the event with the Sparrow Hills and Novodevichy guides on this site for a morning of sightseeing.
Explore Nearby Moscow Marathon
Sights near Moscow Marathon
Moscow Cable Carabout 600 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Sparrow Hills Moscowabout 850 m away (~14 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–3 hours including the walk upMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Novodevichy Cemetery Moscowabout 900 m away (~14 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Novodevichy Convent Moscow – about 1.1 km away (~18 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–2 hours for the convent; 3–4 hours with the cemeteryMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Novodevichy Pond Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow State Universityabout 2.1 km away · typical visit: 1–2 hours for the campus and the viewMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Moscow Marathon
Luzhniki MCC Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Vorobyovy Gory Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Sportivnaya Metro Stationabout 1.0 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Moscow Marathon
Spektr Hotel Moscowabout 850 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Korston Club Hotel Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Moscow Marathon
Luzhniki River Pierabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Sparrow Hills: Moscow’s Best Viewpoint, University and Nature ReserveMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Lomonosovsky: University Avenue, Metro Stations and Sparrow HillsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Khamovniki: Novodevichy Convent, Prechistenka and the Golden MileMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Novodevichy: Convent, Cemetery and UNESCO Walk in KhamovnikiMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Krymsky Val: New Tretyakov Gallery, Muzeon Park and Gorky ParkMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Khamovniki · All Entertainment · All Events & Holidays
FAQ: Moscow Marathon
When is the Moscow Marathon?
Every September, over a weekend.
Which distances are there?
A 42.2 km marathon, a 10 km race, relays and children's runs.
Where do runners start and finish?
Near Moscow State University and at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex.
Can I watch for free?
Yes, from the streets along the route.
Which landmarks are on the route?
The Kremlin, Tverskaya Street and the Boulevard and Garden Rings.
When was it first held?
In 2013, succeeding a marathon that began in 1981.
Are the streets closed?
Yes, parts of the center are closed on race day.
Can foreigners run?
Check the participants' rules on the official website.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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