Cologne Marathon 2025: Record registrations and major closures at the start!

Cologne Marathon 2025: Record registrations and major closures at the start!

The Generali Cologne Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2025. The anticipation for this big event is increasing because around 25,000 runners have already registered today, which is a considerable number - a new record in the history of the marathon. How laufmonster.de Reportedly, around 20,120 registered participants were recorded just 200 days before the marathon, underscoring the huge demand.

Markus Frisch, Managing Director of Cologne EnduranceSport GmbH, emphasizes that the demand for marathons is generally growing. This is also reflected in the reports about this year's event: 5,200 registrations have already been registered for the marathon itself, which corresponds to an increase of 55% compared to the previous year. There are even 13,660 entries in the half marathon, twice as many as last year. The relay marathon is also enjoying growing popularity with 1,260 registrations and an increase of 73%.

Route and participant limits

The marathon route measures 42.195 kilometers and leads through some of the most beautiful districts in Cologne. The start times are exciting: The half marathon starts at 9:00 a.m. from Ottoplatz in Deutz, while the marathon as well as the relay race and the school marathon start at 10:30 a.m. on Opladener Straße. The finish line is at 4:30 p.m. on Comedy Street at Cologne Cathedral, where the runners will be welcomed. There are certain participant limits: the marathon is limited to 12,000 runners, and for the half marathon, which is already sold out, the limit was 18,800. In addition, 1,100 relay teams can be registered.

The extraordinary route is accompanied by 10 refreshment points that are waiting for the participants with water, bananas and other snacks. In a particularly environmentally friendly way, runners can use the green lines, which show the way as water-soluble markings. The event will also provide entertaining distractions: music and presentation will heat up the atmosphere during the race.

Traffic disruptions and public transport

Due to the route, there will be some road closures in the city on the day of the event. How ksta.de reported, the closures are planned from 6:00 a.m. to around 6:00 p.m. The Deutzer and Severins bridges, which are closed on this day, are particularly affected. For drivers and public transport users, there will be some diversions and restrictions on various light rail and bus lines, which will be announced by the KVB.

Since it was first held in 1997, the Cologne Marathon has developed into one of the largest running events in Germany and attracts not only local runners, but also international participants. Loud Statista There were a total of 131 marathon races in Germany in 2023, and the marathon is considered the “supreme discipline” in running. Running is very popular in Germany: around 45% of the population enjoys running, and many participants successfully reach the goal of their competitions.

The organizers expect an increase in registrations up to the marathon day, especially in the half marathon, which could possibly exceed its limit of 20,000 starters early on. So if you want to be there, you should hurry up, because the places are in great demand!