Berlin is bracing for widespread traffic disruption as the 52nd Berlin Marathon takes over the city's streets this weekend.
More than 56,000 participants from over 160 nations are expected to take part in the event.
Traffic authorities began shutting down major thoroughfares on Saturday, September 26, 2026, starting with preliminary events in Berlin-Mitte and Charlottenburg.
The inline skating competition along Großer Stern and Otto-Suhr-Allee triggered early restrictions, according to police and the Traffic Information Center.
Key areas around Potsdamer Platz, Pariser Platz at the Brandenburg Gate, and Unter den Linden face immediate closures for smaller running competitions.
Strasse des 17. Juni will remain fully closed to vehicle traffic through next Wednesday.
Full Marathon Route and Public Transport Impact
By Sunday morning, the entire 42.195-kilometer marathon route will be blocked off.
Authorities plan to reopen individual street segments gradually throughout the day as the last runners pass.
The Berlin city motorway and the Tiergarten Tunnel will remain open.
Public transportation will experience temporary disruptions, with several bus and tram lines subject to rerouting, shortening, or temporary suspensions.
Main marathon runners, along with wheelchair and handbike competitors, will race from Strasse des 17. Juni to the Brandenburg Gate.
Free-to-air television coverage will be provided by RTL on Sunday from 8:00 AM to 11:45 AM, as reported by SPORTBILD.
The event will also stream live on RTL+ and the official Berlin Marathon YouTube channel.
In the men's division, previous winner Sebastian Sawe withdrew due to an injury after running a sub-two-hour marathon in London in April.
Tanzania's Gabriel Geay, Ethiopia's Getaneh Molla, and 2021 winner Guye Adola are now top contenders.
In the women's elite field, two-time winner Tigst Assefa aims to challenge Ruth Chepngetich's world record of 2:09:56 on Berlin's notoriously fast course.
She will compete alongside defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru.
