Thousands of participants and spectators will converge on the capital this Sunday for the 2026 London Marathon. The iconic 26.2-mile course takes runners through central London, starting at Greenwich Park and Blackheath Park, crossing Tower Bridge, and passing landmarks such as the Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, The Shard, Big Ben, and the Tower of London, before finishing on The Mall at St James’s Park.
London Marathon 2026 Route Map
The full route tours both the north and south banks of the River Thames. To accommodate the event, road closures will be enforced at various times along the course.
Road Closures and Timings
Here is the detailed list of road closures for marathon day:
- 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 the full official guide, visit the TCS London Marathon website.
London Underground on Marathon Day
As in previous years, London Underground, London Overground, and Docklands Light Railway will run extra services. Spectators are advised to use public transport, but expect crowds, especially on the Jubilee, Circle, and District lines, and the DLR. The Waterloo & City line will be closed all day, and the Piccadilly line will have part closures between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, and Cockfosters and King’s Cross St. Pancras. Plan your journey via the TfL website or TfL Go app. Marathon runners wearing their bibs can travel for free on the Tube and London buses.
Bus Services on Marathon Day
Bus routes along the marathon course will be diverted or shortened until roads reopen. Check tfl.gov.uk/bus/status for updates.
What Time Does the London Marathon Start?
Official start times are expected to follow last year’s schedule: Elite Wheelchairs at around 8.50am, Elite Women at 9.05am, Elite Men at 9.35am, and mass start between 9.35am and 11.30am based on predicted finish times. Runners have eight hours to complete the course; those exceeding the time limit will be moved to the pavement.
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