The TCS Amsterdam Marathon is the biggest running event of the Netherlands and one of the fastest marathons in the world. On 17 and 18 October 2026, around 45,000 runners from over 100 countries take over the city, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of spectators along the course.

A course through the most beautiful parts of Amsterdam

The marathon starts and finishes in the iconic Olympic Stadium, built for the 1928 Olympic Games. The course leads runners through Vondelpark, past the Rijksmuseum on Museumplein, and along the canal district before following the Amstel river deep into the green countryside and back. The kilometres along the Amstel, with its windmills and rowing clubs, are considered among the most scenic of any major marathon.

Programme 2026

• Saturday 17 October: 7.5 km run, Kids Run and the Heroes Run for athletes with a disability
• Sunday 18 October: TCS Amsterdam Marathon (42.195 km, Platinum Label) and the Mizuno Half Marathon

Best places to watch

The Olympic Stadium offers a grandstand atmosphere at start and finish. Along the route, Museumplein and the Amstel river banks are favourite spots – bring a coffee and cheer the runners on. The bridges over the Amstel offer great photo opportunities with the city skyline in the background.

Practical information

• Dates: 17-18 October 2026
• Start/finish: Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam Zuid
• Getting there: tram 24 or metro station Amstelveenseweg; large parts of the city centre are closed to traffic on race day
• Registration: via the official website – the marathon regularly sells out months in advance

Make a weekend of it

Marathon weekend is one of the busiest hotel weekends of the autumn – book your hotel in Amsterdam well in advance. A relaxed canal cruise is the perfect way to rest your legs the day after the race, whether you ran or cheered.