Berlin, September 22 – As the new week commences, Berlin drivers should anticipate significant traffic disruptions due to the initial road closures for the upcoming Berlin Marathon, scheduled for September 26 and 27. These preparations are essential to accommodate the more than 56,000 participants and the hundreds of thousands of spectators expected to line the route.
Extensive Police Operation and Security Measures
The Berlin police are gearing up for a large-scale operation to ensure the safety and smooth running of the event. Last year, over 800 police officers were deployed for the marathon. This year, specific sections of the marathon route will also be subject to a ban on knives and weapons, enhancing security for all involved.
Marathon Route Highlights
The race route will once again traverse several iconic Berlin landmarks. It will begin along Straße des 17. Juni and Ernst-Reuter-Platz, continuing to Alt-Moabit, and then through the Tiergarten to Berlin-Mitte. The course proceeds along Karl-Marx-Allee to Strausberger Platz in Friedrichshain. Heading south, runners will pass along Lichtenberger Straße to Moritzplatz, Kottbusser Tor, and Kottbusser Damm, reaching Hermannplatz in Neukölln. The route then goes past Hasenheide and westward via Yorckstraße, Grunewaldstraße, and Martin-Luther-Straße to Schöneberg City Hall.
Passing through Friedenau and Schmargendorf, the route eventually heads back towards the city center via Hohenzollerndamm and Kurfürstendamm to Wittenbergplatz. It then continues to Potsdamer Platz via Kleiststraße and Potsdamer Straße. The final four kilometers will lead along Leipziger Straße to Gendarmenmarkt and down Unter den Linden, through the Brandenburg Gate, to the finish line on Straße des 17. Juni.
Detailed Road Closure Schedule
The road closures will be implemented in phases, with some areas reopening gradually after the race concludes. However, Straße des 17. Juni will remain closed for a longer duration.
- Starting Monday, September 21: Straße des 17. Juni between Großer Stern and the Brandenburg Gate, as well as Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße, are closed.
- Starting Thursday, September 24: Ebertstraße, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, Scheidemannstraße, Dorotheenstraße, and the government district will also be closed.
- Saturday, September 26: Potsdamer Straße between Potsdamer Platz and Reichpietschufer, Unter den Linden between Pariser Platz and Friedrichstraße, and the skating route will be closed during the day until approximately 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday, September 27: The streets along the entire marathon route, particularly in Tiergarten and Mitte, will be closed almost continuously until the end of the event. Additional closures will affect areas in Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Schöneberg, Steglitz, Wilmersdorf, and Zehlendorf.
Motorists and residents are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and consider using public transport where possible. Detailed information on public transport changes will be made available by local transport authorities.
