Cape Town Marathon 2027 : the course km by km, race week and travel

Cape Town keeps its one real hill for late in the race. The first 22 km climb in small lumps of 10 to 20 m, over a flyover, a viaduct and a long drag up Main Road, and none of it is steep. Then the road drops to sea level for five kilometres, and from the Castle of Good Hope at about km 29.8 it rises 24 m in two kilometres, up Darling Street and through the Company’s Garden to the high point of the course at about km 31.8. That climb comes when the legs have the least to give, and everything after it, ten kilometres down to the Atlantic and along it, rewards a runner who still has something left.

The course is a loop from Green Point out to the southern suburbs and back through Woodstock and the city centre, with an out and back along the sea at the end. The kilometres and heights below are measured along the organiser’s 2026 route, the latest it has published; the 2027 map is not out yet, so check the organiser’s marathon page before you plan around a particular street. The 2027 race has two start lines, the Stadium start on Fritz Sonnenberg Road and the Beach Road start in Mouille Point, and the two fields join on Beach Road before the course turns onto Granger Bay Boulevard.

Km 0 to 3.7: Green Point and the Waterfront

The Stadium start is at about 9 m on Fritz Sonnenberg Road, beside the stadium. The course runs along Beach Road, turns onto Granger Bay Boulevard and then Helen Suzman Boulevard, along the edge of the V&A Waterfront, and by km 2.5 it has already risen to 17 m. It crosses the Helen Suzman Boulevard flyover from about km 2.7 to 3.3, and the organiser’s map marks the Waterfront and a Table Mountain view point around km 3.5. The road then drops back to 6 m at about km 3.9.

Km 3.7 to 7.1: the viaduct out of the city

Nelson Mandela Boulevard carries the course out of the city centre on a viaduct, from about km 3.8 to km 6.1, and climbs to about 26 m at km 6.4. Searle Street brings it to Victoria Road and the first of the organiser’s cut-off points, at km 7.0.

Km 7.1 to 14: Main Road through the suburbs

Sir Lowry Road leads onto Main Road at about km 8.5, and Main Road carries the course for more than five kilometres through the suburbs south of the city. This is the longest climb of the first half: from 14 m at about km 7.4 to 32 m at km 9.6, 18 m in 2.2 km. The road comes back down to 15 m by km 12, passing the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch at about km 11.8 and the Presidential Estate, which the organiser’s map marks at km 12.7, then climbs again to about 28 m at km 14.6, where Claremont Boulevard takes over.

Km 14 to 22: the southern loop

Stanhope Road, Palmyra Road, Campground Road and Sandown Road lead into the southern turn of the course. Milner Road passes km 20, and the organiser’s map marks the Red Cross Hospital at about km 20.7. Klipfontein Road and Sawkins Road bring the course back onto Campground Road and towards the city. Through this whole stretch the road wanders between 15 m and 28 m, rolling rather than climbing.

Km 22 to 29.8: down to sea level and through Woodstock

Liesbeek Parkway runs from about km 22.2 to 26.2, and it brings the easiest running of the day: the road falls from 20 m to 5 m between km 22 and km 24, and from km 24 to km 29 it stays within a few metres of sea level. The lowest point of the course, 3.3 m, comes at about km 25.2, just before the Malta Road bridge. The spectator guide places the Salt River Circle at km 26.7.

Albert Road then takes the course through Woodstock, past the Old Biscuit Mill at about km 27, and Newmarket Street, Russell Street and Sir Lowry Road lead back into the city centre. Bank the flat here: the next two kilometres are the hardest of the race.

Km 29.8 to 33.4: the climb through the city centre

At about km 29.8 the course turns onto Darling Street past the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest colonial building in South Africa, and City Hall on the Grand Parade at about km 30.1. Adderley Street and Wale Street bring it past St George’s Cathedral at about km 30.7, and then it runs the length of Government Avenue through the Company’s Garden, past the Iziko South African Museum at about km 31.3. The spectator guide calls this stretch the steepest climb, and the numbers agree: from 9 m at km 29.8 the road rises to 33.2 m at about km 31.8, on Orange Street, the highest point of the course and 24 m in two kilometres. The organiser’s cut-offs fall at km 30.5 on Darling Street and km 32.6 on Long Street, so the clock is watching here too. Long Street then starts the descent.

Km 33.4 to 42.2: down to the sea and the loop

Riebeek Street, Buitengracht Street and Somerset Road lead to Main Road in Green Point, and the road keeps falling: 21 m at km 33.5, 12 m at km 35.5 and 8 m by km 37. The course passes close to the finish area here and then heads away from it, out along Beach Road through Sea Point to Queens Road Circle, where the organiser has a cut-off at km 38.7, and back. The Sea Point Pavilion comes at about km 38. The organiser’s spectator guide calls the Sea Point Promenade stretch, km 36.3 to 41.4, “The Loop”, and spectators there see the runners twice.

The final 5 km stay between 7 m and 12 m. Helen Suzman Boulevard and Vlei Road bring the course to the finish opposite the stadium at 11 m, 2 m above the start. The whole course climbs about 116 m.

The expo and race numbers

The organiser has not published the 2027 expo dates and hours. In 2026 the expo was at the DHL Stadium in Green Point, beside the start: on Thursday 21 May from 09:00 to 19:00, Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00. Runners brought their official entry confirmation with its unique QR code, on email or WhatsApp. A runner could collect for someone else by showing that runner’s confirmation, and there were no late collections on race day.

The start

All 2027 start times are still to be announced. In 2026 the wheelchair athletes set off from the Stadium start at 07:50, the elite field at 08:00, a World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championship wave from the Beach Road start at 08:05, and the final wave at 09:06. Your seeding information says which of the two starts is yours.

Aid on the course

There are 15 hydration stations on the marathon route, about 3 km apart. Thirteen of them hand out water, Coke, Coke No Sugar and Powerade; the other two are water only.

The time limit

The marathon has a limit of 6.5 hours, and the organiser lists intermediate cut-offs on its route map. On the most recent published table they sit at ten points between km 7.0 and km 41.4, including two in the city-centre climb. In 2026 the final cut-off was at 15:50.