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

Sydney starts on its highest ground. Miller Street in North Sydney sits 79.9 m above sea level and the finish at the Opera House 16.3 m, and the organiser bills the course as a net drop of 83 m. The fall is not spread out, though: about 40 m of it goes in the first 1.5 km, before the Harbour Bridge, and after that the course is a run of shorter climbs and drops. Two of them decide the day: a climb of 66 m out of the harbour between km 11 and km 13, and a last rise of about 22 m between km 38.7 and km 41.1, after Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, with only the final 1.1 km running down to the line. A runner who treats the downhill opening as free time pays for it on those two hills.

The course runs point to point, from North Sydney across the harbour, through the city, south along Anzac Parade and back, round Centennial Park and out to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair before the Opera House. The kilometres and heights below are measured along the organiser’s 2026 course file, matched to OpenStreetMap streets, on a 30 m terrain model. The organiser lists the 2027 race on the same start and finish and has not said the course changes, so check the course file on its marathon page before you plan your pacing.

The organiser gives 313 m of elevation gain. Measured along the 2026 line, the climbing comes to about 188 m and the net fall to about 64 m. Counts of climbing differ with the source they come from, and neither figure corrects the other.

Km 0 to 3.2: Miller Street and the Harbour Bridge

The organiser calls the start line on Miller Street a celebration of the heritage of the Sydney 2000 Olympic marathon. The road runs downhill from the gun: Miller Street to the Pacific Highway at about km 0.6, then the Warringah Freeway at km 1.3, losing about 40 m by km 1.5. From there to km 3.2 the course is on the Bradfield Highway, the road over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and it crosses the harbour near km 2.3. The bridge crossing is one of the five highlights the organiser names for the course.

Km 3.2 to 11: elevated roads and the western waterfront

Off the bridge the course takes the Western Distributor, an elevated road, at km 3.4 and leaves it by the Fig Street off-ramp at about km 4.8. Harris Street, Pirrama Road along the water and Pyrmont Street follow. At km 7.9 it climbs back onto the Western Distributor by an on-ramp, comes off at the King Street off-ramp near km 8.6, and runs down Sussex Street to Hickson Road at km 9.5. From km 4 to km 11 the road never rises above 25 m, and at km 10.8, on Hickson Road, it reaches 6.5 m, the lowest point of the race. This is the flattest long stretch of the first half and the easiest place to run evenly.

Km 11 to 14.2: the one long climb

The course turns up from the water at km 11.0 and climbs 66 m in 2.2 km, to 74.2 m at km 13.2, the highest ground on the course after the start line. Most of it comes in the 1.2 km from about km 11.8, up George Street and Pitt Street into the city centre, where the measured profile rises about 59 m. King Street, Castlereagh Street, Bligh Street and Bent Street take the course across the top to Macquarie Street, and the descent is quicker than the climb: the road is back at 33.7 m by km 14.1, on Prince Albert Road. This is the hill to run by effort rather than by the watch.

Km 14.2 to 28.3: Oxford Street and Anzac Parade

College Street and Oxford Street bring a second, gentler rise of about 20 m, to 54 m by km 16 on Flinders Street. At km 16.3 the course turns onto Anzac Parade, which carries it for nearly 11 of the next 12 km. The road falls to about 28 m by km 20, with a short detour along Dacey Avenue from km 17.9 to km 19.2, then runs level, between 28 m and 33 m, to the turn at about km 22.9 and back north on the same road. The way back gains about 17 m between km 26 and the end of Anzac Parade at km 28.3. Halfway falls on this stretch, and the long out and back on one road is where an even pace takes the most concentration.

Km 28.3 to 36.2: Centennial Park

From Anzac Parade the course takes the Moore Park bus roadway and a cycle path to Driver Avenue, Lang Road and Federation Way, and runs a loop of Centennial Park on Grand Drive from about km 30.3 to km 33.9. The organiser lists the loop among the course highlights. Grand Drive climbs about 11 m, from 35 m at km 31 to 46 m near km 32.5, and gives some of it back by the time it leaves the park. Lang Road, Driver Avenue and Moore Park Road then lead back towards the city, rising about 14 m to 54.6 m at km 36.2 on Flinders Street, the last high point of the course.

Km 36.2 to 42.2: down to the harbour and the Opera House

Oxford Street and College Street take the course back down: 43 m lost in 2.5 km, to 11.3 m at km 38.7. Prince Albert Road and Art Gallery Road lead to Mrs Macquaries Road at km 38.3, which runs out to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair in the Royal Botanic Garden, near km 39.2, and back. Then comes the last real rise of the day, about 22 m, back up Art Gallery Road and Prince Albert Road to 33.5 m at km 41.1 on Macquarie Street. The final 1.1 km runs down Macquarie Street, losing about 17 m, and finishes on Cahill Walk at the Sydney Opera House.

The organiser had not published the 2027 race-week details by 30 October 2026. What follows is the 2026 pattern unless it says 2027; check the organiser’s pages in the weeks before the race. The TCS Sydney Mini Marathon is on Saturday 28 August 2027, the day before the marathon, and the organiser says more on it will come in the first quarter of 2027.

The Running Show and bib collection

In 2026 the expo, called The Running Show, ran from Thursday 27 to Saturday 29 August at Sydney Showground, 1 Showground Road, in Sydney Olympic Park. It opened from 9am to 8pm on the Thursday, 8am to 8pm on the Friday and 8am to 4pm on the Saturday. Bibs were not posted and could not be collected on the Sunday morning. Runners booked a collection time in advance and brought the confirmation QR code sent by email and photo ID such as a passport or driver’s licence. The bib carries the timing chip, and the finisher shirt and safety pins came with it.

Getting to the start

The organiser strongly urges public transport on race day because of road closures around the start and along the course. The field gathers in four assembly areas: Purple, Green, Orange and High Performance. Runners in the Purple and Orange groups are directed to North Sydney Station, and the Metro stations at Victoria Cross and Crows Nest serve the start depending on your group. Light rail runs from 3.45am on all lines on race morning, while bus services are heavily affected. Details of any trackwork are published about two weeks out.

The only drop-off for cars is at ANZAC Public School on Anzac Avenue, off Ernest Street, meant for runners from the local area. The accessible drop-off is in the North Sydney Boys High School car park on Falcon Street.

Start groups and the time limit

The elite wheelchair race starts at 6.15am and the mass field at 6.30am, released by start group; the organiser will publish the group timings closer to race day. The time limit is seven hours, counted from the closure of the start window rather than from the gun. Course cut-offs will be published closer to the race, and the organiser says the start window and the cut-off times may change for safety reasons.

Pacers and aid

The organiser runs a pace team, and applications to pace open in 2027; the 2027 pace times had not been published. Along the 2026 course the organiser set out drink stations, gel and electrolyte stations and Party Zones. The 2027 aid station list and the bag drop arrangements had not been published by 30 October 2026.