In short
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is on Sunday 23 May 2027, its first year as an Abbott World Marathon Major, and it starts and finishes in Green Point beside Cape Town Stadium (DHL Stadium). Runners: stay in Green Point, Mouille Point, the V&A Waterfront or De Waterkant and walk 10 to 20 minutes to the start. Supporters: Sea Point puts you on the promenade where runners pass twice near the end, and the city centre is close to City Hall at 30 km. The 2027 ballot closed on 24 June 2026, so most visitors now enter through an official tour operator or a charity, then book a room close to Green Point.
Course sheet In race order, not to scale
- Fritz Sonnenberg Road and Beach RoadTwo starts by the stadium in Green Point and Mouille Point
- Rondebosch Parkkm 17.2 (mile 11)Music and a cheer zone, a short walk from Rondebosch station
- Rondebosch Commonkm 21 (mile 13) · cheer spotThe halfway cheer zone, with Devil's Peak behind
- Salt River Circle and Woodstockkm 26.7 (mile 17)Music and crowds, then Albert Road near the Old Biscuit Mill
- Darling Street and City Hallkm 29.9 (mile 19) · cheer spotCity cheer zone by the Grand Parade and the Castle of Good Hope
- Company's Garden and Long Streetkm 30.7 (mile 19)The steepest climb of the day, then down Long Street
- Sea Point Promenadekm 36.3 (mile 23) · cheer spotAbout 3 km out along the ocean and back, so you see runners twice
- Vlei Road, Green PointFinish on the blue carpet beside the stadium
Race morning
There are two starts a few minutes apart, on Fritz Sonnenberg Road beside the stadium and on Beach Road in Mouille Point, and your seeding email tells you which is yours. Start times for 2027 are not out yet (in 2026 the elite race went at 08:00 and the last wave at 09:06), and the sun rises at about 07:35, so expect to walk there in the dark or at first light: stay on the main roads with other runners. There is almost no parking in Green Point, so walk if you can; in 2026 free shuttles ran from 05:30 from Civic Centre, Thibault Square and CTICC MyCiTi stations, park and ride buses ran from Century City and UCT, and there was no race-morning shuttle from the V&A Waterfront.
Where to stay
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Start Finish Acheer spot Course
Live map · Green Point and Mouille PointHotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 21 May to Mon 24 May
Open the live map for Green Point and Mouille Point ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.
Watch the race
Ride the Southern Line train out to Rondebosch for halfway, come back into town for City Hall at 30 km, then walk to the finish, or stay in Sea Point and cheer twice on the promenade.
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km 21 (mile 13)
Rondebosch Common
The halfway cheer zone, and the Rondebosch Park zone (17.2 km) is a short walk from Rondebosch station. In 2026 a special event train ran on the Southern Line; the Common is about 20 minutes on foot from the station, and the train takes you back to Cape Town station for the next spot.
Stays near Rondebosch Common ↗ -
km 29.9 (mile 19)
City Hall and the Grand Parade
The City's cheer zone, with music, outside City Hall, about 10 minutes on foot from Cape Town station. Runners then climb through the Company's Garden and run down Long Street, and the finish is about 45 minutes away on foot.
Stays near Darling Street and City Hall ↗ -
km 36.3 (mile 23)
Sea Point Promenade
Runners go about 3 km out along the ocean and back, so you see them twice from one spot. It is easiest if you stay in Sea Point or Green Point; from City Hall it is about an hour on foot, so most people choose one or the other.
Stays near Sea Point Promenade ↗ -
Meet your runner
The finish is on Vlei Road, with public seating on a first-come basis. The 2027 family meeting area is not published yet; in 2026 the race village sat beside Green Point Urban Park, and the V&A Waterfront is about 20 minutes on foot for lunch.
The official hotels, explained
The race's International Travel Program lists two official tour partners, Sports Tours International and Marathon Tours & Travel, plus other approved tour operators, and their packages come with a guaranteed entry (the entry fee is extra). Marathon Tours & Travel's 2027 packages are 4 or 5 nights, and all payments are non-refundable.
| Official hotel offer | Our maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Sports Tours International and Marathon Tours & Travel | Every hotel and rental near each area |
| Prices | Listed on the official site | Live prices from several booking sites |
| Minimum stay and cancellation | Marathon Tours & Travel: 4 or 5 night packages, a 30% deposit plus the entry fee, and no refunds. Sports Tours International does not publish its terms. | Filter for free cancellation |
| Need to buy a package? | Yes | No |
See the official hotel offer ↗ · We link to the official option and explain its terms, so you can compare before you book.
When to book
- NowBook a room with free cancellation near the start.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- Sun, 23 May 2027Race day.
Free guide
The Unofficial 2027 Cape Town Marathon Where to Stay Guide
Every area, the race morning plan and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Questions
Where should I stay for the Cape Town Marathon?
In Green Point or Mouille Point, the V&A Waterfront or De Waterkant. All are 10 to 20 minutes on foot from the start and finish beside Cape Town Stadium, so you skip race-morning transport.
When is the 2027 Cape Town Marathon?
Sunday 23 May 2027, with the 5 km and 10 km Peace Runs and the trail races on Saturday 22 May. The race moved from October to May in 2026, a change announced in March 2025 because May is cooler and less windy. The October 2025 race was then cancelled on race morning because of high winds.
Is it better to stay near the start or the finish?
You do not have to choose. Both starts and the finish are a few minutes apart around the stadium in Green Point, so one base covers all three.
How do I get to the start on race morning?
Walk if you stay in Green Point, Mouille Point, the Waterfront or De Waterkant. In 2026 free shuttles ran from Civic Centre, Thibault Square and CTICC MyCiTi stations and park and ride buses from Century City and UCT; there is almost no parking near the start.
Where can supporters watch the Cape Town Marathon?
Rondebosch Common at halfway, City Hall and the Company's Garden around 30 to 32 km, and the Sea Point Promenade from 36 to 41 km, where runners pass twice. Use the Southern Line train for Rondebosch and walk in town.
How do international runners get a place?
The 2027 ballot ran from 10 to 24 June 2026 and is closed. Places through official tour operators and charities opened on 26 June 2026, first come, first served.
Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18