In short
The 100th Comrades Marathon is on Sunday 13 June 2027, a Down Run of about 91 km that starts at 05:00 outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finishes at the Kings Park rugby precinct in Durban. Staying in Durban, on the beachfront or in Morningside, puts you near the expo and the finish, and you ride a bus or tour coach to the start in the middle of the night; if you would rather be close to the start, book Saturday night in central Pietermaritzburg and Sunday night in Durban. Supporters with a car can stay in Durban or halfway around Hillcrest and cheer at Drummond and Cowies Hill before the finish. Entries closed on 30 September 2026 and the official tour packages show sold out, so if you have a place, book a room you can cancel now.
Course sheet In race order, not to scale
- Pietermaritzburg City HallStart at 05:00 in the dark, to Shosholoza, Chariots of Fire and the cock crow
- Polly Shorttskm 8 (mile 5)One of the Big Five hills, run downhill early in the Down Run
- Cato Ridgekm 30.5 (mile 19)Where the old main road crosses the N3, a busy spectator spot
- Inchangakm 40 (mile 25)One of the Big Five hills, just before halfway
- Drummondkm 45 (mile 28) · cheer spotHalfway, with Arthur's Seat and the Wall of Honour just beyond
- Fields Hillkm 65 (mile 40)The long, steep drop from Kloof into Pinetown
- Cowies Hillkm 72 (mile 45) · cheer spotThe last of the Big Five hills, above Pinetown
- Kings Park, DurbanNew finish at the Kings Park rugby precinct, next to Moses Mabhida Stadium
Race morning
The race starts at 05:00 outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall, almost two hours before sunrise. In 2026 runners started in three groups 15 minutes apart, each with the full 12 hours, and batch entrances closed 15 minutes before each start. Pietermaritzburg is about 90 km from Durban on the N3, so expect to leave Durban in the middle of the night: Marathon Tours & Travel coaches for 2027 leave its hotels at about 02:15, and in 2026, when the start was in Durban, official runner buses from Pietermaritzburg left between 01:00 and 02:00. In 2025 the official buses cost R160 one way, with tickets sold only at the expo or Comrades House and none on race day. In 2026 runners could hand in a tog bag at race pack collection or at the start, and it was carried to the finish.
Where to stay
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Start Finish Acheer spot Course
Live map · Pietermaritzburg city centreHotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 11 Jun to Mon 14 Jun
Open the live map for Pietermaritzburg city centre ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.
Watch the race
With a car, watch the 05:00 start, take the N3 to Drummond for halfway, then on to Pinetown for Cowies Hill and into Durban for the finish, leaving each spot as soon as your runner passes.
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km 45 (mile 28)
Drummond
The official halfway mark and a race spectator point in 2026, on the R103 Old Main Road near Thousand Hills Street, with shops and restaurants, and Arthur's Seat and the Wall of Honour a short walk away. The course is closed to cars, so come on the N3, park well off the road and walk in, then head east on the N3 once your runner is through.
Stays near Drummond ↗ -
km 72 (mile 45)
Cowies Hill
The last of the Big Five hills, with under 20 km to go, right after the long drop down Fields Hill into Pinetown. Come on the N3 and park in Pinetown away from the course; in 2026 the route into central Durban used the M13 and part of the N3, so plan a way to Kings Park that avoids the course and leave as soon as your runner passes.
Stays near Cowies Hill ↗ -
Meet your runner
The finish is at the Kings Park rugby precinct, next to Moses Mabhida Stadium, a new venue the race chose for more room for runners, spectators and Centenary events. The 2027 meeting area and parking are not published yet, so agree on a meeting place before race day as the race advises, and bring a warm layer: the 12-hour cut-off falls at about 17:00 (17:15 and 17:30 for the later start groups in 2026), close to sunset at 17:06.
The official hotels, explained
Marathon Tours & Travel is the race's exclusive official international tour operator. Its 2027 packages in Durban and Umhlanga include coaches to the start, leaving at about 02:15, and a shuttle back from the finish, and runners living outside South Africa can add a guaranteed entry. On 27 October 2026 every package showed sold out.
| Official hotel offer | Our maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Marathon Tours & Travel | Every hotel and rental near each area |
| Prices | From 965 US dollars a person sharing for 3 nights in Umhlanga, or 1,380 US dollars for 5 nights in Durban, plus 325 US dollars for an entry (all sold out on 27 October 2026). | Live prices from several booking sites |
| Minimum stay and cancellation | 3 or 5 nights. Pay 30% plus the entry fee at booking, 50% on 1 December 2026 and the rest by 3 March 2027. Cancel before 1 December 2026 and you lose the deposit; after that you pay 60%, then 80% from 3 March 2027 and 100% from 30 April 2027. | 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.
- Thu, 10 Jun 2027Expo opens. Collect your bib.
- Sat, 12 Jun 2027Last chance to collect your bib.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- Sun, 13 Jun 2027Race day.
Free guide
The Unofficial 2027 Comrades 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 2027 Comrades Marathon?
Durban, on the beachfront or in Morningside, puts you close to the expo and the Kings Park finish, and you ride to the Pietermaritzburg start in the middle of the night. If you would rather sleep near the 05:00 start, book Saturday night in central Pietermaritzburg or Hilton and Sunday night in Durban.
Is the 2027 Comrades an up run or a down run?
A Down Run. It starts outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05:00 and finishes about 91 km later at Kings Park in Durban. It is the 100th Comrades and the 50th Down Run; the 2026 race was an Up Run. Athletics South Africa said in August 2026 that it does not sanction the 2027 race, after a dispute with the organisers; the organisers say it goes ahead on 13 June 2027.
Is it better to stay near the start or the finish?
Near the finish for most people: the expo, the airport and your bed after up to 12 hours on your feet are all in Durban, but you leave for the start in the middle of the night (about 02:15 for the official tour coaches). A Saturday night in Pietermaritzburg gives you more sleep, but you have to move hotels, send your luggage to Durban with a supporter and book Sunday night in Durban too.
How do I get to the start from Durban?
By the official runner bus (R160 one way in 2025, tickets only at the expo or Comrades House and none on race day), a tour operator coach, or a car that drops you off. There is no commuter train between the two cities, which are about 90 km apart on the N3.
Where can supporters watch the Comrades Marathon?
The start at City Hall, Drummond at halfway, Cowies Hill in Pinetown and the finish at Kings Park. Drive the N3, which runs beside the course, park away from the closed route and walk in. Supporters may stand and hand drinks to their runner anywhere on the route, but may not run, cycle or drive alongside.
Can I still get an entry or a travel package?
General entries closed on 30 September 2026 after 56,283 applications for about 28,000 places. The last chance is the official substitution process, with dates due early in 2027. Marathon Tours & Travel's packages with guaranteed entries showed sold out on 27 October 2026.
Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33