In short
The TCS Sydney Marathon is on Sunday 29 August 2027. It is point to point: it starts on Miller Street in North Sydney, crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishes at the Sydney Opera House. Most runners and supporters are best around Circular Quay, The Rocks or the CBD, a walk from the finish and one metro or train ride from the start; stay in North Sydney if you want to walk to the start. Ballot results come out on 3 November 2026, so book a room you can cancel as soon as you know you are in.
Course sheet In race order, not to scale
- Miller Street, North SydneyStart beside St Leonards Park and North Sydney Oval. In 2026 group starts ran from 06:30 to about 08:20.
- Sydney Harbour Bridgekm 2 (mile 1)Crossed around km 2. The bridge was closed to traffic from 03:00 to 11:00 on race day in 2026.
- Pyrmont and Darling Harbourkm 6 (mile 4)After the bridge the course loops west through Pyrmont and Ultimo, roughly km 5 to 9, before Barangaroo at km 10.
- The Rocks, George Street at Alfred Streetkm 11.9 (mile 7) · cheer spotOfficial party zone with a raised viewing platform, a few minutes on foot from Circular Quay station.
- Driver Avenue, Moore Parkkm 29 (mile 18) · cheer spotOfficial SCG Block Party zone. Runners pass at km 29 and again at km 34.8 (mile 21.6), around the Anzac Parade out and back to Kingsford and the Centennial Park loop.
- Centennial Parkkm 33.3 (mile 21)A loop of the park on Grand Drive, with a party zone at The Homestead at km 33.3.
- Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Royal Botanic Gardenkm 39.2 (mile 24)Harbour views at km 39.2. Walk in only, via Art Gallery Road and Mrs Macquarie's Road.
- Top of Macquarie Streetkm 40.8 (mile 25) · cheer spotOfficial party zone by Hyde Park, passed at km 14 (mile 8.7) and again at km 40.8. Closest stations are St James and Martin Place.
- Sydney Opera HouseFinish on the Opera House forecourt. Runners keep walking into the Royal Botanic Garden for medals, bags and the reunite zone.
Race morning
Runners take the train to North Sydney station or the metro to Victoria Cross (Purple and Orange groups) or Crows Nest (Green group), then follow the signs to St Leonards Park; allow 10 to 15 minutes on foot. In 2026 your bib was your ticket on public transport, extra metro services ran from about 03:30, and the first group could enter its assembly area from 05:00 (not earlier). The Harbour Bridge closes to traffic from 03:00, so do not count on a taxi, and in 2026 there was no bag drop at the start (bags were handed in at the Running Show).
Where to stay
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Start Finish Acheer spot Course
Live map · North SydneyHotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 27 Aug to Mon 30 Aug
Open the live map for North Sydney ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.
Watch the race
Watch at The Rocks, ride the train and light rail to Moore Park to see your runner twice, then come back to Macquarie Street for the last stretch and meet in the Royal Botanic Garden.
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km 11.9 (mile 7)
The Rocks
An official party zone a few minutes from Circular Quay station, easy if you stay by the harbour. Then take a train from Circular Quay to Central and the L3 light rail from Central to Moore Park.
Stays near The Rocks, George Street at Alfred Street ↗ -
km 29 (mile 18)
Driver Avenue, Moore Park
Runners come past twice, about 6 km apart, so one spot gives you two sightings. In 2026 the L3 light rail ran only between Town Hall and Moore Park on race day (05:45 to 14:30), so ride it from the city, not from Kingsford.
Stays near Driver Avenue, Moore Park ↗ -
km 40.8 (mile 25)
Top of Macquarie Street
Ride the light rail back to Central and the metro to Martin Place (or a train to St James) for the last 1.4 km. If your runner is fast, follow the live tracking in the official app and go straight to the finish area instead.
Stays near Top of Macquarie Street ↗ -
Meet your runner
After the line, runners walked about 600 m on for medals in 2026, then to bag pickup and the Participant Reunite zone in the Royal Botanic Garden, which is set out under lettered flags. Agree on a letter before the race; Circular Quay is the closest station.
The official hotels, explained
Marathon Tours & Travel, the official travel partner, sells 2027 hotel stays: hotel-only rooms for 2 or more nights for runners who already have an entry (listed as coming soon in late October 2026), and supported packages of 3 or more nights that include guaranteed entry. You pay in full to confirm, and cancelling costs AUD 75 before 1 January 2027, then 30%, then 50%, and the full price within 45 days of arrival.
| Official hotel offer | Our maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | 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 | Hotel-only rooms from 2 nights, paid in full to confirm. Cancelling costs AUD 75 before 1 January 2027, then 30%, 50% and the full price within 45 days of arrival. | Filter for free cancellation |
| Need to buy a package? | No | 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.
- Tue, 3 Nov 2026Lottery results. The booking rush starts.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- Sun, 29 Aug 2027Race day.
Free guide
The Unofficial 2027 Sydney 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 Sydney Marathon?
Around Circular Quay, The Rocks or the CBD suits most runners and supporters: you can walk back from the Opera House finish, and the start in North Sydney is one metro or train ride away. Stay in North Sydney if walking to the start matters most to you.
Is it better to stay near the start or the finish for the Sydney Marathon?
For most people, the finish side. The metro from Martin Place to Victoria Cross takes about 5 minutes and early services run from about 03:30, while after 42 km you will want a short walk to your room. North Sydney is great on race morning but means a train back across the harbour afterwards.
How do I get to the Sydney Marathon start on race morning?
Take the train to North Sydney or the metro to Victoria Cross or Crows Nest, depending on your start group, then walk 10 to 15 minutes to St Leonards Park. In 2026 travel was free with your bib. The Harbour Bridge is closed to traffic from 03:00, so taxis and drop-offs from the city are not a good plan.
Where can supporters watch the Sydney Marathon?
The official party zones in 2026 were Barangaroo (km 10), The Rocks (km 11.9), the top of Macquarie Street (km 14 and 40.8), Taylor Square (km 15.4 and 36.2), Driver Avenue in Moore Park (km 29 and 34.8), Centennial Park (km 33.3) and Mrs Macquarie's Chair (km 39.2). Use trains, the metro and the L3 light rail to Moore Park to move between them.
When do Sydney Marathon 2027 ballot results come out?
On 3 November 2026, when successful entrants are charged. If you miss out, the race offers other routes such as the Travel Program and the Charity Program, which open for applications in 2027.
Where do I pick up my Sydney Marathon bib?
At the Running Show before race day. In 2026 it ran from Thursday 27 to Saturday 29 August at Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park, with photo ID required and no pickup on race morning. The 2027 dates and venue are not published yet.
Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16