Garmin Gdańsk Half Marathon 2026 — route, start times, getting there and where to stay
The Garmin Gdańsk Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday 27 September 2026. The start is scheduled for 10:00 at Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk in the Letnica district, with the finish inside the stadium. The day before, on Saturday 26 September, children race in the afternoon and the Night Five sets off at 20:00. Below is what visiting runners ask about most often: times, route, cut-off, transport and where to sleep.
Key facts
| Main race date | Sunday 27 September 2026 |
| Start time | 10:00 (warm-up 9:30–9:40) |
| Distance | 21.0975 km, PZLA certified, flat, asphalt |
| Cut-off | 3 hours net |
| Start and finish | Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk, ul. Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk 1 (start near car park P5) |
| Night Five | Saturday 26 September, 20:00, 5 km, 50 minute limit |
| Children’s races | Saturday 26 September, from 16:20 |
| Entry fee | roughly 150 to 270 zloty, depending on when you enter |
| Entries | polmaratongdansk.pl |
Entries and the entry fee
The entry fee is tiered by date: the closer to race day, the more you pay. In 2026 the individual entry falls roughly between 150 and 270 zloty, and four-person relay teams cost proportionally more per team. Always check the current tier in the organiser’s price list, because rates and deadlines are occasionally adjusted.
Online entries close at 8:00 on 27 September, but in practice something else decides: the field limit. The regulations mention ten thousand places in the individual race, while in July 2026 the organiser announced that more than twelve thousand runners had already registered and that limits were being raised. The number of places is therefore a moving target and it is unwise to wait until September.
One detail that catches visitors out is bib personalisation. To have your name printed on the number you must pay the entry fee early enough. The organiser gives two different cut-off dates for this in the regulations and on the race pack page, so if a personalised bib matters to you, assume the earlier one.
Route, cut-off and bag drop
The course measures 21.0975 km, carries a Polish Athletics Association certificate, and is flat and fully paved. Refreshment points sit at kilometres 5.5, 10.5 and 16. That is a favourable set-up for anyone chasing a personal best: no climbs and a consistent surface.
The organiser does not publish a written list of the streets the race passes through. The route page offers a map, an elevation profile and a GPX file for your watch. If you want to plan where supporting family should stand, that file is the most reliable source.
The cut-off is 3 hours net, counted from crossing the start line. Runners line up in start zones based on their declared finishing time, from red for the fastest to yellow for the slower ones. Anyone paying the entry fee in late August or later may not be guaranteed their chosen zone.
The bag drop operates at the stadium, opening an hour before the start and closing as the award ceremony begins. You pick up a bag at the entrance to the zone and collect your belongings against your race number. The regulations ban running with poles, with a dog and with a handbike, but allow a pushchair and even provide a separate family classification for it.
Getting to the stadium and parking
Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk sits in Letnica, about five kilometres from Długi Targ. The nearest railway stop is Gdańsk Stadion Expo, a few minutes on foot from the stadium; from the city centre the journey takes around fifteen minutes. Trams and buses serve the area as well. Current timetables and any race-day changes are published at ztm.gda.pl.
By car from the centre it is a matter of fifteen minutes or so, but the area around the stadium gets tight on Sunday morning. The start zone occupies the area around car park P5, so some parking spaces are out of use. If you are staying in the centre, the train is faster and spares you the search for a space.
The organiser has not yet published a list of road closures or diversions. These usually appear in city and operator announcements a few days before the race, so it is worth checking again in late September.
The running weekend programme
Friday 25 September belongs to the race office: race packs are handed out from 13:00 to 20:00 at the stadium. If you are travelling from far away, this is the calmest moment to collect your number.
Saturday 26 September starts with the children. The Junior Gdańsk races begin at 16:20, with age categories setting off every few minutes and the award ceremony at 18:15. In the evening, at 20:00, the Night Five leaves the stadium over 5 kilometres, with a 50 minute limit and awards at 21:00. The EXPO is open all day, from 10:00 to 20:00.
Sunday 27 September is half marathon day. The EXPO opens at 7:00, the race office hands out packs until 8:00, the warm-up is at 9:30 and the start at 10:00. The first runners reach the finish around 11:00, the award ceremony is at 13:30 and the event closes at 14:00. The full schedule, with the organiser’s note that it may change, is on the event programme page.
What to see in Gdańsk while you are here
Late September is one of the better moments to visit Gdańsk. The summer crowds have gone and the city is still fully awake. The Main Town, Długi Targ, the Crane and a walk along the Motława fit into two unhurried hours, so you can easily do it on Saturday before the Night Five or on Sunday after the ceremony.
If you arrive with family and part of the group is not running, the European Solidarity Centre and the former shipyard grounds are a good call, roughly halfway between the centre and the stadium. After the race, food matters most: we have a separate piece on where to eat in Gdańsk without falling into a tourist trap near Długi Targ.
Many runners fly in for the weekend. We described the fastest ways from Lech Wałęsa Airport to the centre step by step in a separate guide to the airport transfer.
Frequently asked questions — Garmin Gdańsk Half Marathon 2026
When is the Garmin Gdańsk Half Marathon 2026?
The main race over 21.0975 km takes place on Sunday 27 September 2026, starting at 10:00. The running weekend begins earlier: the race office opens on Friday 25 September, and Saturday 26 September brings the children’s races and the Night Five.
All times come from the organiser’s programme, which itself notes that the schedule may change.
What time does the half marathon start?
The half marathon starts at 10:00 on Sunday 27 September. A joint warm-up takes place in the start zone between 9:30 and 9:40.
The first runners reach the finish around 11:00, the award ceremony is set for 13:30 and the event closes at 14:00.
What is the cut-off time for the Gdańsk Half Marathon?
The limit is 3 hours net, counted from the moment you cross the start line rather than from the gun. Runners who miss it must stop and leave the course.
The organiser provides pacemakers for finishing times from 1:19:59 to 2:29:59, so it is easy to find a group running at your pace.
Where are the start and the finish?
The start is on the grounds of Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk in the Letnica district, near car park P5. The finish is inside the stadium itself, at ul. Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk 1.
The race office, the EXPO and the bag drop are all in the same place, so the whole weekend logistics sit at one address.
How much is the entry fee and when do entries close?
The fee rises as the race approaches and in 2026 falls roughly between 150 and 270 zloty for the individual race. Always check the current tier on the organiser’s website, as prices change.
Online entries are accepted until 8:00 on 27 September 2026, although in practice the field limit fills up first.
Is there a bag drop during the race?
Yes. The bag drop operates at Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk, in the area marked as depozyt. It opens one hour before the start and closes when the award ceremony begins.
You collect the bag at the entrance to the zone and items are returned against your race number.
How do I get to Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk?
The nearest railway stop is Gdańsk Stadion Expo, a few minutes on foot from the stadium. From the city centre the ride takes around fifteen minutes; trams and buses also serve the area.
Check timetables and any disruptions directly with the operators, because services are usually reinforced on race day and some streets are closed.
What is the Night Five and when does it take place?
The Night Five is a 5 kilometre race held on Saturday 26 September at 20:00, with the start and finish also at Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk. The course is certified, flat and paved, and the cut-off is 50 minutes net.
It works well for families arriving for the weekend: children run in the afternoon, adults in the evening, and Sunday is left for the half marathon or for sightseeing.
Where should I stay during the Gdańsk Half Marathon?
The city centre is the most convenient base. From central Gdańsk the urban railway reaches the stadium in around fifteen minutes, and after the race everything is within walking distance instead of out on the outskirts.
An apartment often beats a hotel room here: you get your own kitchen for an early breakfast, a washing machine for kit after the race and room for the whole group.
Where to stay near the start
The race starts at 10:00 and the race office and bag drop open early, so staying in Tricity saves you hours of sleep and a good deal of stress. Central Gdańsk is the most sensible base: the urban railway reaches the stadium in around fifteen minutes, and after the race you return to the city rather than to the outskirts.
An apartment works better here than a hotel room. You get your own kitchen for a dawn breakfast, a washing machine for sweaty kit, space for the family or the whole running crew, and quiet when you need an early night. Browse all our apartments in Gdańsk or go straight to apartments in the centre.
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