Is the 2027 London Marathon really on two days?

Yes. London Marathon Events confirmed the two-day format for 2027 only: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, with about 100,000 finishers across the weekend.

No. Entrants run one day in person; the other can be done as the virtual MyWay event.

Which day will I be given?

The organizer assigns the day. Book a hotel that covers Friday to Monday rather than guessing, because changing a London hotel in April 2027 will cost more than the extra night.

Where should I stay to reach the start?

Greenwich or Blackheath. The start is at Blackheath and the trains there fill from 06:00 on race morning; staying south of the river turns a 90-minute crossing into a 20-minute walk.

Does the expo have to be visited in person?

Numbers are handed over at the Running Show at ExCeL, 20–24 April 2027, so plan at least one extra day in London before you race.

TCS London Marathon 2027

Name: TCS London Marathon 2027
Start: 2027-04-24
End: 2027-04-25
Location: The Mall (finish)

London, United Kingdom

24–25 Apr 2027

Confirmed by organizer

London Marathon Events announced "The Double" on 19 June 2026: two race days for one year only, with about 100,000 finishers across the weekend. The race reverts to a single Sunday from 2028.

175days to go

Hotels for these dates

Right Weekend earns a commission when you book through links on this page. It never affects which days or districts we recommend.

Our verdict

Go: Saturday 24 April if you are running, Sunday 25 April if you are watching
Stay: Greenwich & Blackheath for runners, Westminster for spectators
Book by: October 2026 — the ballot result in July 2026 already emptied the central hotels

The only two-day London Marathon there will be. Runners get one of the days, not both, and the hotel market has to absorb twice the usual field. Stay on the side of the river you start from, and treat the Saturday as the quieter, cheaper race day.

Illustration: a wide river bridge filled with distance runners on an overcast spring morning, spectators behind barriers, soft grey light — Illustration — a generated image of the kind of scene, not a photograph of the venue.

Which days to go

Day	What happens	Crowd	Hotel price	Our call
Race day oneSat 24 Apr	The first of the two marathons; the Running Show at ExCeL closes the same day		×2.2	The better day to run — fewer spectators at the back of the field, and you still have Sunday in London afterwards
Race day twoSun 25 Apr	The second marathon, with the elite fields and the television coverage		×2.4	The day to watch rather than run; the finish on The Mall is at its fullest

Hotel price is what the same hotel costs on these dates against its rate four weeks before the event. Crowd and price are our estimates from how the event has run, not live rates.

Where to stay

The Mall (finish)North is up. Numbers match the table.

#	District	To the venue	Price	What it is
1	Westminster & St James's	10 min walk	$$$$	Walk to the finish line and back to bed; the most expensive postcode of the weekend
2	Southwark & London Bridge	25 min metro	$$$	South of the river on the course itself, Jubilee line straight to the start or finish
3	Greenwich & Blackheath	20 min walk	$$	The start is here — roll out of bed at 08:00 instead of crossing London at dawn
4	Canary Wharf & Docklands	25 min metro	$$	Next to the ExCeL expo and on the course at mile 19; good value, quiet on Sunday
5	The City	20 min metro	$$	Empties at the weekend, which is why it is the cheapest central option

Hotel	What it is	Book
Westminster & St James's
The Royal Horseguards Hotel	Five minutes from the finish; the shortest walk back to a bath in London	Booking Expedia
Premier Inn London County Hall	Across the river from the finish, the cheapest reliable bed in walking distance	Booking Expedia
Greenwich & Blackheath
DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich	Twenty minutes' walk to the Blackheath start pens	Booking Expedia
Premier Inn London Greenwich	Same walk, half the price; book the Friday night too	Booking Expedia
Canary Wharf & Docklands
Novotel London ExCeL	Attached to the expo, on the DLR for both start and finish	Booking Expedia
The City
Leonardo Royal London City	Quiet at the weekend, 20 minutes to The Mall on the District line	Booking Expedia

When to book

12 mo beforeApril 2026
Westminster and Greenwich at a normal rate, before the ballot results land
Already gone
9 mo beforeJuly 2026
Everything within a 20-minute walk of the start or the finish
Already gone
6 mo beforeOctober 2026
Central zone 1 rooms with a Saturday and Sunday night together
Already gone
2 mo beforeFebruary 2027
Zone 2 and the airport hotels; what is left needs a 06:00 tube

Getting there

Runners collect their number at the TCS London Marathon Running Show at ExCeL, open 20–24 April 2027. If you are racing on the Saturday, collect on the Thursday or Friday — do not leave it to the morning.

The start is at Blackheath, reached from Greenwich, Blackheath or Maze Hill stations; the finish is on The Mall, five minutes from Charing Cross and St James’s Park. The two are 40 minutes apart by train, which is why the side of the river matters more than the price.

Road closures run across central and south-east London on both days. The Underground runs a Sunday-style service, and bridges around the course shut from early morning.

Flights to LHR Trains and buses

Tickets

Ballot, charity places and the Running Show (London Marathon Events)Official

Questions

Is the 2027 London Marathon really on two days?: Yes. London Marathon Events confirmed the two-day format for 2027 only: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, with about 100,000 finishers across the weekend.
Can I run both days?: No. Entrants run one day in person; the other can be done as the virtual MyWay event.
Which day will I be given?: The organizer assigns the day. Book a hotel that covers Friday to Monday rather than guessing, because changing a London hotel in April 2027 will cost more than the extra night.
Where should I stay to reach the start?: Greenwich or Blackheath. The start is at Blackheath and the trains there fill from 06:00 on race morning; staying south of the river turns a 90-minute crossing into a 20-minute walk.
Does the expo have to be visited in person?: Numbers are handed over at the Running Show at ExCeL, 20–24 April 2027, so plan at least one extra day in London before you race.

Updated 2026-10-29 ·See every event in 2027