When, on the morning of Sunday, June 28, 2026, countless running fans once again strike up the classic chant—inspired by local musician Hans Albers—veteran runners know: now things are getting serious! The starting gun for the hella hamburg half marathon is just moments away, as more than 24,000 participants set off on a 21.1-kilometer party.
This has to be experienced!
It all begins with the course itself. The city route has been designed to pack as many tourist attractions as possible into its 21.0975 kilometers—nearly 50 in total.
The race kicks off on Hamburg’s infamous nightlife strip, where, for one morning, the party moves from the clubs out onto the streets of the world famous Reeperbahn. From there, runners head down toward the harbor, passing the St. Pauli Piers, along the historic warehouse district (a UNESCO world heritage site), through the Wallring Tunnel, across the Kennedy Bridge, around the Alster lake, and finally to the finish line at the Hamburg exhibition grounds.
And these are just some of the highlights. With so much to see, it’s easy to miss a landmark or two along the way.
The more than 40 event hotspots along the course certainly play their part. On average, every 500 meters, half marathoners receive an extra boost of energy. With DJ support, live music, drums and percussion of all kinds, traditional Low German shanty choirs, a dozen cheering zones and other performing artists, runners are practically carried along the route.
One acoustic and visual highlight follows the next, making the kilometers fly by. And the Hamburg crowd knows its role perfectly well.
On the home stretch, participants are quite literally welcomed onto a blue carpet, greeted by a jubilant crowd. Just a few meters later, they can celebrate themselves as finishers of the hella hamburg half marathon — only about 1.5 kilometers from the starting point on the Reeperbahn, where the festivities first began.
Hamburg can once again look forward to a spectacular event that draws guests from more than 90 nations to the Elbe metropolis each year. A strong international elite field and numerous running crews have already marked their calendars, as one of Germany’s largest half marathons invites runners to join the celebration once again. On June 28, 2026, it will be time to say: Hamburg Half – Double Fun!
But be quick: due to growing demand, registration is limited to 24,000 entries! So head this way to secure your spot as fast as possible.