3-Länder-Marathon 2027: Lindau to Bregenz through three countries

Start on the island of Lindau, turn in Switzerland, finish in a stadium in Bregenz: what makes the Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon on Lake Constance special, how boat, train and bag drop work, and why registering early for 2027 pays off.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 8 min read

3-Länder-Marathon 2027: Lindau to Bregenz through three countries

At the Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon (three-countries marathon) you start on an island in Germany, run through Austria, turn in Switzerland and finish in a stadium in Bregenz. The start is in the harbour of Lindau, around 60 percent of the course runs along Lake Constance, and the total elevation difference is only 17 metres according to the organiser (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Sparkasse Marathon). The 19th edition takes place on Sunday, 11 October 2026. This page already looks ahead to 2027: what makes the event special, how the logistics work between two towns and two countries, and what to watch for when you register.

The 2027 date has not been announced yet (as of 3 October 2026). For orientation: in 2025 the marathon took place on 12 October, in 2026 on 11 October – both times on the second Sunday of October (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press).

Key facts

2026 edition (for orientation)
Date Sunday, 11 October 2026 (19th edition) · 2027: to be announced
Start Lindau harbour (Lake Constance), Germany
Finish Stadium in Bregenz, Austria
Start times Marathon, marathon relay and quarter marathon 9:45 am · half marathon and Nordic walking 10:30 am · spark7 youth run (5 km) 10:25 am from Lochau harbour
Cut-off 4:30 pm, i.e. 6¾ hours for the marathon
Elevation 17 m between the lowest (398 m) and highest point (415 m)
Marathon entry fee €82 (until 31 Dec 2025) to €105 (until 25 Sep 2026), late entry €110
Course records Men 2:09:15 (Mark Kiptoo, 2023) · women 2:30:02 (Aynalem Kashun, 2022)
2025 edition more than 12,000 entries for race Sunday plus almost 3,000 children on Saturday

Sources: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at (Sparkasse Marathon, registration, programme, FAQ, press). As of 3 October 2026.

One course, three countries

The course is point-to-point and measured to World Athletics and AIMS rules (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Sparkasse Marathon). The first kilometres lead through the island town of Lindau and along the German lakeshore. Then you cross into Austria and, in Bregenz, run across the Seebühne, the floating stage of the Bregenz Festival. Marinas line the Austrian shore before you cross the Swiss border at St. Margrethen – with cowbells but no passport check, as the organiser puts it. After a short stretch in Switzerland, the course follows the Rhine for about 3 kilometres back to the lake and into the stadium in Bregenz (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

For your pacing, elevation is a non-issue: 17 metres of difference spread over 42.195 kilometres is practically flat (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Sparkasse Marathon). The challenge is the lakeside paths. The organiser does not allow running buggies because the course is narrow in places, especially along the shore (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ). Expect some crowding at these spots and keep the first kilometres a little too easy rather than too fast. Pacers with flags for different finish times run in both the marathon and the half marathon (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

The course records show how fast it can be: Mark Kiptoo ran 2:09:15 in 2023, and Aynalem Kashun has held the women's record of 2:30:02 since 2022 (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

Start in Lindau, finish in Bregenz: how the logistics work

Because start and finish are separated by part of the lake, race morning works differently from a city marathon on a loop. This is how it worked in 2026:

Driving from Germany, the organiser points you along the A 96; no Austrian motorway vignette is needed, and you leave the A 14 right after the Pfänder tunnel towards Bregenz and the lakeside car parks P1 to P4 (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

Aid stations and time limit

There are aid stations every 5 kilometres and at the finish, plus extra water stations in between from kilometre 12.5 (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Sparkasse Marathon). The organiser takes your own bottles to the points at kilometres 10, 17, 21.8, 25.5, 29.5, 34.3 and 40.3; in 2026 they had to be handed in by 5 pm on Saturday at the info desk in the Festspielhaus (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

The finish closes at 4:30 pm. The sweeper bus travels at 6.5 km/h. If it catches you, you either get on or hand in your bib and continue at your own risk alongside traffic (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ). If you are aiming for around six hours, keep that in mind.

Quarter, half, full or as a relay

Besides the marathon, the 2026 programme included the Skinfit half marathon, the vkw quarter marathon over 10.9 kilometres, Nordic walking over the same distance, the spark7 youth run over 5 kilometres and the children's marathon in the Bodensee stadium on Saturday (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, programme). All adult races start in Lindau and finish in Bregenz (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press).

For a running group, the VN.at marathon relay for teams of four is worth a look. In 2026 the legs were: 10 km from Lindau to Bregenz, 7 km from Bregenz to Hard, 9 km from Hard to St. Margrethen and 16 km from St. Margrethen back to Bregenz. A shuttle by bus and train serves the changeover points (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, relay marathon). Everyone aged 16 and over can take part, with men's, women's and mixed teams ranked separately. The final leg is the longest at 16 kilometres – that is where your strongest runner belongs.

If you prefer training with others, running in the Allgäu lists Lauftreffs (group runs) and run clubs in the region. A regular group also makes it much easier to put a relay team together.

Registering for 2027: being early pays twice

Prices for 2027 have not been published. The 2026 edition shows how the system works: the fee rises by date. The marathon cost €82 until 31 December 2025, €85 until 31 March, €90 until 30 June, €98 until 31 August, €105 until 25 September and €110 as a late entry. The half marathon went from €49 to €70, the relay from €128 to €165 per team (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, registration).

The second reason: the half marathon sold out in 2026, and there is no waiting list (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Skinfit half marathon). For the marathon alone, the organiser reported more than 2,500 entries back in 2025 (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press).

Third, the small print: entry fees are not refunded. In 2026 you could transfer your place to someone else free of charge until 25 September; on race weekend it costs a €12 handling fee at the Festspielhaus (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ). Registration is online only, via the Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon registration page.

Where spectators gather

The organiser recommends the start at Lindau harbour, Lochau harbour, the Bregenz lakeside promenade, the centre of Hard, St. Margrethen with the Swiss section and turning point, and the finish in the stadium (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press). Spectators travel free on buses and trains on race Sunday with a coupon and can reach several points that way (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press). If friends come along, agree beforehand where to meet: after the start in Lindau you pass Hard and St. Margrethen only once.

Looking back: 2025

The 18th edition on 12 October 2025 reported more than 12,000 entries for race Sunday, a record, plus almost 3,000 children in Saturday's races. Hosea Tuwei of Kenya won the marathon in 2:12:30; the women's race went to Rholex Jelimo, also from Kenya, in 2:34:28 ahead of Rabea Schöneborn in 2:36:39. Brian Kipchumba (1:04:28) and Tereza Novotna (1:17:33) won the half marathon (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press). For 2026 the organiser expected more than 16,000 participants from over 90 countries (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press).

Where it fits

The 3-Länder-Marathon features in our annual overview of running events in the Allgäu, alongside mountain races and the Allgäu Panorama Marathon, which brings far more climbing in August. If you would rather run a big city marathon in October, compare it with the Munich Marathon or the Frankfurt Marathon. All dates for next year are collected in the 2027 marathon calendar.

How the race on Lake Constance compares with Berlin, Hamburg or Cologne is covered in our overview of Germany's biggest marathons.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the 3-Länder-Marathon 2027?
The 2027 date has not been published yet (as of 3 October 2026). In 2025 the marathon was held on 12 October, in 2026 on 11 October – both on the second Sunday of October (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, press).
Where do the races start and finish?
All adult races start at the harbour in Lindau (Lake Constance) and finish in the stadium in Bregenz. Only the spark7 youth run started at Lochau harbour in 2026 (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, programme).
How do I get to the start in Lindau?
The organiser recommends travelling to Bregenz and taking the special boats to Lindau; the crossing takes about 20 minutes and your bib is your ticket. Alternatively, take the train free with your bib – the station is right next to the start on the island (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).
How hard is the course?
It is very flat: 17 metres separate the lowest point (398 m) and the highest (415 m). It runs mostly on tarmac and is narrow along some lakeside sections (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, Sparkasse Marathon and FAQ).
Is there a relay?
Yes, the VN.at marathon relay for teams of four aged 16 and over. In 2026 the legs were 10, 7, 9 and 16 kilometres, with a bus and train shuttle to the changeover points (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, relay marathon).
Do I get my entry fee back if I can't start?
No, there are no refunds. In 2026 you could transfer your place to someone else free of charge until 25 September, and on race weekend for a €12 handling fee (source: sparkasse-3-laender-marathon.at, FAQ).

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