CURREX Alsterlauf Hamburg 2027: 10K around the Alster

On 5 September 2027 the Alsterlauf starts again on the Ballindamm: ten kilometres anticlockwise around Hamburg's Outer Alster lake. Here are prices, deadlines, the course and a pacing plan for the loop.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 9 min read

CURREX Alsterlauf Hamburg 2027: 10K around the Alster

On Sunday, 5 September 2027, the CURREX Alsterlauf starts at 9 a.m. on the Ballindamm: ten kilometres once around the Außenalster (Outer Alster lake), right through central Hamburg (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). The event has been held since 1990 (source: de.wikipedia.org) and is what the organiser calls the "Hamburger Zehner", Hamburg's 10K. The entry fee rises by date: until 15 October 2026 the 10 km costs €27, then €32 until 31 December 2026 and €37 until the entry deadline on 24 August 2027 (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).

Alsterlauf 2027 at a glance

Item Details
Date Sunday, 5 September 2027 (subject to official permits, according to the organiser)
Start and finish Ballindamm, all races
Start times 10 km 9:00 · 1 km school race 10:45 · R5K 11:00 · 5 km 11:30
Cut-off 10 km at 10:45 · 5 km at 12:15
Entry fee 10 km €27 until 15 Oct 2026 · €32 until 31 Dec 2026 · €37 until 24 Aug 2027 · €42 from 25 Aug 2027
Entry fee 5 km / R5K €20 until 24 Aug 2027 · €23 from 25 Aug 2027
School race €5 until 24 Aug 2027 · €8 from 25 Aug 2027 (timing included)
Timing fee €3 extra, waived if you own a BMS chip
Entry deadline Tuesday, 24 August 2027, 23:59; late entry afterwards with cash payment at bib pickup, as long as no limit is reached
Age 10 km: born 2013 or earlier · 5 km: born 2017 or earlier · school race: born 2014–2021
Men's course record 28:10 (Calistus Kimtai Kitoo 2023, equalled by Kefyalew Sileshi in 2026)

Sources: alsterlauf-hamburg.de (Infos, FAQ, race report of 6 September 2026). As of 3 October 2026.

Registration: four price tiers by date

You register online on the Alsterlauf registration page; the organiser does not process entries by phone or email (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). Prices rise by date: €27 until 15 October 2026, €32 until the end of the year, €37 until the entry deadline on 24 August 2027 and €42 as a late entry. Add a €3 timing fee unless you own a BMS chip, which you can buy for €19.90 when you register (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). The chip pays off if you race the organiser's events regularly; according to its website it puts on 25 events a year in the Hamburg area (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, home page).

Two points from the small print: there is no refund if you don't start, and bibs are not transferable. According to the FAQ, anyone racing under a false name is banned from all BMS events, and anyone passing on a bib gets at least a three-year ban (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ). Entering early is cheap, but binding.

Clubs and companies can make group entries with an invoice for an extra €10 (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). For late deciders: the 5 km is capped at 500 places (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).

Five races in one morning

The main 10 km race starts at 9 a.m. and loops around the Außenalster. The shorter races stay in the city centre: 5 km, R5K and the 1 km school race are loops on the Ballindamm (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).

The R5K is not a fun run but a talent series run by the German athletics federation (DLV) and German Road Races for 15- to 22-year-olds, with the Alsterlauf as one of its stops (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, R5K). It is open to those born 2005 to 2013, and you must confirm a 5 km time under 22 minutes when you enter (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). If you are not that fast yet, the open 5 km at 11:30 is your race.

There is no walking category: the Alsterlauf is an official DLV road race, and Nordic walking poles are banned just like running buggies and dogs; both lead to disqualification (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ and Infos). Headphones are not allowed either according to the FAQ, while heart-rate monitors are fine (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ).

The lap around the Außenalster, from a runner's point of view

The organiser describes the courses as flat, fully paved, closed to traffic by police and measured to World Athletics/AIMS standards, with every kilometre signposted (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). The measurement certificate for the 10 km is valid until the end of 2028, so your time counts for ranking lists (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ).

Flat does not mean easy at the Alster. According to Wikipedia you run around the lake anticlockwise, the course is fairly exposed to wind, and the small climbs are mainly up Fontenay and over the Alster bridges (source: de.wikipedia.org). The FAQ's list of road closures shows the route: Kennedybrücke and An der Alster, Schöne Aussicht, Bellevue and Krugkoppelbrücke, Harvestehuder Weg, Alsterufer and Alsterterrasse (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ). That gives you a simple pacing plan:

The official course maps for all three loops are on the Alsterlauf website.

Looking back: 6 September 2026

The 10 km drew 4,720 entries in 2026 (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, 2026 report); beforehand the organiser expected at least 5,000 people across all races (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, 2026 participant info). Despite a rain forecast, the weather held.

In the men's race, Kefyalew Sileshi of Ethiopia and Stephen Mwangi Njeri of Kenya fought it out down the home straight. Sileshi won in 28:10, equalling the 2023 course record of Calistus Kimtai Kitoo, with Njeri two seconds behind. Lili Schau of TSV Neustadt won the women's race in 33:39. The Hamburg 10 km championship went to Nicolas Wilde of TH Eilbeck in 30:43 (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, 2026 report). The R5K was won by Jonas Kulgemeyer in 14:32 and Vanessa Mikitenko in 16:22, the open 5 km by Simon Bong in 15:29 and Lisa Schuster in 18:23 (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, 2026 report).

Three races in three weeks: the Hamburger Laufcup

The Alsterlauf opens the Hamburger Laufcup (Hamburg running cup). In 2027 it is followed by the Airport Race over 10 miles on 12 September and the Volkslauf durch das schöne Alstertal, a half marathon, on 26 September (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). All three together cost €65 until 15 October 2026, €70 until the end of the year and €75 until 24 August 2027, plus a one-off €3 timing fee without a BMS chip. There are no late entries for the cup, and you must be born in 2011 or earlier (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). Only those who finish all three races are ranked; the three times are added up (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).

The appeal is the structure: 10 km, 16 km and a half marathon in three weeks make a clear late-summer block that ends with a half marathon you have been building towards for three weeks.

A September race is trained in summer

There are many months between entry and race day. Entering takes a minute; the training falls into a season with its own problems. Counting back from race day:

The challenge of a September race is the heat in July and August. Put fast sessions in the early morning or late evening, and in hot weeks do one speed session too few rather than one too many. The best test run is the Alster loop itself, which you can run all year.

On race day

Start and finish are in the city centre, parking is scarce, and the organiser recommends public transport (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). In 2026 it named the U3 to Mönckebergstraße (under two minutes' walk) and the U1, U2, U4, S1, S2 and S3 to Jungfernstieg (about three minutes) (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, 2026 participant info). The Ballindamm is closed from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. on race day (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ).

On site there is a bag drop, toilets and simple changing tents, but no showers; the organiser asks you to arrive changed if possible (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). Every finisher gets a medal, plus drinks from hella and Erdinger alcohol-free (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). When you register you can add a donation to Aidshilfe Hamburg, which is charged together with your entry fee (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).

Going with your running group

The Außenalster is the city's home loop, so if you train there with a Lauftreff (group run), you already know the course on race day. A group also helps with pacing: three of you lining up in the same time zone at an agreed pace can draft along the east bank and stay calm on Fontenay. Clubs can enter the team ranking without registering: each club's first three finishers form a team, and their net times are added up (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos). Find a group near you under running in Hamburg.

If you want a longer goal after the Alsterlauf, look at the half marathon: our guide to the hella hamburg halbmarathon explains the point-to-point course through the city. To run with colleagues rather than your club, try the HafenCity Run. All of the year's races in the city are listed on running events in Hamburg.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the Alsterlauf Hamburg 2027?
On Sunday, 5 September 2027. The 10 km starts at 9:00, the school race at 10:45, the R5K at 11:00 and the 5 km at 11:30, all on the Ballindamm (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).
How much does the Alsterlauf 2027 cost?
The 10 km costs €27 until 15 October 2026, €32 until 31 December 2026, €37 until 24 August 2027 and €42 as a late entry. The 5 km costs €20 or €23. Each adds a €3 timing fee unless you own a BMS chip (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).
What is the Alsterlauf course like?
The 10 km is a measured, paved loop around the Außenalster (Outer Alster lake) starting and finishing on the Ballindamm, run anticlockwise according to Wikipedia. The 5 km, R5K and school race are loops on the Ballindamm (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos; de.wikipedia.org).
Can I walk the Alsterlauf or run with a buggy?
No. The Alsterlauf is a DLV road race with no walking category. Nordic walking poles, running buggies and animals are banned and lead to disqualification (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, FAQ and Infos).
What is the Hamburger Laufcup?
A ranking over three races: Alsterlauf (10 km, 5 Sept 2027), Airport Race (10 miles, 12 Sept 2027) and Volkslauf durch das schöne Alstertal (21.1 km, 26 Sept 2027). The package costs €65 to €75, the deadline is 24 August 2027, and there are no late entries (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos).
How do I get to the Alsterlauf?
By public transport; parking in the city centre is scarce. In 2026 the organiser recommended the U3 to Mönckebergstraße and the U1, U2, U4, S1, S2 and S3 to Jungfernstieg (source: alsterlauf-hamburg.de, Infos and 2026 participant info).

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