When is Kiel.Lauf 2027?

On Sunday, 12 September 2027. It is the 39th edition (source: kiellauf.de).

Is there a marathon in Kiel?

Not at the moment. The famila Kiel-Marathon was discontinued after the edition of 22 February 2020, and the Kieler Förde Marathon run by LTV Kiel-Ost is also off for now (source: powerschnecken.de, ltvkiel-ost.de). The longest distance at Kiel.Lauf is the half marathon.

Can I enter late or cancel?

No. Late entries are not possible and cancellations are excluded. If you can't start, use the bib exchange (source: kiellauf.de, FAQ).

Where do I pick up my race pack?

In the event tent on the Rathausplatz: Friday, 10 September, 13:00 to 19:00, Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday from 7:00, with ID card, passport or letter of authorisation (source: kiellauf.de, Startunterlagenausgabe).

What is the minimum age?

The half marathon is open to those born in 2011 or earlier, the Volkslauf to those born in 2013 or earlier. For children there are school runs over 5.1 and 2.7 km and a kids' run of about 0.7 km (source: kiellauf.de).

Kiel.Lauf 2027: half marathon, 10 km and 5 km on the Kiel Fjord

Kiel.Lauf is on 12 September 2027: a half marathon, 10.2 km and 5.1 km through the city centre and along the Förde. Here are fees, start times, rules and the answer to what happened to the Kiel Marathon.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 7 min read

Kiel.Lauf 2027: half marathon, 10 km and 5 km on the Kiel Fjord

The 39th Kiel.Lauf powered by Förde Sparkasse takes place on Sunday, 12 September 2027, and registration is already open (source: kiellauf.de). You can choose between a half marathon, the 10.2 km Volkslauf (open fun run) and the 5.1 km Kurzlauf (short run), plus school and kids' races. The organiser speaks of more than 10,000 participants and calls the event northern Germany's biggest running event (source: kiellauf.de). Many people searching for a marathon in Kiel end up here, because the Kiel Marathon no longer exists. You'll find out why below.

Kiel.Lauf 2027 in brief

Aspect	Details
Date	Sunday, 12 September 2027 (39th edition)
Event hub	Rathausplatz (town hall square), Kiel: race packs, awards, changing tents
Half marathon	21.0975 km, start 10:50, born 2011 or earlier
Volkslauf	10.2 km, start 9:45, born 2013 or earlier
Kurzlauf	5.1 km, start 9:15, together with the 5.1 km school run
Other races	school runs 5.1 km and 2.7 km, kids' run approx. 0.7 km, school ranking
Fee until 31 Dec 2026	half marathon €40 · Volkslauf €35 · Kurzlauf €30 (adults)
Places in 2026	half marathon 2,400 · Volkslauf 4,800 · Kurzlauf 1,000
Cancellation / late entry	neither possible; transfers via the official bib exchange

Sources: kiellauf.de (home, Halbmarathon, Volkslauf, Kurzlauf, Wettbewerbe, FAQ, Startunterlagenausgabe). As of 3 October 2026.

Is there still a marathon in Kiel?

No, not at the moment. The famila Kiel-Marathon, organised by the club LG POWER-Schnecken Kiel, took place every February from 1995 (source: de.wikipedia.org, Kiel-Marathon). It ran on a flat out-and-back course along the western shore of the Kiel Fjord (Förde), and many participants came over by ferry from Scandinavia (source: de.wikipedia.org). The 26th edition on 22 February 2020 was the last. The club writes on its website that secure planning was no longer possible and that, as a small club, it could not ignore the financial side (source: powerschnecken.de, Kiel-Marathon).

The Kieler Förde Marathon run by the club LTV Kiel-Ost is also off for now. The club cites organisational reasons and above all a lack of pacers (source: ltvkiel-ost.de, Kieler Förde Marathon). So if you want a long road race in Kiel, the half marathon at Kiel.Lauf is it. For the full 42 kilometres, look to Hamburg, for example the Hamburg Marathon, or check our Marathon calendar 2027.

Three distances, one morning

The day is scheduled so the shorter races go first. The Kurzlauf and the 5.1 km school run start at 9:15, the Volkslauf at 9:45 and the half marathon at 10:50 (source: kiellauf.de, Kurzlauf, Volkslauf, Halbmarathon). The half marathon has been part of Kiel.Lauf since 2003 and closes the day (source: kiellauf.de, Halbmarathon).

The Volkslauf is the race with the most participants: around 4,000 according to the organiser, with 4,800 places in 2026 (source: kiellauf.de, Volkslauf and Wettbewerbe). The 10.2 km runs through the city centre and along the Förde. The half marathon goes through Kiel's western districts, past the Förde and through parks, and is flat according to the organiser (source: kiellauf.de, Halbmarathon). The 2027 courses are expected to match 2026, but short-notice changes are possible because of construction work (source: kiellauf.de, Strecken and Halbmarathon).

The list of road closures shows where the races go: on race day these include Fleethörn, Knooper Weg, Beselerallee, Niemannsweg, Forstweg, the Kiellinie waterfront and Düsternbrooker Weg (source: kiellauf.de, Streckeninfos und Straßensperrungen). For spectators that means: on the Kiellinie you see your people with the Förde behind them, and the area around the Rathausplatz is the heart of the event. The closures last until about 15:00 (source: kiellauf.de, Streckeninfos und Straßensperrungen).

The late half-marathon start

10:50 is a late start for a half marathon. If you're out for two hours, you'll be running until around 13:00, into the middle of a September day. That affects your planning:

Breakfast: you have time for a normal breakfast three hours before the start without getting up at 5:00. Still, don't eat anything new.
Waiting: if you arrive early, you'll be standing around a lot. Stay in warm clothes you can hand in until shortly before the start. According to the FAQ, bags could be dropped in KVG buses on Rathausstraße (source: kiellauf.de, FAQ).
Heat and wind: the wind off the Förde can cool you down, while the city can get warm at midday. Drink at the first stations even if you're not thirsty yet.
No showers: there are no showers according to the organiser; you can change in tents on the Rathausplatz (source: kiellauf.de, FAQ). Pack fresh clothes.

For a running group with mixed paces, though, the schedule is handy: anyone running the Kurzlauf or Volkslauf finishes before the half marathon starts and can then cheer along the course.

Register early, but carefully

Fees rise by date. For the half marathon, adults pay €40 until 31 December 2026, €45 until 31 May 2027 and €50 from 1 June 2027. Youths pay €10 less in each tier (source: kiellauf.de, Halbmarathon). The Volkslauf costs €35, €40 and €45 in the same tiers, the Kurzlauf €30, €35 and €40 (source: kiellauf.de, Volkslauf and Kurzlauf). The cheapest tier, until 30 September 2026, has already expired.

Two rules to know before you sign up: cancellations are excluded and late entries are not possible. If you can't make it, pass your place to someone else via the official bib exchange (Startplatzbörse) (source: kiellauf.de, FAQ). According to the terms, participation is personal and bibs may not simply be swapped (source: kiellauf.de, Teilnahmebedingungen). Because there are no late entries, the field cap matters: in 2026 there were 2,400 places in the half marathon and 4,800 in the Volkslauf (source: kiellauf.de, Wettbewerbe). Registration runs through davengo.

For families: the half marathon is open to those born in 2011 or earlier, the Volkslauf to those born in 2013 or earlier (source: kiellauf.de, Halbmarathon and Volkslauf). Schools have their own ranking, which counts which school has the most finishers relative to its number of pupils. The top three receive €300, €200 and €100 (source: kiellauf.de, Schulwertung).

Bringing your running group to Kiel

A Kiel.Lauf weekend starts on Saturday. On 11 September 2027 at 9:00 there is the Frühstückslauf (breakfast run), a shared 5 km loop with breakfast at the finish. Start and finish are at the Förde Sparkasse finance centre, Lorentzendamm 28–30; the fee is €10 plus an optional donation (source: kiellauf.de, Frühstückslauf). Proceeds go to the youth sports project "Kids in die Clubs" and to exercise programmes for cancer patients (source: kiellauf.de, Frühstückslauf). For a running group it's a good opener: shake out the legs, pick up race packs, eat together.

Race packs are handed out in the event tent on the Rathausplatz on Friday, 10 September, from 13:00 to 19:00, on Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Sunday from 7:00. Bring your ID card or passport, or a letter of authorisation (source: kiellauf.de, Startunterlagenausgabe). Parking options include Exerzierplatz, Wilhelmplatz, the Jensendamm garage, Q-Park Holstenstraße and the ZOB garage (source: kiellauf.de, Unterkünfte und Parkmöglichkeiten). If you're coming from further away, Kiel's tourist information can help you find accommodation (source: kiellauf.de).

From early October there are just under 50 weeks until 12 September. If you're planning your first half marathon, you can start running regularly with a group in spring and begin a twelve-week plan in June. You'll find group runs in the city on our page Running in Kiel.

More events in Kiel and the north

We collect all dates in the city under Running events in Kiel. If you'd like to race with colleagues, there's the AOK-Business.Run Kiel corporate run in May. And if you're after a second half marathon in September, take a look at the PSD Bank Halbmarathon Hamburg.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is Kiel.Lauf 2027?: On Sunday, 12 September 2027. It is the 39th edition (source: kiellauf.de).
Is there a marathon in Kiel?: Not at the moment. The famila Kiel-Marathon was discontinued after the edition of 22 February 2020, and the Kieler Förde Marathon run by LTV Kiel-Ost is also off for now (source: powerschnecken.de, ltvkiel-ost.de). The longest distance at Kiel.Lauf is the half marathon.
How much is the half marathon?: For adults €40 until 31 December 2026, €45 until 31 May 2027 and €50 from 1 June 2027. Youths pay €10 less in each tier (source: kiellauf.de, Halbmarathon).
Can I enter late or cancel?: No. Late entries are not possible and cancellations are excluded. If you can't start, use the bib exchange (source: kiellauf.de, FAQ).
Where do I pick up my race pack?: In the event tent on the Rathausplatz: Friday, 10 September, 13:00 to 19:00, Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday from 7:00, with ID card, passport or letter of authorisation (source: kiellauf.de, Startunterlagenausgabe).
What is the minimum age?: The half marathon is open to those born in 2011 or earlier, the Volkslauf to those born in 2013 or earlier. For children there are school runs over 5.1 and 2.7 km and a kids' run of about 0.7 km (source: kiellauf.de).