Rhein City Run 2026: half marathon from Düsseldorf to Duisburg

On 25 October 2026, 6,000 people run the sold-out Rhein City Run along the Rhine from Düsseldorf to Duisburg-Huckingen. Here are tram times, bag rules, start waves, the course and the city ranking.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 7 min read

Rhein City Run 2026: half marathon from Düsseldorf to Duisburg

The 9th Rhein City Run starts on Sunday, 25 October 2026 at 9:15 on Robert-Lehr-Ufer by the Theodor Heuss Bridge in Düsseldorf and finishes 21.1 km further north in Duisburg-Huckingen (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). All 6,000 places are taken and there are no late entries (source: rhein-city-run.de, home page). Because the start and finish are in two different cities, logistics decide how relaxed your morning will be: when the tram runs, when your bag has to be on the truck and where you can change. All of that is below; the key facts are also on our Rhein City Run event page. The race appears in both city overviews, running events in Düsseldorf and running events in Duisburg.

Sold out: what is still possible

You can no longer register. The only option is taking over the place of someone who is already entered. That works exclusively through the personal change link in their registration confirmation, not by email or phone (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). Transfers were free until 4 October and cost €10 after that. No new bib is issued: it goes to the originally registered person, and you have to arrange the handover yourselves. Target time and start wave can no longer be changed, nor can ordered shirts or socks.

The organiser explicitly warns about scammers offering places on social media. Its two checks: the person is on the official start list, and they have the personal change link (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). If either is missing, walk away.

The morning: two cities, one tram line

The key line of the day is the U79. It stops about 200 m from the start at the Theodor Heuss Bridge and about 200 m from the finish at the St. Anna-Krankenhaus stop. Your bib or the confirmation email works as a ticket across the whole VRR network (the regional transport association) on race day (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). That gives two typical plans:

Source for all times: rhein-city-run.de, race details (U79 extra services). The 8:43 is the last departure in the dense schedule; if you run in wave 1 at 9:15 and still need to drop a bag, take an earlier tram.

Bag drop, waiting time and the weather

Your bag travels to the finish by truck. Drop-off at the start is from 8:00 until 9:15 at the latest, at the trucks above the start area on Cecilienallee. Label it with the tear-off tab on your bib; the team will not accept loose jackets, and the bag has to be closed (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). You collect it at the Steinhof, Düsseldorfer Landstrasse 347, where bag collection is open until 13:30.

One detail is easy to miss: bag drop closes at 9:15, wave 2 starts at 9:30 and wave 3 at 9:45. If you are in wave 3, you will stand in the holding area behind the start for half an hour without your bag. There are no changing rooms at the start, only later at the Steinhof, and there are no showers at all (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). The organiser describes the 2025 race as "cold wind and miserable weather" (source: rhein-city-run.de, home page). An old sweater or a bin bag you can throw away at the start, plus dry clothes in your bag, are the best investment that morning.

Start waves and pacers

Wave Start time Colour Pacers
1 9:15 orange 1:30, 1:45, 2:00
2 9:30 black 2:00, 2:15
3 9:45 white 2:30

Source: rhein-city-run.de, race details. As of 3 October 2026; the organiser may adjust waves and times at short notice.

Your wave is based on the target time you gave when registering and will be communicated in advance. You cannot change it. Runners in waves 2 and 3 are only let forward once the previous wave has gone; the holding area is behind the first start pen and on the meadow above, with access via steps (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). The course closes after three hours.

The course: north along the Rhine

You start heading straight for Duisburg. The course follows the Rhine promenade north, passes under the A44 bridge and runs through fields to Kaiserswerth, past the Burghof and the ruins of the imperial palace. It continues along the promenade to Wittlaer, then right by the river and onto the newly built Rhine embankment. After that it crosses fields, on paved roads only, before about 1.5 km on the B8 main road. A footpath past Landhaus Milser and along the Angerbach stream leads to the finish in the Edeka Angerbogen car park in Huckingen (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). The course is officially measured beforehand, and every kilometre is signed.

What does that mean for pacing? A point-to-point course without turnarounds or laps means long stretches in the open by the river and through fields. Aid is limited to three water stations at km 6, 11 and 17 (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). That is five to six kilometres between stations; if you use gels in training, carry your own and take them at the stations. For your supporters: Kaiserswerth is on the U79 line, and the organiser lists the Kaiserpfalz park-and-ride there. Anyone cheering you on can reach the course on the same tram.

Düsseldorf vs Duisburg: the city ranking

The Rhein City Run has a special ranking you won't find elsewhere: the times of the 200 fastest runners from Düsseldorf and the 200 fastest from Duisburg are added up, regardless of age and gender. The stronger city wins a challenge trophy, which its mayor keeps for a year (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). You count if you ticked your home city when registering.

For running groups this is a good reason to train and travel together. If you run by the Rhine with others through the autumn, you will find Lauftreffs (group runs) and run clubs under running in Düsseldorf. And because the finish is in Huckingen, agree on a meeting point afterwards in advance: the courtyard of the Steinhof, where the music, drinks stands and shirt pick-up are.

After the finish at the Steinhof

At the finish there is water, lemon soda and a bottle of alcohol-free beer for everyone. Food and drink stands are set up around the Edeka car park and at the Steinhof (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). New for 2026 is a free massage from a physio team in the hall next to the shirt pick-up; the organiser suggests bringing some patience. The awards for the overall winners and the city ranking are at about 12:30 in the Steinhof's main hall. Age-group winners from M/W30 to M/W80 collect their prizes at the prize desk. Results and certificates go online straight after the race.

Your entry includes timing, finisher medal, bag transport, the VRR day ticket and finish refreshments (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details). Race packs were posted from 12 October. If yours has not arrived, you can collect your bib on race day from 7:30 at the desk under the Theodor Heuss Bridge; it closes at 9:45.

After the Rhein City Run

The organiser has not yet published a date for 2027 (as of 3 October 2026). If you are looking for your next goal after the autumn, both the Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon and the Rhein-Ruhr-Marathon in Duisburg include a half marathon. More half-marathon options in the Rhineland are collected in our overview of spring half marathons 2027.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Rhein City Run?
On Sunday, 25 October 2026. It starts in three waves at 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45 on Robert-Lehr-Ufer in Düsseldorf (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details).
Can I still register?
No. All 6,000 places are taken and late entry is not possible. You can only take over a place via the registered runner's personal change link, which has cost €10 since 5 October (source: rhein-city-run.de).
How do I get to the start and back from the finish?
By U79 tram, which stops about 200 m from the start (Theodor Heuss Bridge) and the finish (St. Anna-Krankenhaus). Your bib is a ticket across the VRR network on race day. Park in Düsseldorf at the start; there is hardly any parking at the finish (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details).
Where do I drop my bag?
At the trucks on Cecilienallee by the start, from 8:00 until 9:15 at the latest. You collect it at the Steinhof in Duisburg until 13:30 (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details).
Where are the aid stations?
There are three water stations at km 6, 11 and 17. At the finish there is water, lemon soda and alcohol-free beer (source: rhein-city-run.de, race details).
When is the 2027 Rhein City Run?
The organiser has not published a date yet (as of 3 October 2026).

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