Running Events in Bonn 2027: Deutsche Post Marathon, Nachtlauf and Bonn Triathlon

Beueler10er and the Deutsche Post Marathon in April, the Kottenforst10er and the Nachtlauf in the Rheinaue in May, a triathlon with a jump into the Rhine in June and the Nikolauslauf in December: all the key running events in Bonn for 2027 – plus what's still coming before New Year's Eve 2026.

Chris Mühlnickel · 30 September 2026 · 10 min read

Running Events in Bonn 2027: Deutsche Post Marathon, Nachtlauf and Bonn Triathlon

Bonn runs by the Rhine, and on both sides of it. The Rheinaue (Rhine meadows park) is the city's running ground: the Nachtlauf, the Nikolauslauf, the Firmenlauf and the ZeroHungerRun start here, and on the Beuel side the participants of the Beueler10er run their laps. The autumn charity runs begin on the Beuel bank of the Rhine around the Kennedybrücke, and it's from the Kennedybrücke that the Bonn Triathlon field jumps into the river. In the south of Bonn lies the Kottenforst, where a 10 km race in spring and a half marathon in November take place on forest paths. And then there's the day when the city centre belongs to the runners: the Deutsche Post Marathon, with the start at the Koblenzer Tor and the finish at the Altes Rathaus (old town hall).

This overview shows which events are coming up and who they suit. Where the organizer has already confirmed the 2027 date, it's listed; otherwise we give the date of the last edition for orientation. As of 30 September 2026.

Which event suits you?

Your goal Events that fit
Your first race bib 5 km at the Beueler10er, 5 km at the Nachtlauf, Lauf für die Menschenrechte, 3.4 km at the Nikolauslauf
Your first half marathon Half marathon at the Deutsche Post Marathon, Kottenforst Halbmarathon
Your marathon Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn
Ultra and long distances KoBoLT, 30 km at the Drei-Brücken-Lauf
Running in the forest Kottenforst10er, Kottenforst Halbmarathon
Running in the evening Beueler10er, Sparda-Bank Nachtlauf
With colleagues Firmenlauf Bonn, Corporate half marathon at the marathon
For a good cause Drei-Brücken-Lauf, ZeroHungerRun, Lauf für die Menschenrechte, Firmenlauf Bonn
Triathlon Bonn Triathlon, Friesathlon, IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg

Still in 2026: on the Rhine between the bridges

Bonn's autumn begins in Beuel, with two events for a good cause on the right bank of the Rhine.

On 11 October 2026 the Amnesty International group Bonn-Mitte invites you to the Lauf für die Menschenrechte (run for human rights). The start is at the Rondell on the Beuel bank of the Rhine near the Kennedybrücke, and you run 5 or 10 km on an out-and-back course. Taking part is free, you register on site, and the event is linked to a petition for imprisoned human rights defenders in Iran. The group holds the event twice a year, in spring and in autumn (amnesty-bonn-mitte.de). With no entry fee and no registration deadline, this is an uncomplicated first race.

A week later, on 18 October 2026, the Drei-Brücken-Lauf (three bridges run) of TuS Pützchen follows in its 43rd edition. Start and finish are at the Hans-Steger-Ufer in Beuel, and the course runs along the Rhine between the Kennedybrücke and the Südbrücke. You can choose between 10, 15 and 30 km, and the proceeds go to the Deutsche KinderKrebshilfe, a children's cancer charity. According to the official results lists, 1,542 people reached the finish in 2025: 716 over 10 km, 695 over 15 km and 131 over 30 km. Registration for 2026 is open (drei-bruecken-lauf.de). In autumn, the 30 km are a rare chance to run a long distance in a race.

Still in 2026: half marathon in the Kottenforst

In November, Bonn's running year moves from the Rhine into the forest.

On 15 November 2026 the Kottenforst Halbmarathon starts for the fifth time, at the university sports grounds on the Nachtigallenweg. The course runs on paved and surfaced forest paths through the Kottenforst. The event is the successor to the former Bonner Herbsthalbmarathon (Bonn autumn half marathon): for decades the Bonn reservists used this course, and since 2022 Laufen im Rheinland has organised the half marathon. If you still want to run in 2026, you'll have to join the waiting list – the limit of 500 starters had already been reached on 29 September (laufen-im-rheinland.de).

Still in 2026: ultratrail and Nikolauslauf

At the end of the year, Bonn has two events that could hardly be more different.

On 28 and 29 November 2026 the KoBoLT – Ultratrail Koblenz–Bonn takes place in its 16th edition. It's an ultratrail along the Rheinsteig trail, and what Bonn mainly sees is the end: the 140 km begin in Koblenz, the 99 km in Rengsdorf, and both lead along the Rheinsteig to the finish at the Jupp-Gassen-Halle in Bonn-Oberkassel. Only the 73 km variant lies in Bonn, as a loop from Oberkassel under the name "Auge um Auge". In total there are just over 170 places (65, 60 and 45 per distance), and the field is fully booked for 2026. The organizer describes the KoBoLT as a private run, but registration is nevertheless open via raceresult (kleiner-kobolt.de). This is an event for experienced ultrarunners, not for beginners.

Things are much more relaxed on the second Sunday of Advent. The Bonner Nikolauslauf (St Nicholas run) on 6 December 2026 is the seventh edition and follows a 3.4 km loop through the Rheinaue. If you want to race against the clock, choose the SpeedRun over 10 km; the FunRun is one, two or three laps, i.e. 3.4, 6.7 or 10 km. There's also a 1 km children's race. The organizer has already named the following date: 5 December 2027 (bonner-nikolauslauf.de).

April: Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn

April is the highlight of Bonn's running year, and it begins with a dress rehearsal.

On Friday, 2 April 2027, nine days before the marathon, the Beueler10er starts. You run on a 5 km loop in the Beuel Rheinaue, the start is at the skate park, and you can choose between 5 and 10 km. The event is an after-work run and traditionally meant as preparation for the Bonn marathon; the entry fee includes a hot meal after the race. In 2026 it took place for the 13th time (beueler10er.de). The 10 km are a good final fitness test, the 5 km a good first race.

On 11 April 2027 the Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn follows. The start is at the Koblenzer Tor, the finish at the Altes Rathaus, and in between the course runs through the city centre and along the Rhine. Alongside the 42.195 km there's a half marathon, a marathon relay, 10 km, a corporate half marathon and a school marathon. On 19 April 2026 the event was sold out, according to the organizer with 22,222 participants across all races. Registration for 2027 opens in October 2026 (deutschepostmarathonbonn.de).

For a first half marathon, this is a big setting, and through the corporate half marathon you can also compete with colleagues. If you're training for the marathon, you do the long runs in February and March.

May: Kottenforst and evenings in the Rheinaue

After the marathon, May takes you back into the forest and then, on a Wednesday evening, into the Rheinaue.

On 2 May 2027 the Kottenforst10er starts in the south of Bonn, at the car park opposite the children's home "Maria im Walde". The 10 km lead over surfaced forest paths through the Kottenforst, with chip timing and age-group rankings. The event is young: it took place for the first time in 2024, and for the third time on 10 May 2026. The organizer is the same club that also holds the Beueler10er (beueler10er.de).

On the Wednesday before Corpus Christi, the Rheinaue gets busy in the evening. The Sparda-Bank Nachtlauf Bonn (night run) on 26 May 2027 follows a 5 km loop, as a SpeedRun over 10 km or as a FunRun over one or two laps, i.e. 5 or 10 km. For each registration, Sparda-Bank West gives €15 to the Stiftung RTL charity foundation (bonner-nachtlauf.de). In 2026 the Nachtlauf took place on 3 June. The 5 km FunRun is a relaxed way in for everyone running with a race bib for the first time.

Triathlon: from the Rhine to the open-air pool

In summer, Bonn has two triathlons, one right in the Rhine and one in a neighbourhood open-air pool.

At the RYZON Bonn Triathlon on 6 June 2027, the swim begins with a jump from the Rhine ferry, with the start at the Kennedybrücke. The individual distance comprises a 4.2 km swim in the Rhine, 65 km on the bike into the Siebengebirge hills and a 15 km run along the Rhine promenade, and there's also a relay ranking. The triathlon has existed for more than 30 years, and since 2025 SSF Bonn and PSV Bonn have organised it together. In 2026 it took place on 7 June (bonn-triathlon.de). If you don't want to tackle the individual distance alone yet, the relay is a way in.

Much smaller is the Friesathlon at the Freibad Friesdorf open-air pool in Bad Godesberg, which the Freibad Freunde Friesdorf have held since 2008. The swim is 500 m, followed by around 11 km on the bike and around 8 km of running, for individual starters and relays. According to the organizer, around 100 athletes take part. In 2026 the Friesathlon took place on 5 July, and the 2027 date is still to come (friesi.org).

With your team: Firmenlauf Bonn

The Firmenlauf Bonn (corporate run) is an independent corporate run under the motto "Run as you are" and not part of the B2Run series. You run around 6 km through the Rheinaue, followed by an after-run party. For each participant, €1 goes to CARE Deutschland and the Mukoviszidose e.V., a cystic fibrosis association. In 2026 the Firmenlauf took place on 18 June, and the organizer hasn't published the 2027 date yet (fila-bonn.de).

For a good cause

Many Bonn events raise money for a good cause, and one is entirely dedicated to an aid organisation. The ZeroHungerRun of the Welthungerhilfe starts in the Rheinaue near the Japanese Garden. There are 10 km, also as a relay, 5 km for running or walking and a 400 m children's race, and at the same time you can take part virtually from anywhere in the world. On 27 September 2026 the event celebrated "10 Jahre ZeroHungerRun" (10 years of ZeroHungerRun); according to the organizer, more than 40,000 people in total have taken part since the first edition in 2016. The 2027 date is still to come (welthungerhilfe.de).

A good cause often runs along in Bonn in other ways too: the Drei-Brücken-Lauf raises money for the Deutsche KinderKrebshilfe, at the Nachtlauf €15 per registration goes to the Stiftung RTL, at the Firmenlauf €1 per participant goes to CARE and the Mukoviszidose e.V., and the Lauf für die Menschenrechte is free and linked to a petition.

Nearby: IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg

There's no IRONMAN race in Bonn. The nearest one is around 95 km away: the IRONMAN 70.3 Duisburg on 29 August 2027. The swim is 1.9 km on the regatta course in the Sportpark Duisburg, followed by 90 km on a flat bike course and a half marathon on a rolling run course (ironman.com). If you did the relay or the individual distance in Bonn in June, this is a goal for late summer.

Planning tips for your running year

Watch the registration opening for the marathon. The Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn was sold out in 2026, and registration for 2027 opens in October 2026 (deutschepostmarathonbonn.de).

Small fields fill up fast. At the Kottenforst Halbmarathon the limit of 500 starters had already been reached on 29 September, and only the waiting list remains. The KoBoLT has just over 170 places and is fully booked for 2026. For the Drei-Brücken-Lauf, on the other hand, registration is still open.

One club, two dates. The Beueler10er and the Kottenforst10er are held by the same club, the VfgAs. Both 2027 dates are already fixed: 2 April and 2 May. The Nachtlauf and the Nikolauslauf also come from the same organizer, and both 2027 dates have been published.

Three places shape Bonn's running year. The Rheinaue on both sides of the Rhine is the venue for the Beueler10er, the Nachtlauf, the Firmenlauf, the ZeroHungerRun and the Nikolauslauf. The riverbank around the Kennedybrücke belongs to the Lauf für die Menschenrechte, the Drei-Brücken-Lauf and the Bonn Triathlon, and the city centre to the marathon. And the Kottenforst in the south of Bonn is home to the Kottenforst10er and the Kottenforst Halbmarathon.

Don't train alone

Bonn's year has one big goal in spring: the marathon in April, which you train for over the winter, with the Beueler10er as a dress rehearsal. The long runs are easier in a group, and at the start it's nicer when you know someone. You'll find the right group near you among the running groups and run clubs in Bonn.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn?
On 11 April 2027. The start is at the Koblenzer Tor, the finish at the Altes Rathaus. Alongside the marathon there's a half marathon, a marathon relay, 10 km, a corporate half marathon and a school marathon. Registration opens in October 2026; in 2026 the event was sold out with 22,222 participants (deutschepostmarathonbonn.de).
When is the 2027 Bonner Nachtlauf?
On Wednesday, 26 May 2027, the Wednesday before Corpus Christi. You run on a 5 km loop through the Rheinaue, as a SpeedRun over 10 km or as a FunRun over 5 or 10 km (bonner-nachtlauf.de).
When is the 2027 Bonn Triathlon?
The RYZON Bonn Triathlon takes place on 6 June 2027. The swim is 4.2 km in the Rhine after a jump from the ferry at the Kennedybrücke, followed by 65 km on the bike into the Siebengebirge hills and a 15 km run along the Rhine promenade; there's also a relay ranking (bonn-triathlon.de).
Which half marathons are there in Bonn?
The half marathon at the Deutsche Post Marathon on 11 April 2027 and the Kottenforst Halbmarathon on forest paths in the south of Bonn. The edition on 15 November 2026 is already fully booked with 500 starters, and there's a waiting list (laufen-im-rheinland.de).
Does the KoBoLT Ultratrail start in Bonn?
Only the 73 km variant: it's a loop from Bonn-Oberkassel. The 140 km start in Koblenz, the 99 km in Rengsdorf, and all distances lead along the Rheinsteig to the finish at the Jupp-Gassen-Halle in Oberkassel. The 16th edition on 28 and 29 November 2026 is fully booked (kleiner-kobolt.de).
Which running events are still coming up in Bonn in 2026?
The Lauf für die Menschenrechte on the Beuel bank of the Rhine on 11 October, the Drei-Brücken-Lauf in Beuel on 18 October, the Kottenforst Halbmarathon on 15 November, the KoBoLT Ultratrail with its finish in Oberkassel on 28 and 29 November and the Bonner Nikolauslauf in the Rheinaue on 6 December.

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