Where should you stay for the London Marathon?

London Marathon 2027: the Double, explained

From London Marathon Events' 2027 FAQs:

• Dates: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027, on the same Greenwich to Westminster course both days. The organiser says this format is for 2027 only.

• Your day: ballot places were drawn at random for Saturday or Sunday, and day swaps are not allowed. Nobody can run the mass event on both days.

• Start times: likely around 9:00am on Saturday and 9:30am on Sunday, still to be confirmed.

• Finish: The Mall. The Saturday finish line closes at 5:30pm; on Sunday a secondary finish in Green Park stays open to 23:59:59.

• Elite races: RunBlogRun reports the elite men (with the men's wheelchair, Championship and Good For Age fields) on Saturday and the elite women on Sunday.

• Other events: the TCS Mini London Marathon and the Friday Night Lights event are planned for Friday 23 April. The Running Show is under consideration for Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 April 2027. In 2026 it was at ExCeL London, and runners had to collect their event pack there in person.

The course: three start lines in Greenwich and Blackheath merge at Woolwich before mile 3, then the route loops the Cutty Sark (between miles 6 and 7), crosses Tower Bridge, circles the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf (miles 13 to 20), and returns along the Victoria Embankment to Parliament Square, Birdcage Walk and Buckingham Palace before the finish on The Mall.

Where to stay, ranked by time to the start

1. Greenwich. In 2026 the Red start was in Greenwich Park and the Pink start at Maze Hill, per Southeastern. Many Greenwich hotels are a walk from both, and the Cutty Sark section is on your doorstep for supporters. Mid-range, with fewer big hotels than central London. The catch: you are a train or DLR ride from the finish, and the town centre is packed on race morning.

2. Blackheath. The Blue, Green and Yellow starts were on the heath in 2026. A village with guesthouses and small hotels rather than big chains, so stock is limited. The catch: limited choice, and the station is one of the three Southeastern asks spectators to avoid on race morning.

3. London Bridge and Southwark. Southeastern runs direct trains from London Bridge to Blackheath, Greenwich and Maze Hill, and in 2026 runners with a race number travelled free from London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Waterloo East and Victoria to their start. It is also on the course (Tower Bridge) and a short ride from the finish. Southwark heads our where to stay in London guide anyway. The catch: Southeastern warns London Bridge will be very busy, and central prices.

4. Canary Wharf. The course circles the Isle of Dogs around miles 13 to 20, and the DLR runs south under the river to Greenwich. Business hotels here are often cheaper at weekends, when the office crowd is gone (a general pattern, not a published figure). The catch: quiet in the evening, and getting off the Isle of Dogs during the race takes planning.

5. Westminster, St James's and Victoria. Best for the finish, The Mall and Buckingham Palace, and for supporters watching on the Embankment. Victoria also has Southeastern trains towards the start (with a change for Blackheath in 2026). The catch: the most expensive area here, and roads around the finish close.

When to book

Demand is bigger than usual in 2027: the organiser expects about 100,000 runners, and a record 1,338,544 people applied in the 2027 ballot, according to reporting on London Marathon Events' figures. We have no published data on hotel sell-outs. The general advice for a weekend like this: book refundable rooms early and cancel what you do not need once your day is confirmed.

Because runners are split across two days, book three nights (Friday to Monday) if your group includes runners on both days or you are not yet sure of yours. A Saturday runner can leave on Sunday; a Sunday runner should book Sunday night.

Late April in London is spring. Our best time to visit London has the weather.

Race-day logistics

• Getting to the start: take Southeastern trains from the central London terminals. In 2026 the first race-morning trains left Cannon Street and Charing Cross at 06:50 and London Bridge at about 07:00, and a 2019 charity runner guide put the start zones 15 to 20 minutes' walk from each station. Check the 2027 timetable nearer the date.

• Supporters: Southeastern strongly advises spectators to avoid the three stations closest to the start. Watch at the Cutty Sark early, then take the DLR or Jubilee line towards Canary Wharf or the Embankment. Supporters pay for travel; free travel is for runners only.

• Paying for travel: contactless works on trains, the Tube and the DLR; see our Oyster vs contactless guide.

• After the finish: St James's Park and Westminster stations are the closest to The Mall, and both are busy. Arrange a meeting point in advance.

Staying on? Our how many days in London and London guide plan the days after.

Frequently asked questions