Jungfrau-Marathon 2026
The world's most famous mountain marathon: 42.195 km from Interlaken up to Kleine Scheidegg, facing the Jungfrau.
Location : Interlaken (Bern) · Usual period : early September
This edition
The most beautiful marathon course in the world connecting Interlaken through the spectacular landscapes of the Jungfrau region. The 33rd edition features a 42.195 km distance with a start at 8:30 AM on Saturday. Registration for 2026 is full, but a waiting list is available.
The festival
The Jungfrau-Marathon is a running event held in the Bernese Oberland, with its main marathon starting from the center of Interlaken. The 2026 edition takes place over two days, Friday and Saturday, early in September. The centerpiece is the 42.195 km marathon on Saturday morning, with a mass start scheduled for 08:30. The event also includes several shorter races on the preceding Friday: a 4.4 km Harder Run, a Minirun over distances from 200 to 1600 meters, a 4.2 km Minimarathon, and a Pararace for people with disabilities covering 200 meters to 4.4 km. A separate event, the Lauberhorn Run, is scheduled for March 2027, a 4.48 km race up the snowy Lauberhorn downhill ski course, climbing 1,028 meters in altitude from Innerwengen to the start of the legendary descent.
Beyond the races themselves, the weekend features a supporting program. On Friday, the Kursaal congress center in Interlaken hosts bib pickup, a Marathon Village, and a Pasta Party. On Saturday, the action moves to the Terminal in Grindelwald, where there is a public viewing of the live stream, another Marathon Village, another Pasta Party, a DJ, and the award ceremony for the marathon. The Marathon Village is also present on the Höhematte in Interlaken on Friday and at the Grindelwald Terminal on Saturday, offering an exhibition for runners with a wide range of products related to running. The event is presented as a major annual gathering, with future editions already scheduled for 2027, 2028, and 2029.
Getting there, on site
Registration for the 2026 Jungfrau-Marathon is closed, as the event is fully booked. Participants receive two coupon codes by email in August, which can be exchanged for one free outward and one free return train ticket at a railway station counter or in the SBB online shop. Public transport to and from the event is included between August 31 and September 11. Race bibs can be picked up at the Kursaal congress center in Interlaken on Friday from 10:00 to 20:00, or on Saturday morning from 06:15 to 08:15, with a valid photo ID and the start card required. The marathon features first-class infrastructure including timing, refreshment and medical stations every 5 km, hot showers, and organized baggage transport, with a luggage drop-off at the start. A fixed contribution per participant supports climate-neutral, humanitarian, and sustainable projects. A mobile app offers free tracking of athletes during the race.
