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La Voz de Madrid

Madrid Marathon 2026: Mobility Plan and Traffic Cuts in the Capital

The 48th edition of the Zurich Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Maratón Madrid will gather 47,000 runners, impacting traffic and public transport.

Generic image of runners in an urban marathon.
IA

Generic image of runners in an urban marathon.

The city of Madrid is preparing for the 48th edition of the Zurich Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Maratón Madrid on April 26, 2026, an event that will bring together approximately 47,000 runners and will involve an extensive mobility plan with significant traffic restrictions and public transport alterations.

The sporting event will feature three race distances: 10 kilometers, half marathon, and full marathon, with staggered starts from early morning. The 10-kilometer races will begin at 8:00 AM, while the 21 and 42-kilometer races will start between 8:45 AM and 10:15 AM.
The starting line for all races will be located on Paseo de la Castellana, between Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz and Plaza del Doctor Marañón. The finish line will be on Paseo de Recoletos, with participants expected to arrive until 4:35 PM.
To ensure runner safety and facilitate traffic management, the Madrid City Council has devised a special operation involving the Municipal Police and Mobility Agents. This operation will lead to significant traffic restrictions starting from Saturday, April 25, and more intensely throughout Sunday, April 26.
From midnight on April 25, road closures will be implemented on the Castellana-Recoletos axis and at strategic points such as Plaza de Cibeles. On the day of the marathon, starting at 7:15 AM, numerous streets along the route will be progressively closed to traffic, including main arteries like Castellana, Gran Vía, Alcalá, Goya, Príncipe de Vergara, and the area around Casa de Campo. These closures may be extended or modified based on operational needs.
Although specific pedestrian crossings will be enabled at certain points along the route, their use will depend on the density of runners at any given moment. Access to public and private car parks in the city center and adjacent neighborhoods will also be affected.
Given this scenario, the City Council strongly recommends using public transport as the best alternative for moving around the city. For Metro, Gregorio Marañón and Nuevos Ministerios stations are suggested for the start, and Colón and Banco de España for the finish. Cercanías Nuevos Ministerios and Recoletos stations will be operational, although the latter may have restricted access during the event.
More than a hundred EMT bus lines will experience detours, limitations, or temporary suspensions. Some lines will cease service during the morning or part of the day. Taxi stands and BiciMAD stations located along the race route will also be affected. For long journeys, it is advisable to use the M-30 and M-40 ring roads to minimize inconvenience.

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