ASB Auckland Marathon: Dates, Tickets & Venue (Auckland)

A bridge you normally can’t walk

On race morning, the Auckland Harbour Bridge belongs to runners. For the rest of the year the bridge carries eight lanes of motorway traffic and has no footpath. That makes the crossing from the North Shore to the city the reason many people enter.

The 2026 edition takes place on November 1. It offers a full marathon, a half marathon and shorter distances. It also counts as a World Marathon Majors qualifier, so it draws serious runners chasing a time as well as first-timers.

The course, shore to city

The route has traditionally started on the North Shore and finished in central Auckland. Full marathon runners have usually started in Devonport, near the foot of North Head. Half marathoners have started further inland around Takapuna.

Both courses then climb onto the bridge, which has the steepest gradient of the day. Once runners come down into the city, the full marathon has historically run out along Tamaki Drive, with the Waitematā Harbour on one side, then turned back toward the finish. Victoria Park, on the western edge of the CBD, has been the long-standing finish area.

What the course usually means for runners:

• Bridge gradient: an early climb with a long descent into town.
• Tamaki Drive: flat, exposed waterfront with little shade.
• Point-to-point layout: the start is a harbour away from the finish.

Race morning across the harbour

Because the start is on the North Shore, getting there is the main logistical job. Full marathon runners have commonly crossed to Devonport on early ferries from the Downtown Ferry Terminal at the bottom of Queen Street. Half marathoners usually take transport to the northern start.

Many runners stay in the CBD, Ponsonby or Freemans Bay, close to the Victoria Park finish. That way the walk back after the race is short. Road closures around the bridge, the waterfront and Tamaki Drive affect traffic across the city that morning, so most spectators leave the car at home.

Watching, running and recovering like Aucklanders

Supporters usually split between two spots. Some line Tamaki Drive, where you can see the full-marathon field going out and coming back. Others wait at the finish in Victoria Park. Cafés along Tamaki Drive at Mission Bay fill with families after the race.

How race day usually works:

• Layers: November is spring in Auckland, and mornings by the harbour can be cool and windy before the sun comes through.
• Bag drop: runners typically leave kit at the start for collection at the finish, since the course is point to point.
• Card and phone payments: nearly everywhere in Auckland takes contactless, including ferry fares on an AT HOP card or bank card.
• Tipping: not expected in New Zealand cafés or restaurants.

The organiser publishes distances, entry links, start locations and transport details on the official ASB Auckland Marathon site.