Two plazas, one long morning
The Taipei Marathon is a point-to-point day. You start at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the broad paved square in front of the city government building in Xinyi District. You finish at Taipei Municipal Stadium, the athletics ground beside Taipei Arena in Songshan District.
The 2026 edition is set for December 20, 2026, with a full marathon and a half marathon on the programme. The race holds World Athletics Gold Label status. That puts it among the top tier of road races in Asia for course measurement, timing and elite field standards.
For spectators, the city is the venue. There is no gate and no ticket for watching. Supporters line the closed roads wherever they like.
Getting to the start in Xinyi
City Hall Plaza sits on top of the metro. Taipei City Hall Station on the Blue (Bannan) Line is the closest stop. Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station on the Red (Tamsui–Xinyi) Line is a short walk south.
On race morning the surrounding roads are closed to traffic, so taxis and ride-hails can’t drop you at the start line. Most runners come in by MRT, or walk from hotels around Xinyi and Zhongxiao East Road. The skyline helps you find your way: Taipei 101 rises a few blocks from the start corral.
Hotels in Xinyi and around Zhongxiao Dunhua are the usual choice for runners who want to walk to the start. The Blue Line runs straight along that corridor.
The Nanjing East Road finish
The finish line is inside Taipei Municipal Stadium, so your last stretch is a lap of a real running track. Then you come out onto Nanjing East Road, a commercial avenue lined with office towers and side-street eateries.
Getting away is simple:
- Taipei Arena Station (Green, Songshan–Xindian Line) is right beside the stadium.
- Nanjing Fuxing Station (Green and Brown lines) is a short walk west and links to the Wenhu Line.
- From either station, Zhongxiao Fuxing is one stop on the Brown Line. That’s where you change for the Blue Line back towards Xinyi.
Since start and finish are in different districts, supporters who want to see both usually ride the MRT between them. The two sites are only a few kilometres apart.
Racing in a Taipei December
December weather is the reason many runners pick this race. Taipei’s winter is mild compared with its humid summers. Days are typically cool, often overcast, and sometimes damp or drizzly, with no snow or frost to plan around.
That makes for good marathon conditions on most years. It also means a damp, chilly wait at the start in the early hours. Runners commonly turn up in a throwaway layer or a bin bag over their kit and shed it in the corral.
Spectators standing on the course for hours tend to bring a light waterproof. A folding umbrella is easy to find in any convenience store if the sky turns grey.
Entries, bibs and where the details live
This is a participation event, so “tickets” here means race registration. The organiser’s official Taipei Marathon site carries the registration information, the event categories and the race-day schedule. Start times, cut-offs and entry fees are set there. We don’t repeat them, because they change from year to year.
International entrants usually collect their race packs at a pre-race expo in the days before the race. A passport or ID is normally required at pickup. The organiser’s site describes the collection arrangements for each edition.
A Gold Label race also attracts an elite field. Elite athletes start at the front, so the leaders are already well up the road while the mass waves are still crossing the start line.
Jiayou from the kerb, and the MRT water rule
Taipei crowds cheer in Mandarin. The word you’ll hear all along the course is jiāyóu (加油), which literally means “add oil”. Shout it at any runner and you’ll fit right in. The race itself is 臺北馬拉松 (Táiběi Mǎlāsōng) in Chinese, which is useful when you ask for directions.
Some local habits matter on race day:
- No eating or drinking in the MRT paid area. This covers water, sports drinks, gels and chewing gum, from the ticket gates onwards and on the trains. Fines apply. Runners usually finish their recovery drinks outside the gates.
- Pay with an EasyCard. The stored-value card covers the MRT and buses, and also works in 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
- Convenience stores are your aid station after the finish. Hot tea eggs, onigiri, soy milk and electrolyte drinks are sold on almost every block around Nanjing East Road.
- No tipping. Restaurants, taxis and cafés in Taiwan don’t expect it.
- Stand on the right on MRT escalators. People keep the left side free for walking, even on tired legs.
When the finish-area stations get crowded, many people walk a few blocks to the next stop on the line.
Turning race weekend into a Taipei trip
The start area puts you close to plenty of easy sightseeing. From City Hall Plaza you can walk to:
- Taipei 101, with its observatory and the mall at its base.
- Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan), a short, steep stair trail with the classic view back over the 101. Fresh legs only.
- Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, a former tobacco factory turned design and exhibition space.
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, on the Blue Line one stop west.
On the finish side, Raohe Street Night Market in Songshan is the obvious place for the post-race meal. It’s best known for its black-pepper buns, baked against the walls of a clay oven at the market’s eastern gate by Ciyou Temple. Songshan Station on the Green Line puts you at the market’s end.
If you’ve got a spare day after the race, take the MRT to Beitou. A soak in the hot springs there is a proper reward for 42 kilometres of Taipei tarmac.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Taipei Marathon in 2026?
The 2026 Taipei Marathon is on December 20, 2026. Start times for the full and half marathon appear on the organiser's official site.
Where does the Taipei Marathon start and finish?
It starts at Taipei City Hall Plaza in Xinyi District, next to Taipei City Hall Station on the Blue Line. It finishes at Taipei Municipal Stadium on Nanjing East Road, beside Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line.
Do spectators need tickets to watch?
No. Supporters watch from the roadside along the closed course. Only runners need to register, and registration runs through the organiser's official Taipei Marathon site.
What is the weather like for the race?
Taipei in December is usually cool and often overcast, sometimes with drizzle. That's generally good for running, but standing at the start can be chilly, so runners often wear a throwaway layer.
Can I drink water on the MRT after the race?
No. Eating and drinking are banned in the MRT paid area and on trains, and that includes water and gels. Fines apply, so runners usually finish their drinks outside the gates.
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