🇳🇱Rotterdam, Netherlands
NN Rotterdam Marathon
Expected April 2027
Distance
42.2 km
Elevation gain
15 m
Terrain
Road
Entry type
Open entry
PB potential
World-record territory — one of the fastest courses on the planet
Beginner friendly
Perfect first marathon — supportive, accessible, and well-structured
About this race
Rotterdam is widely regarded as the fastest marathon course in the world by the numbers — a near-perfectly flat route at sea level, through wide Dutch streets with consistent wind buffering from buildings, in reliably cool April conditions. Multiple world records have been set here or in Rotterdam's elite-only companion race. The course starts and finishes in the heart of the city, loops past Erasmus Bridge, through the Kralingse Plas (a scenic lake park), and back through the architecturally striking port area. The field is large and international. Organisation — as you'd expect from the Dutch — is excellent: regular aid stations, consistent pacers, clear signage. If your goal is a PB, a qualifier, or breaking a round number, Rotterdam is the most logical single choice in Europe.
Typical race-day weather
Temperature
7–14°C
Humidity
65–75%
Conditions
Cool and overcast, occasionally breezy
Wind
10–20 km/h W
Qualifies for
Entry information
Next edition date estimated — confirm exact date with the official site.
Pace Band
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