Hamburg half – double fun!

When countless running fans start chanting a German song dedicated to the world-famous Reeperbahn, an entertainment and nightlife district in the heart of the city, veteran runners know that things are getting serious. The starting gun for the hella hamburg half marathon is just a few moments away. Over 16,000 participants once again set off on a 21.1km long party. The event is an experience not to be missed.

It starts with the course. The city route was designed to fit as many tourist attractions as possible into 21.0975 kilometres. There are almost 50 of them. It all starts on the city’s “sinful mile”, where for once the party animals are flowing on the streets instead of the pavements. From there it’s down to the harbour, past the historic Speicherstadt (a UNESCO world heritage site) through a tunnel in Downtown Hamburg, over the Kennedy Bridge, around the Outer Alster lake until reaching the finish line at the exhibition grounds. These are just some of the sightseeing highlights – you might miss a few along the way.

The 40 or so event points, which on average give the half marathon runners a boost every 500 metres, also play their part. With DJ support, live music, African, South American and Japanese drums, a real Swiss mountain festival with alpenhorns, a Low German shanty choir, several cheering zones and artists, you are virtually carried along the course. One acoustic and visual highlight follows the next. The kilometres fly by and the spectators along the course know exactly what is expected of them.

On the home straight the blue carpet is rolled out for the participants as they are greeted by a frenetic crowd. A few metres later you can be celebrated as a finisher of the hella hamburg half marathon – only about 1.5 kilometres from the starting point on the Reeperbahn, where the party began.

Hamburg can once again look forward to a spectacle that attracts guests from over 90 nations to the city every year. A large international elite field and many running crews are likely to have already made a note of the date when one of Germany’s biggest half marathons invites them to dance again. On 29 June 2025, the motto will once again be: Hamburg Half – Double Fun!