Start
Date:
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Location:
The start is located on Straße des 17. Juni, between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column.
Start times:
09:15 am: Inline skaters
09:55 am: Wheelchair competitors and Handbikers
from 10:05 am: Runners (in several waves)
Note:
The race will take place regardless of the weather, unless a weather warning form the German Weather Service exists.
Schedule and course are subject to change.
Approach and access
We ask you to use public transportation.
Your start number is valid as a ticket for public transport in the AB fare zone between 5:00 am and 7:00 pm on the day of the event.
Public transportation stations near the start & finish area:
- Subway: Unter den Linden, Bundestag, Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
- S-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor, Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
- Trains: Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
On the day of the event the area will be open to all participants from 7:30 am.
Runners can access the start area only via the entrance at Platz der Republik.
Access for skaters on wheels is possible via the east side of Paul-Löbe-Allee (south walkway).
For security reasons, only participants with an official bib number and athlete wristband, which will be tied on at the HALF MARATHON EXPO, may enter the start & finish area. There is no admission for accompanying persons.
Start & finish area
Clothing drop-off is only possible for those participants who have booked the “clothing drop-off” when registering and have received a transparent clothing bag and label with their bib number at the race material pick up. All others will receive a warm poncho at the finish (recognizable by a corresponding symbol on the bib number).
If you booked a poncho when you registered for the race, you will receive one after you cross the finish line. The hand out points and your bib number are marked with the poncho symbol.
Please note that it is not possible to drop off clothes in this case.
On race day, you can stay warm in the pre-start zone with your hoodies, training jackets etc. and then donate them on site. Place the items over the bars or throw them into the marked containers.
The Berliner Stadtmission collects your donations and passes them on to people living on the street in its clothing store.
Approved is the following equipment:
Hydration pack or vest
- back compartment with max 3 liters volume for hydration pack
- front pockets for water bottles (max 0.5 liters each)
- front pockets for small items (cell phone, keys, etc.)
Hydration belt
- compartments for water bottles (max. 0.5 liters each)
compartments for small materials (cell phone, keys, etc.)
Backpacks and vests of all kinds with pockets/compartments with a volume greater than 3 liters are not allowed. Please note that there will be bag searches at the entrance.
- Weapons of any kind, including those items that are used as weapons, batons, shock and stabbing weapons or missiles.
- Gas spray cans, corrosive, flammable substances, dyestuffs or receptacles containing substances which are harmful to health or are highly flammable (exception: Standard pocket lighters).
- Bottles, cups, jugs, cans or other items that are made of glass or other fragile material.
- Bulky items such as ladders, stools, (folding) chairs, boxes.
- Fireworks, flares, smoke powder and -bombs or other pyrotechnics.
- Flag or banner poles, which are longer than 1 m, or whose diameter is larger than 3 cm, and "double holders" (brought or approved flags and banners which have a "flame-retardant" material).
- Mechanically operated sound-emitting devices such as Megaphones, klaxons
- Laser pointer
- Larger quantities of paper and paper rolls
- Cycles
- Pets and other animals (except guide dogs for the blind in the guest area)
- Luggage
- Drones
There are changing rooms and showers with hot water, as well as sanitary facilities in the start and finish area.
There are also sanitary facilities at the end of each refreshment station.
A small warm-up zone is located between the clothing drop-off and the start. Please follow the relevant signs and skate counter-clockwise.
Warming up in the starting block is not permitted.
Plenty of helping hands will loosen up your tired but brave muscles after the race. A comprehensive free massage service is available for all participants in the finish area opposite the Reichstagswiese. First come, will be first massaged.
Start groups & waves
The GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON is started in waves, which are divided into start groups.
- The start groups will be allocated shortly before the event on the basis of the best or target time given when registering.
- The time can be changed in your user account under “My registrations” until March 30, 2025, 23:59 (CET). No changes are possible after March 30, 2025!
- You can recognize your start group by the letter on your bib number.
- If you prefer to start from in a slower group than the one on your start number, no problem. Simply place yourself in a group further back.
Division of the start groups for inline skaters:
Group A women: < 50:00 min* (category “Speed”)
Group A men: < 40:00 min* (category “Speed”)
Group B: < 53:00 min* (category “Fitness”)
Group C: ≥ 53:00 min* or first half marathon (category “Fitness”)
On the course
Not permitted on the course are:
- Accompanying vehicles of any kind
- Baby carriages, skateboards or other wheeled devices (except inline skates, wheelchairs and handbikes in the designated competitions)
- Selfie sticks
- Animals
- Headphones → Please note that the international federation World Athletics prohibits the wearing of headphones during running competitions.
Time limit & cut-off point
Runners
- Time limit 3:15 h
Participants who are slower than the time limit of 3:15 hours (from crossing the start line) must leave the official route and continue walking on the sidewalk or will be driven to the finish in the “broom bus”. In this case, the organizer's liability is limited exclusively to participants who make use of the “broom bus” service.
Only participants who can show all split times and cross the finish line within the time limit will receive an official result and a medal, refreshments, massage and, if applicable, a poncho at the finish.
- Cut-off point at 2:25 pm at KM 18
At KM18 there will be a cut-off point for participants who exceed the time limit at this point.
Inline skater
- Time limit: 1:10 h
The time limit for skaters is 1:10 hours net (from crossing the start line). Participants who reach the Brangenburg Gate after the time limit can no longer cross the finish line for technical reasons and will be removed from the race and not included in the results list.
You do not want to be tracked. If you select this option, your name will not be shown in the search in the tracking area of the event website and will only be published in the results list together with your ranking at the end of the race.
Everyone can follow your race via the live results on the event website.
You decide who can follow your race via the live results on the event website. Share your tracking code with your supporters. This code will be requested when searching in the tracking area on the website.
Medals, results & certificates
You have made it! 21.0975 km of pure willpower and endurance are behind you. Your well-deserved medal is waiting for you at the finish line.
Medal engraving
Show off your success and have your finish time recorded on your medal. You can book this service in advance when you register or take advantage of it on site. You will find the engraving booth behind the exit of the event site in Scheidemannstraße.
Results
You can find your result in the online results list under “The race > Results”. There you will also be able to download your certificate.
Ranking
Run: The first 50 female and 50 male runners will be ranked gross.
Inlineskating: Skaters will be ranked gross in the “Speed” and “Fitness” categories (timed from the start to the finish). For “Fitness”, the net time will also be shown in the results list.
Result corrections:
If you have worn your race number correctly and still cannot find yourself in the results list or your time is incorrect, please contact us using the contact form and send us your own proof of your finishing time. In your interest, please give us time to check the case carefully. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Age group winner
Age group winners from the current year will receive a free race entry for the following year! We will send the winners all registration information automatically by e-mail.
According to the WKO/DRIV, age group winners for inline skaters will only be ranked in the “Fitness” category and on the basis of gross time.
The free race entry can only be claimed in the following year.
