In short
The 2027 Brighton Marathon is on Sunday 4 April, three weeks before London, and runs from Preston Park in north Brighton to Hove Lawns on the seafront. Runners should stay around Brighton station and North Laine or Preston Circus to walk to the start, or in Hove by Brunswick Square to walk back from the finish; the seafront and The Lanes sit in between. Supporters can see runners twice on Madeira Drive (miles 15 and 17) and twice on Grand Avenue in Hove (miles 19 and 23). 2027 entries have been on sale since 12 April 2026 and 2026 set a record with more than 14,000 finishers, so book a room with free cancellation now.
Where to stay for the Brighton Marathon
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Start Finish Acheer spot Course
Download the course (GPX)Course map as an image Traced by marathonbeds from the latest published course, not the official file. Check the official map before race day.
Hotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 2 Apr to Mon 5 Apr. Open the live map for Preston Circus and London Road ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.
Course sheet
In race order, not to scale
- Preston ParkStart in the park, with an early climb up Preston Park Avenue at mile 1
- Royal Pavilion and The Levelmile 4 (km 6)Past the Theatre Royal and the Pavilion, then a loop round The Level
- Marine Drive and Ovingdeanmile 10.5 (km 17)Clifftop road east of the Marina to the Ovingdean U-turn, with views back to the city
- Madeira Drivemile 15 (km 24) · cheer spotOut and back by Volk's Electric Railway from mile 15, with the Charity Cheer Avenue and a cheer zone
- Kings Roadmile 18 (km 29)Past the Palace Pier, the i360 and the Peace Statue, with the Pride Promenade just before mile 18 in 2026
- Grand Avenue and Church Road, Hovemile 18.7 (km 30) · cheer spotUp Grand Avenue near mile 19 and back down it at mile 23, with local crowds on Church Road in between
- Hove Promenademile 25 (km 40)The colourful beach huts at mile 25, then the last stretch past the Hove Plinth
- Hove LawnsThe finish on the seafront lawns in Hove, next to the free Beach Village
Brighton Marathon race morning
Walk to Preston Park: in 2026 Preston Park station was closed on race morning, and rail travellers were told to take the train to Brighton station and walk just under a mile to the start. Only runners could enter the park; bag drop is free at the start. In 2026 the waves started from 09:45, and each runner's start and arrival times were in their online account from mid-March. Some roads closed from 06:00 in 2026, so do not count on taxis, and the pre-booked Park and Ride buses (sold out in 2026) ran from 07:45 to 09:30.
Compare the areas
Walking times along the streets from the centre of each area. On race morning, allow extra time for crowds and closed roads.
| Area | Good for | Walk to the start | Walk to the finish | Walk to bib pickup | Getting to the start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Circus and London Road | Near the start | 9 min | 34 min | 26 min | Walk to the start at the south end of Preston Park; only runners can enter the park. |
| Brighton station and North Laine | Near the start | 18 min | 33 min | 17 min | Walk north from Brighton station to Preston Park, the route the organisers gave rail travellers in 2026. |
| The Lanes and the seafront | Start and finish | 30 min | 26 min | 12 min | Walk north through the city past Brighton station to Preston Park. Preston Park station was closed on race morning in 2026, so there is no train for this short trip. |
| Hove seafront and Brunswick | Near the finish | 32 min | 8 min | 13 min | Take a train from Hove one stop east to Brighton, then walk north to Preston Park, or walk the whole way. Check the race-morning train times when they are published. |
| Kemp Town | On course | 38 min | 36 min | 22 min | Walk north past The Level and up London Road or Preston Road to Preston Park. Some roads closed from 06:00 in 2026, so do not plan on a bus or taxi. |
| Worthing | Value base | Train or bus | Train or bus | Train or bus | Take a Southern train from Worthing to Brighton, then walk north to Preston Park as the organisers advised in 2026. Check the Sunday race-morning timetable before you book. |
Where to watch the Brighton Marathon
Stay on the seafront: Madeira Drive for miles 15 and 17, then walk west along the front to Grand Avenue in Hove for mile 23, and on to Hove Lawns to meet your runner.
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mile 15 (km 24)
Madeira Drive
Runners come along Madeira Drive at mile 15 and pass again on the way back at about mile 17, and you may catch them on Marine Parade, just above, near mile 7 too. The Charity Cheer Avenue and an accessible viewing area are here; from Brighton station it is about 20 minutes on foot downhill to the Palace Pier.
Stays near Madeira Drive ↗ -
mile 18.7 (km 30)
Grand Avenue, Hove
Runners go up Grand Avenue near mile 19 and come back down it at mile 23, with an accessible viewing area here in 2026. From Madeira Drive after the mile 17 pass, walk about 40 minutes west along the seafront; a runner on 10-minute miles takes about an hour from mile 17 to mile 23.
Stays near Grand Avenue and Church Road, Hove ↗ -
Meet your runner
The finish and the free Beach Village are on Hove Lawns. In 2026 the meeting points were on the lawns near Brunswick Square; the organisers ask you to agree a meeting point in advance, as phone signal can be poor. From Grand Avenue it is about 10 minutes' walk east along the front, and Hove station is about 1 mile north for the train home.
The official hotels, explained
DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on Kings Road is the official hotel partner of the Brighton Marathon Weekend and was a pack collection point in 2026. It is on the seafront, under a mile from the finish on Hove Lawns. You book it directly with the hotel; we found no published race rate or special terms.
| Official hotel offer | Our maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole | Every hotel and rental near each area |
| Prices | Listed on the official site | Live prices from several booking sites |
| Minimum stay and cancellation | Not published. Ask before you pay. | Filter for free cancellation |
| Need to buy a package? | No | No |
See the official hotel offer ↗ · We link to the official option and explain its terms, so you can compare before you book.
When to book
We suggest 3 nights, Fri 2 Apr to Mon 5 Apr: time to settle in before the race and a night of rest after it.
- NowBook a room with free cancellation near the start.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- Sun, 4 Apr 2027Race day.
Free guide
The Unofficial 2027 Brighton Marathon Where to Stay Guide
Every area, the race morning plan and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Brighton Marathon questions
Where should I stay for the Brighton Marathon?
Runners: around Brighton station and North Laine or Preston Circus to walk to the start in Preston Park, or Hove seafront to walk back from the finish on Hove Lawns. Supporters: the seafront, Kemp Town or Hove put you close to Madeira Drive and Grand Avenue, where runners pass twice.
Is it better to stay near the start or the finish?
The start in Preston Park and the finish on Hove Lawns are under 2 miles apart as the crow flies. Near Brighton station you can walk to the start and take one short train or a walk back after the race; Hove is easier after the finish, but needs a train to Brighton or a long walk in the morning.
How do I get to the start of the Brighton Marathon?
On foot. In 2026 Preston Park station was closed on race morning, and rail travellers were told to go to Brighton station and walk just under a mile north to the park. Only runners could enter Preston Park. There was also a pre-booked Park and Ride from four sites around the city, with buses to the start from 07:45 to 09:30.
Where are the best places to watch the Brighton Marathon?
Madeira Drive, where runners pass at miles 15 and 17 and the charities cheer, Kings Road by the piers, and Grand Avenue and Church Road in Hove at miles 19 to 23. Preston Park is for runners only, so supporters meet them on Hove Lawns.
When is the Brighton Marathon 2027?
Sunday 4 April 2027, with the Brighton Miles on Saturday 3 April. The 2027 start time is confirmed about five weeks before race day; in 2026 the waves started from 09:45.
Is the Brighton Marathon course hilly?
It is rolling rather than hilly: the organisers list climbs at miles 1, 7, 9 and 11 and about 477 feet of climbing in total, and the second half along the seafront and through Hove is mostly flat.
How many nights should I book for the Brighton Marathon?
We suggest 3 nights, Fri 2 Apr to Mon 5 Apr: time to settle in before the race and a night of rest after it. Book with free cancellation so you can change your plans.
Where do I pick up my bib for the Brighton Marathon?
In 2026, bibs were picked up at DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on Friday, or Preston Park on Saturday, Kings Road, seafront. The closest area in this guide is The Lanes and the seafront, about 12 minutes on foot.
Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Photo credits
- Brighton Palace Pier from the beach: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The clock tower in Preston Park: Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gardner Street in North Laine: Mat Fascione, CC BY-SA 2.0
- A narrow shopping alley in The Lanes: Fry72, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Regency terraces of Brunswick Square in Hove: Andy Li, CC0
- The white terraces of Lewes Crescent in Kemp Town: Hassocks5489, CC0
- Worthing Pier seen from the beach: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Madeira Drive and the seafront arches: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Grand Avenue in Hove seen from the seafront: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hove Lawns and the terraces of Brunswick: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0
