Zurich Rock ’n’ Roll Madrid Marathon & Half 2027

Rock ’n’ Roll Madrid is the biggest running weekend in the capital. The 2026 edition had 47,000 runners, and the organisers say more than 10,000 come from abroad, from over 110 countries. The 49th edition is on Sunday 25 April 2027. It’s run by Mapoma as part of the Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series, and it changes quite a bit for 2027.

What’s new for 2027

• The 10K is gone. Only the marathon and half marathon remain, with 30,000 bibs for the half and 17,000 for the marathon.
• Entry now opens in phases. In 2026 more than 8,000 people missed out on a bib, so 2027 started with a loyalty window for previous runners, then priority for the 2026 waiting list. General entry opened on 14 May 2026 and stays open until places run out.
• The finish moves to Paseo de Recoletos, between Cibeles and Colón. In 2026, press guides put it at Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, next to the Neptune fountain.

Entry: the price depends on how many have already signed up

The half marathon price rises as entry numbers grow: €40 for the first 5,000, €50 up to 10,000 (until 30 September 2026), €80 up to 20,000 and €100 up to 30,000. That makes the jump after the €50 tier the biggest one, so if you’re sure you’ll run, enter early. Runners who enter after 18 March 2027 may not get a personalised bib or a corral based on their time.

The course

The organisers’ 2026 GPX gives a good idea of the route, though the finish will change for 2027:

• Start on the Castellana, near Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz, heading north. The first 3 km or so climb gently, from about 680 m to 725 m.
• A loop through Chamberí takes you back south to Cuatro Caminos, then east towards Francisco Silvela and down to the edge of the Retiro.
• The Salamanca district and the centre: north again through Salamanca, west to Noviciado, then down to Gran Vía, Callao and Sol.
• The finish: Carrera de San Jerónimo and past Neptune, then for 2027 a short, gentle uphill past Cibeles to Recoletos.

After the early climb, the course trends downhill almost all the way to Neptune, but it’s never completely flat. Drinks are at km 5, 10.5, 16 and 20.

Why people choose it

The name isn’t just branding. There are more than 30 entertainment points along the route, with live music, and the half shares the streets and the atmosphere of a big marathon morning. If you’d rather have a cheaper, half-only race in Madrid, the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon three weeks earlier takes a similar route: up the Castellana at the start, then through Cuatro Caminos and Sol. If you want the party, this is the one.