Road Closure Information

The 2026 Christchurch Marathon is returning to the streets of Christchurch on Sunday 12 April 2026, starting at 7:30am

Proposed Road Closures

For the safety of runners and spectators, there will be proposed road closures associated with the Christchurch Marathon between 4:00am and 3:00pm on Sunday 12 April 2026. As required under the Local Government Act 1974, the Christchurch City Council will publicly notify the temporary road closure application in The Press.

The proposed road closures may mean that you will be unable to use the road during specified times. Detours and other measures to minimise the impact of the closures will be installed, signposted and actively managed to ensure the safety of all runners, spectators and road users.

Managed resident access routes will be implemented where feasible for residents living within the road closure area for resident vehicles to exit the area if required on the day. Please note that this will be restricted to critical movements only, and within certain time periods due to safety and operational requirements.

An opportunity to provide feedback to the Christchurch City Council on the route or the proposed road closures will become available as per the timeframes in the public road closure notice.

Plan Your Journey

We strongly advise that you take the following steps to help minimise the impact of these proposed road closures:

Avoid non-essential travel where possible - leave your car at home or park your vehicle outside the closure points. DON’T DRIVE in areas along the marathon route between 4:00am - 3:00pm.

Plan your trip - be aware of road closure times and locations, and if you must drive on event day plan your route in advance, park outside the closures, and allow for extra travel time.

Use public transport - bus services will continue to run to and from the city. Keep in mind that due to the proposed road closures buses may be affected, so plan your trip ahead of time.

Parking - if you need to access your vehicle during the event, park in a legal space outside of the closure footprint. There will be strict no parking zones which will be in effect across the course, avoid being towed and move your vehicle on Saturday night as the no parking zones come into effect at 4:00am leading into Sunday.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the event or proposed road closures, please contact us on course@christchurchmarathon.co.nz.

We appreciate your understanding and support with being able to host this event in our community and to help showcase the Christchurch CBD.