Warsaw. Warsaw Marathon. Difficulties, detours, changes in parking

The 45th Nationale-Nederlanden Warsaw Marathon will start on Sunday at 9.00. Half an hour later, the Nice To Fit You Warszawska Tenner run will start. The marathon is accompanied by the Bridgestone Marathon Relay, and the day before, on Saturday, children will race on Emilia Plater over shorter distances. A total of over 10,000 people will take part in all races.

– We have been running continuously since 1979, but for the first time we start from the very heart of Warsaw – from the Palace of Culture and Science. We want Warsaw to be associated with unique events, our great dream is for the capital to host a great event of international significance – says Marek Tronina, president of the “Warsaw Marathon Foundation” and organizer, quoted in the release.

From the Palace of Culture and Science, marathon runners will run through Praga Południe and Praga Północ, Wola, Bemowo and Bielany. From there they will return to the center. The event will be accompanied by 34 support zones along the entire route, concerts and attractions for the entire families of athletes and fans in the runner’s town.

– The route leads through districts that runners have not reached yet – Wola, Bemowo. We decided on this option so as not to cause difficulties in the southern districts of the city, where the construction of a tram to Wilanów and a number of other investments is underway. And the residents of Bemowo and Wola now have the opportunity to use the metro, which allows them to move around the city freely regardless of what is happening on the surface, explained Renata Kaznowska, vice-president of the capital.

Information boards (in the form of yellow signs) have been visible along the marathon route for several days.

The first transport changes will be related to the construction of a running town. On Friday, September 22, at 6 p.m., Emilii Plater Street, on the section from Aleje Jerozolimskie to Świętokrzyska, will be completely closed and no parking will be allowed.

Further streets will be closed to traffic on Sunday, from 8.30. Then, drivers will no longer be able to drive along Aleje Jerozolimskie (from Rondo Czterdziestolatka to Poniatowski Bridge), Poniatowskiego Bridge, Świętokrzyski Bridge and half of Gdański Bridge (closed road towards Śródmieście, as well as Wybrzeże Helskie and a fragment of Wybrzeże Szczecińskie).

Officials also inform that as the runners move – around 9.00-9.30 – further streets will be closed in Wola, Bemowo and Bielany. The marathon runners will cover the last kilometers in Śródmieście. From 10.00, Miodowa, Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat (fragment), Świętokrzyska, Jasna, Złota and Marszałkowska (fragment) streets will be closed.

Streets will be opened as soon as possible after the route is cleared. The first ones will be cleared after 11 a.m., the last ones until 4 p.m. Only Emilii Plater Street will be opened only on Monday, September 25, at 1:00 a.m.

All “zebras” on the streets where marathon runners will run will be closed. Anyone who wants to cross the road will be directed to designated places where authorized people will control the traffic.

Parking restrictions will also be introduced during the marathon. From Friday, September 22, from 6 p.m. on Emilii Plater Street – from Aleje Jerozolimskie to Świętokrzyska Street and in Aleje Jerozolimskie in several places between Rondo Czterdziestolatka and Krucza Street and on Chałubińskiego Street in the Nowogrodzka area – on both sides of the road.

On Sunday, September 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the parking ban – also in designated parking spaces – will apply to the streets where runners will travel.

The first changes in the operation of Warsaw Public Transport will be introduced on Friday, September 22, after 6 p.m. – with the closure of a section of Emilii Plater Street. On Sunday, buses and trams traveling on streets coinciding with the race route will be diverted.

A full description of road changes during the 45th Nationale-Nederlanden Warsaw Marathon can be found at infoulice.um.warszawa.pl. Detailed information on public transport detours is available at www.wtp.waw.pl.