The Royal Parks Half Marathon, one of London’s most scenic running events, has released key information for participants and supporters ahead of race day on Sunday 12th October.
The route
Welcoming 16,000 runners, this year’s event will feature a new route and finish line location. Participants will cross the line in front of two iconic London landmarks: the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall.
In previous years, these landmarks were part of the final stretch of the race, but for 2025, they will now form a backdrop for the finish line experience.
Designed to make the Royal Parks Half Marathon experience even more memorable, this year runners will pass Horse Guards Parade with views of the London Eye; experience the thrill of running along The Mall not once, but twice; and, for the first time, participants will also run past Kensington Palace, joining Buckingham Palace as a second royal highlight along the route.
The rest of the course remains as stunning as ever, with the lucky participants still running through the heart of London’s city streets before making their way through four of London’s beautiful Royal Parks: Hyde Park, The Green Park, St. James’s Park, and Kensington Gardens.
After finishing, runners will take a short walk and pick up their finisher goodies on their way back to the bustling event village in Hyde Park where they can collect their bags, meet supporters and soak up the festival atmosphere.
Find the full route map here.
What time does it start?
The Event Village opens at 07:30, along with the baggage marquee for bag drop. Wave loading begins at 08:20, with on-site screens directing you to the correct start funnel.
At 09:00, Scottish broadcaster, Jenni Falconer will sound the klaxon to officially start the race. Runners will set off in waves, ensuring a smooth and safe experience on the course – please see the estimated wave times below:
From 10:30, activities kick off in the event village for both runners and spectators to enjoy. The event village will close at 16:00.
Find more Event Village info here.
How to get there
If you’re travelling by tube, plan your journey ahead as there is a scheduled closure to the Piccadilly Line on race weekend, with both Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge stations closed.
Engineering work is also taking place at London Victoria across race weekend. This means no Southern or Gatwick Express services will run to/from London Victoria on Saturday 11 or Sunday 12 October.
Alternative routes are available via London Bridge. From there, you can take the Jubilee line to Green Park and walk to the event. Please see the National Rail website for more details. You can also access the event village from Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate, South Kensington and Bond Street tube stations and Victoria tube and mainline station. Follow the event’s direction guides here
.
There are several bus options from North London, South London, West London and East London, dropping you off on one of three roads: Knightsbridge, Bayswater Road or Park Lane. Please note that some roads may be closed from 06:00 for the event.
We would advise you not to travel by car as there is strictly no parking and road closures from 06:00.
Race app
The race app is now available to download for both spectators and runners, under the search term ‘Royal Parks Half’ on your app store. (If you have the 2024 app, be sure to update it as it won’t automatically update).
Whether you’re a spectator or a runner, the app enables
Spectators to:
- Track their favourite runners
- Navigate seamlessly around the course
- Find accessibility information
- Plan their day out at the event village
- Donate to their favourite runners’ charities
Runners to:
- Find their way to the event village and assembly area
- Get their official race time and see your standings compared to other runners
- Find accessibility information
- Discover offers from the sponsors and partners
- Take a finish time selfie and share it on social media
Sustainability
In 2025 participants again had the option to forgo a finisher T-shirt. This year, those that opted out of the finisher T-shirt will contribute to the planting of snowdrops and native bulbs along the half marathon route. The participants also had the option to forgo a finisher medal.
Other sustainable initiatives for this year’s race include:
- Plastic bottle-free course
- T-shirts made of 100% recycled polyester
- FSC Certified wooden medals
- Digital only race comms
- JogOn partnership – an opportunity to donate unwanted running shoes
- All water stations stocked with compostable cups and refill points for runners carrying their own water in bottles or hydration vests/belts
Accessibility
The Royal Parks Half aims to be an inclusive event to all participants and have introduced more accessible facilities to their route, event village and communications to improve the event experience for those with access needs. The accessibility guide and event guide are both available in plain text and with BSL translations on the Royal Parks Half website.
Download the accessibility guide here.
For more information about this year’s Royal Parks Half Marathon 2025, please see a link to the event guide here.
