27th VVO Upper Elbe Marathon 2026

The 27. VVO Oberelbe‑Marathon on 26 April 2026 is a celebrated point‑to‑point running festival tracing the River Elbe from Saxon Switzerland into the heart of Dresden. Runners can choose from a full marathon, a Sparkassen half marathon, 10 km, 5 km, a 2.7 km minimarathon and a 400 m Bambinilauf, welcoming athletes of all ages and abilities. The course is officially measured and staged under DLV regulations and finishes in the Heinz‑Steyer‑Stadion in central Dresden. Live results and modern timing are delivered using bib‑integrated transponders (chip timing).

Logistics are designed around public transport: the race bib serves as a valid VVO ticket on event day for convenient travel to the various starts. Packet pick‑up runs alongside a dedicated runners’ expo (Läufermesse / BallsportARENA), and organised baggage transport moves bags from start to finish. Participants benefit from frequent aid stations, post‑race refreshments, secure bag drop, professional photography, finishers’ medals (with optional on‑site engraving) and branded merchandise including the PUMA x OEM finishers’ shirts. Pacers support popular target times in the marathon and half marathon, while SMS result notifications and finisher videos add immediacy to the experience.

A distinctive feature is the chartered historic paddle steamer (Dampferfahrt) accompanying the marathon from Königstein for companions and spectators, creating a memorable riverside viewing experience. The organisers publish multilingual race information and official Ausschreibung (race information) PDFs in English, Czech and Polish. For registration and participant enquiries see the official site and organiser contact ([email protected]).