The Complete Berlin Marathon Packing List (2026)

The Berlin Marathon is coming up fast, and we wanted to put together everything we could think of so you can double check your packing list before you land in Germany.

We threw everything we could think of on here, for pre-race, during race, and post race. Do you need it all? Probably not. Will it hopefully jog your memory to include something you forgot? That's our hope! We also throw in some of our go-to recommendations, but remember, nothing new on race day. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.

Your Race

• ☐ Bib - You'll need your bib to get into the start area, and your results won't count without it. Pick it up in person at the Marathon EXPO at Olympiapark Berlin, typically open Thursday through Saturday before race day. Bring a photo ID and the start card emailed to you about a week out. No mail-in or friend pickup, it has to be you.
• ☐ Racing Shoes - Seems obvious, but that's what makes them so easy to forget. If you're flying in, pack your racing shoes in your carry-on or wear them. Standard road shoes are fine for the whole course, including the cobblestone stretch through Gendarmenmarkt and Unter den Linden in the final 2km. Just leave the minimal-outsole racing flats at home if rain is in the forecast. Wet cobblestones get slick.
• ☐ Running Shirt - Singlet, tshirt, whatever you prefer. Make sure it's something you've run in before and is comfortable.
• ☐ Sports Bra - Simply put, if this is something you wear, don't forget it! The Senita Athletics Back Pocket Sports Bra is highly recommended.
• ☐ Running Shorts / Tights - Same as the above, make sure they're comfortable and you've run in them before.
• ☐ Running Underwear - If you wear something under your shorts (instead of a built-in liner), don't forget to bring yourself a clean pair to start with. Runderwear makes running specific underwear to prevent chafing and for maximum comfort.
• ☐ Running Socks - We all have a weird preferred pair of socks that we race in. Everything from a basic PUMA sock to Balegas, with Feetures worth a look too.
• ☐ Running Watch - Almost as important as the shoes on your feet, don't forget your watch! The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a great option with an AMOLED screen and long battery life. Set alerts to go off every kilometer, not every mile, since that's all you'll see painted on the road. And don't forget your charger!
• ☐ Watch Charger - In fact, this deserves its own bullet point. Don't forget your watch charger! If you've got the 965 above, they make a cute little one on a stand.
• ☐ Km Pace Bracelet - Berlin marks the course in kilometers only, no mile markers anywhere. If you've trained in miles, print a pace bracelet with your target 5K splits as a backup to your watch. Trying to convert pace in your head at km 27 is not a fight you'll win.
• ☐ Know Your Gear Check Option - Berlin's gear check is an optional paid add-on (around €5), and it's a real decision, not a formality. You choose bag drop or poncho when you register, and it's locked in from that point, no changing your mind later. Choose bag drop and you deposit a labeled clear bag before the corrals and pick it up after you finish. Choose the poncho option instead and you get a poncho waiting for you at the finish, but you can't bring a bag to the start at all. Figure out which one you picked before race week so you know what you can actually carry with you.
• ☐ Hat / Visor - If you wear one, of course! Rain shows up on about 44% of Berlin race days, usually light, and a billed cap does more for keeping water out of your eyes than anything else you'll pack. Our recommended hat is the Ciele Athletics GOCap SC.
• ☐ Sunglasses - Rain or shine, sunglasses protect your eyes from wind too. Goodr sunglasses are a reliable, inexpensive pick.
• ☐ Anti-Chafe - Better safe than sorry. We've had good success with Squirrel's Nut Butter Anti Chafe Salve.
• ☐ Handheld Bottle - If you've been training with a handheld and want your own hydration on course. The Nathan SpeedDraw Plus is a solid everyday choice, and their commonly sold out soft flask is worth grabbing if you can find it in stock.
• ☐ Nutrition - Something new on race day could really screw you up here. Bring what you've trained with, and don't try anything new even if it's offered on course. Think about what you need km by km and pack a few extra in case of a gel disaster in your bag. Our marathon fueling guide covers gel timing and rate if you're still dialing in your plan.
• ☐ Headphones - Try running Berlin without headphones at least once. Kreuzberg turns into a block party with DJs and drums, Karl-Marx-Allee is packed for kilometers, and Berlin prints your name on your bib, so total strangers will actually shout it. If you'd still rather have music, open ear Shokz headphones let you hear the crowd anyway.
• ☐ Arm Band - If you've been holding your phone in an arm band while you run, this is a race where you'll want it with you before and after. The TRIBE Cell Phone Armband works well for race day and most training runs.
• ☐ Flip Belt - Armband not your style? Our recommended Flip Belt can hold your phone and nutrition.
• ☐ Heart Rate Strap - If you're tracking your heart rate with a separate monitor and want to use it on race day, don't forget to bring it. Our top HR monitor is the Polar H10.
• ☐ Safety Pins - They'll have these at the expo, but it's worth bringing your own just in case you lose them.
• ☐ Bib Holder - If you don't like the safety pins and have your own method of attaching your bib, bring it along. Just don't try one for the first time on race day.
• ☐ Sunscreen - Late September sun isn't brutal, but you'll be out there for hours. Sun Bum is vegan and reef friendly.
• ☐ Chapstick - Protect your lips from the sun and wind. Chapstick with SPF is a good idea.
• ☐ KT Tape / Medical Tape - Pick this up at most German drugstores near the expo, but if you have a specific brand you like, bring it along. KT Tape is a popular choice.
• ☐ Bobby Pins / Hair Ties - These are so easy to forget! Bobby Pins and Hair Ties are a must if you have long hair.

Before The Race

Berlin's start village runs along Straße des 17. Juni through the Tiergarten, and there is no covered shelter anywhere in it. You'll wait 1-2 hours depending on your group's entry time, and September mornings typically sit around 8-14°C (46-57°F). Here's what to bring and know before you get there:

• ☐ Food & Drink - Bring your tried and tested pre-race fueling, breakfast included. There will be water on site, but don't try anything new the morning of.
• ☐ Hat & Gloves - Keep your extremities warm with a donatable pair. Throwaway clothing left at the start is collected and donated, so nothing goes to waste.
• ☐ Long Sleeve Hoodie - Warm, donatable, and has a hood in case it's breezy while you wait.
• ☐ Sweat Pants - A warm pair to keep your legs comfortable. Strip and donate them right before heading into the corrals.
• ☐ Throwaway Poncho - Cheap warmth and, if it rains, a layer to keep you dry while you wait.
• ☐ Garbage Bag or Old Towel - There's nowhere to sit in the Tiergarten start area except the ground, and it's usually damp with dew this time of year. A garbage bag or old towel to sit on makes the wait a lot more bearable, and doubles as a throwaway layer.
• ☐ Mylar Space Blanket - Small enough to fit in a pocket and genuinely effective for a couple of cold hours outdoors. Reuse one from a previous race if you've got it.
• ☐ Hand Warmers - If the forecast is on the cooler end, hand warmers in your gloves or shoes make a real difference during the wait.
• ☐ Sunscreen - Worth reapplying right before the start if it's a sunny morning, since you'll be out for a few more hours.
• ☐ Chapstick - Protect your lips from the sun and wind while you wait.
• ☐ Dude Wipes - Handy in case the porta-potties run out of toilet paper. Not just for dudes.
• ☐ A Sharpie - Write your meeting letter and your emergency contact's phone number on the back of your bib the night before. Cell service near the Brandenburg Gate essentially collapses under 55,000+ runners and huge crowds on race day. The official race app tracks your bib's chip in real time, so that's what your people should be using to follow you, not texts.

A few things worth knowing before you're standing there:

• ☐ Your bib is your transit ticket - It doubles as a valid ticket for Berlin's ABC public transit fare zone from Thursday through Sunday of race weekend. No need to buy a separate ticket to get to the start at Platz der Republik or Tiergarten.
• ☐ Skip the first bank of toilets - Lines near the village entrance get long fast. Walk deeper toward the corrals and the queues thin out considerably. There are no toilets inside the corrals themselves, so go before you're called in.
• ☐ Decide your post-race meeting plan now - The family meeting point is Paul-Löbe-Haus, organized alphabetically by your last name. Agree on your letter and a backup time with anyone meeting you, and write it down. You will not be in a state to problem-solve this at the finish line.

More Berlin Marathon Guides

• Berlin Marathon Weather History: what race day conditions have actually looked like over the years.
• Berlin Marathon Race Strategy: km-by-km course breakdown and pacing tips from the Tiergarten to the Brandenburg Gate.
• Race Day Gear Guide: dial in your full gear plan by temperature, rain, and chafing risk.
• Race Morning Guide: a full timeline for the hours before the gun, including caffeine timing.

Thanks for reading! We'll update this article if we have any new tips to share. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via email contact@racecast.io or Instagram. Good luck!