Where to watch

Read the geography first

This is a point-to-point course: the finish is about 24.0 miles from the start as the crow flies. Pick one mid-course anchor and the finish; trying to leapfrog repeatedly is usually the trap.

Landmarks that make useful anchors

Moving around race morning

Race morning is a one-way problem: you have to be on Charles Street, between the Public Garden and Boston Common, in time for your wave's bus, and the last bus leaves the Common at 9:30 a.m. with no exceptions. From a Copley-area hotel that is a walk of roughly 20 to 25 minutes, and walking is the most reliable option because it depends on nothing. If you use the T, the important detail is that Copley Station is closed the entire day, so your Green Line options near the finish are Back Bay (Orange Line, one block off Copley Square) and Hynes Convention Center. Buses run but are detoured off Boylston Street entirely; the Boylston at Dartmouth stop is out of service for over two weeks around the race, the Clarendon Street fallback stop closes at 3 p.m. the Friday before, and routes 501 and 504 skip Copley Square. Bikes, including folding bikes, are banned on the subway on marathon day, so a bike is not a backup plan.

Check final access guidance on the official site →