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PHILADELPHIA – The streets of Philadelphia will belong to the runners this weekend as the city hosts the 2025 Philadelphia Marathon. The highly-anticipated, two-day event draws athletes from around the world for three major races, including the full marathon, half marathon and 8K – as well as a kids’ fun run and a massive health and fitness expo.
Drivers and residents are urged to plan ahead for early morning closures and traffic restrictions throughout the Benjamin Franklin Parkway area and Center City.
Race start times Saturday, Nov. 22: Sunday, Nov. 23: Race route
The marathon and half marathon routes take runners through some of the city’s most scenic and historic areas — including Center City, Old City, University City and Fairmount Park — before finishing at the iconic Art Museum steps.
The 8K follows a shorter course near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, while the Kid’s Run stays close to the finish line.
Philadelphia Marathon course map Road closures
Expect widespread road closures across Center City, the Ben Franklin Parkway and Fairmount Park starting in the early morning hours Saturday and again on Sunday.
Streets such as the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Kelly Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Spring Garden Street Bridge and Fairmount Avenue will be closed during race hours.
SEPTA bus routes will be detoured, and drivers are urged to use public transportation or allow extra travel time. Roads will reopen gradually each afternoon once races conclude.
From the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend website: The Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed from Friday, November 21, through Sunday, November 23.The I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street (westbound) will be closed on Saturday, November 22, and Sunday, November 23, at 4:00 a.m. for event security preparation. Ramps at 15th and Broad Streets may also close if needed.Eastbound I-76 @ Spring Garden Street (top of the ramp) at 4:00 a.m. No traffic will be permitted into Center Cty; traffic for the Art Museum & the Art Museum garage is allowed on Saturday, November 22, and Sunday, November 23.Eastbound Winter Street @ 23rd Street (just off of eastbound I-676) at 2:00 a.m. will be closed.Westbound I-76 @ Girard Avenue (Exit #342) will be closed beginning at 6:00 a.m.Citywide along the 13.1-mile Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon route on Saturday, November 22. The full route can be viewed online.Citywide along the 26.2-mile route of the AACR Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 23. The full route can be viewed online.
You can find a full list of road closures and parking restrictions online.
What’s new this year?
This year’s marathon is sold out, with runners representing more than 50 countries.
New for 2025: an official marathon mobile app that allows friends and family to track runners, check live results, and receive real-time safety updates.
Half-marathon forecast
What we know:
Overnight showers will spill into Saturday morning as the half-marathon gets underway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Showers will be in full swing by the time the half-marathon starts at 7 a.m., and are expected to continue through the afternoon.
Temperatures on Saturday will be around 50 degrees, with a northern wind of 8-12 MPH.
Showers will wrap up around 4 p.m. with leftover cloud cover.
Marathon forecast
What we know:
Sunshine will return for runners on Sunday’s 26.1 mile jaunt through Philadelphia, but near-freezing temperatures are expected.
Forecasters say temps will sit in the low-to-mid 30s on Sunday morning, with a gentle westerly wind around 6-10 MPH.
The morning chill will eventually lead to a seasonable warm-up on Sunday, with temperatures expected to approach 60 degrees.
The week ahead is expected to feature mostly seasonable temperatures, despite two chances of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.Â
An early look at Thanksgiving shows temperatures in the 50s with sunny skies in Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend website was gathered and used in this report.