Compare Marathons

Copenhagen Marathon vs Amsterdam Marathon

Two of the fastest marathon courses on earth, two very different races. Here's every stat, side by side, to help you pick.

Copenhagen Marathon Copenhagen, Denmark 09 May 2027
VS
Amsterdam Marathon Amsterdam, Netherlands 18 October 2026

Elevation Profile Compared

Indicative — based on GPX data. Both courses normalised to start at 0m.

Head to Head

marks the better number on that stat.

Copenhagen Marathon
Amsterdam Marathon
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Race date
09 May 2027
18 October 2026
Difficulty
1.9/10
1.5/10
Course type
Loop
Loop
Elevation gain
75m
55m
Elevation loss
75m
55m
Highest point
19m
4m
Net elevation
0m
0m
Finishers (last year)
21,712
23,323
Course record, men
2:08:23 — Berhane Tsegay
2:03:30 — Geoffrey Toroitich
Course record, women
2:22:08 — Mercy Chebwogen
2:16:52 — Yalemzerf Yehualaw
Registration
Open Registration
Open Registration
Cutoff time
360 min
360 min
Founded
1980
1975

Copenhagen Marathon or Amsterdam Marathon?

Two of Northern Europe's flattest marathons. Amsterdam is marginally flatter (55m of gain) than Copenhagen (75m of gain), and its course record (2:03:30) is meaningfully faster than Copenhagen's 2:08:23 — a gap likely down to field depth as much as terrain, since neither course is genuinely hilly.

Copenhagen runs in May through the city's canals and Nyhavn waterfront; Amsterdam runs in October along the city's own canal network. Both are open registration with straightforward entry. If pure speed is the goal, Amsterdam's course record suggests it's the faster option; if timing or a spring date works better, Copenhagen is an equally flat, scenic alternative.

Course Maps

Copenhagen Marathon
Amsterdam Marathon
Full Copenhagen Marathon guide → Full Amsterdam Marathon guide →