The marathon affects more than runners: roads and tram routes will close, and crossing the course will also be restricted. Police and HAK give partly different times. An early time buffer therefore makes sense when planning travel.
The marathon matters even without a race number
The start and finish are on Trg bana Josipa Jelačića. The ten-kilometre race starts at 08:45, with the marathon and half marathon at 09:00. Police announce restrictions for cars and trams along and across the course.
This does not make a Sunday appointment in the city centre impossible, but it changes how you get there. A stop near your accommodation is useful only if it is actually served under the special arrangements. If you need to catch a train, bus or booked pick-up, do not assume that the usual Sunday timetable applies.
The closure windows announced by police
According to the police notice, Jelačić Square closes at 07:30 and the entire course at 08:30. The northern section via Ribnjak and Medveščak to Ksaverska/Gračanska is due to reopen around 10:00. Around 10:40 is given for Vlaška and Maksimirska up to number 150. The central loop, including Zrinjevac, Masarykova, Deželića and Ilica, is expected to remain affected until around 15:00.
The complete street list is in the linked police notice. These times are planned reopenings, not a promise that a particular section will be passable at the exact minute.
Why we do not give only 08:30
In the traffic report checked on Friday evening, HAK lists some closures as starting as early as 08:15; it gives 11:00 for reopening in the east. These details do not fully match the police overview.
Our practical recommendation is therefore to complete any necessary passage through the affected area well before 08:15, or make alternative plans. This is a time buffer for scheduling, not an additional official closure period. Before travelling, the latest information matters—not whichever of the two reports is more convenient.
ZET introduces three additional bus services
ZET announces altered tram routes from 07:30 to 15:00. Lines 9 and 15 run normally; line 13 does not run until the marathon ends. The additional bus services are Dubrava–Borongaj from 08:00 to 14:30, Črnomerec–Magazinska from 08:15 to 14:30 and Kaptol–Mihaljevac from 10:00 to 14:30.
An important detail for Dubrava–Borongaj: this bus serves no intermediate stops. Numerous regular bus routes will also be shortened or temporarily suspended. The linked special ZET notice lists the individual routes and boarding points; check your exact connection there, not just the line number.
Clarify the final stretch in advance
If your accommodation is on the course, ask for an accessible pick-up address. For sightseeing, it is often simpler to group destinations on the same side of the course rather than trying to drive across it repeatedly. Barriers and marshals' instructions also apply to pedestrians; spontaneously walking between runners is not a good shortcut.
If you have a fixed departure time, plan for a longer walk and an alternative boarding point before the event begins. The special-service times listed do not guarantee a particular onward connection.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- 34th Zagreb Powerade Marathon – special traffic arrangementsZagreb police · 8 October 2026; checked on the evening of 9 OctoberRace starts, course sections, road and tram traffic and planned reopening times
- Road conditions report – Zagreb MarathonHAK · 9 October 2026; traffic report checked in the eveningDifferent closure start from 08:15 and reopening in the east at 11:00; live traffic report
- Traffic changes on Sunday because of the marathonZET · 8 October 2026; checked on the evening of 9 OctoberTram changes, exceptions for 9 and 15, suspension of line 13, additional bus services and stops
