The courses run along both sides of the Saar, are mostly flat, largely traffic-free and very varied: skyline of the state capital Saarbrücken, river landscapes, biotope areas as well as historic and modern industrial and port facilities. In other words, almost every possible type of surrounding can be found.
All courses are officially measured and therefore eligible for official rankings.
Start/Finish Area
All courses start and finish on the riverside path at the level of the Kulturbiergarten St. Arnual.
From the hall in Scharnhorststraße it is about 300 m to the start/finish area. Access is via the motorway underpass at the level of Daarler Brücke.
1 km Youth Run
The start is upstream along the Saar. First, runners pass the finish line from behind. After 650 m there is a turning point. From there, it is another 350 m downstream to the finish.
Refreshments: at the finish
5 km Course (officially measured)
The start is upstream. First, runners pass the finish line from behind. After 2,650 m towards Güdingen there is a turning point. From there, it is another 2,350 m downstream to the finish.
Refreshments: at the finish
10 km Course (officially measured)
The start is downstream. Crossing the Westspange bridge, runners move to the right bank of the Saar and continue through the Bürgerpark to the Kongresshalle. The route then heads upstream under the Berliner Promenade and past the Staatstheater, along the Staden, and under the Daarl Bridge and the Ostspange to the old harbour. The harbour is circled and the course continues along the water to the St. Arnual Bridge (also known as the “dead bridge” or “Soda Bridge”). There, runners cross back to the left bank of the Saar and follow the riverside path downstream to the finish.
Refreshments: at 6.5 km near the Daarl Bridge and at the finish
Half Marathon Course (officially measured)
The half marathon starts downstream towards the Westspange and continues to the Schleuse Luisenthal. There, the Saar is crossed and runners continue approximately 1 km upstream to the turning point at km 8, shortly before the Gersweiler Bridge. From there, the route follows the same way back to the Westspange. Runners then switch to the right bank of the Saar and follow the 10 km course to the St. Arnual Bridge (also known as the “dead bridge” or “Soda Bridge”). After crossing it, the course follows the riverside path downstream to the finish.
Refreshments: at 4 km (Malstatt Bridge), 7 and 9 km (lock), 13.5 km (Malstatt Bridge), 17.5 km (Daarl Bridge) and at the finish
Marathon Course (officially measured)
The marathon course follows the half marathon route to the Schleuse Luisenthal. There, marathon runners separate from the half marathon runners and continue towards Völklingen. Crossing the Karolinger Bridge in Völklingen, they return to the left bank of the Saar, with a fine view of the active Saarstahl steelworks. Via the Wehrden Bridge, a small loop leads through the UNESCO World Heritage Site Völklinger Hütte.
From there, the route returns the same way, again with views of the rolling mill, the World Heritage Site and the Völklingen steelworks, back to the lock. With a view of the Burbach steelworks, the course continues along the allotment gardens to the Westspange. There, runners change sides and follow the 10 km course to the St. Arnual Bridge (also known as the “dead bridge” or “Soda Bridge”). After crossing it, they run upstream towards France. Only shortly before the border near Güdingen-Unner do they turn around and then run downstream back to the finish.
Refreshments: at 4 km (Malstatt Bridge), 7 km (lock), 12 km (Völklingen Fährmann), 16 km (World Heritage Site), 20 km (Fährmann), 25 km (lock), 29 km (Malstatt Bridge), 34 km (Daarl Bridge), 39 km (Güdingen Unner) and at the finish