About
Some 55,000 runners cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and 26.2 miles of all five boroughs, finishing in Central Park before roaring sidewalk crowds.
The bridge empties onto Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn and stays loud for six straight miles, then the course works through Queens and the Bronx before the long run down Manhattan to the Central Park finish. The 2025 race produced 59,226 finishers from 130 countries, so the crowd is as international as the field. If you are not running, pick one neighborhood, bring a sign with a name on it, and stay put.
What to expect
Closed streets, brass bands, church choirs and neighborhood sound systems stacked along the route, with the density rising sharply in Bay Ridge, Williamsburg and on First Avenue. Wheelchair and professional fields go out first, then five general waves, so runners keep passing any given corner for hours. Cell service gets patchy where crowds bunch up.
Good to know
- Pick a spot near a subway line that is not crossed by the course, such as the 4/5/6 on the East Side, so you can leapfrog to a second viewing point
- Bridges on the course are closed to spectators, so watch from neighborhood streets instead
- Agree on a meeting point with your runner in advance rather than relying on phones near the finish
- Central Park and the blocks around the finish are the most congested part of the day
- Bring cash for bodegas and coffee carts along the route; lines get long
- Dress warmer than you think if you are standing still for hours in early November
Common questions
Do I need a ticket to watch the marathon?
Most neighborhood viewing areas are free, while grandstand seating near the Central Park finish requires a ticket.
Where can I watch in Brooklyn?
New York Road Runners recommends Fourth Avenue at miles 2 through 4 and the Fourth Avenue and Flatbush Avenue area near mile 8.
Can spectators watch from the bridges?
No. The Verrazzano-Narrows and Pulaski bridges are closed to spectators, and official guidance tells spectators to stay off every bridge on the course.
How can I follow a specific runner?
The official marathon app provides live runner tracking and an interactive spectator guide for planning viewing locations.