NYC Marathon Transportation Guide 2026: Road Closures, Bridge Shutdowns & How to Get Around All 5 Boroughs

NYC Marathon Transportation Guide 2026

The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, with more than 50,000 runners coursing through all five boroughs on the first Sunday of November. It is also one of the most disruptive days of the year for anyone trying to get around New York City. Roads that normally carry the city's traffic are handed over to runners, bridges close to vehicles, and entire neighborhoods become inaccessible by car for hours at a stretch.

Whether you are a runner heading to the start in Staten Island, a spectator trying to cheer at multiple points along the 26.2-mile course, or a New Yorker simply trying to get to brunch or a meeting, marathon day demands a plan. This guide covers the 2026 road closures and bridge shutdowns borough by borough — and explains why a private chauffeured car service from YAZ Limousine is a reliable way to navigate the chaos.

Marathon Day at a Glance

The New York City Marathon begins in Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and finishes in Central Park in Manhattan. Along the way it passes through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan, touching every borough except... well, all five. The race starts in waves beginning around 8:00 AM and the last runners cross the finish well into the afternoon, which means closures are in effect from early morning through late afternoon.

• Start: Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island (near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge)
• Course: Staten Island → Brooklyn → Queens → Bronx → Manhattan → Central Park
• First wave: approximately 8:00 AM; rolling street reopenings through late afternoon
• Peak disruption: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM across all five boroughs
• Finish: Central Park, with closures around the park and the west side of Manhattan

Bridge Shutdowns on Marathon Day

The marathon crosses five bridges, and each one closes to vehicular traffic on race morning. These are the most consequential shutdowns for anyone moving around the city.

• Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge — closed to traffic in both directions from approximately midnight until early afternoon for the start of the race.
• Pulaski Bridge (Brooklyn/Queens) — closed to vehicles during the runners' crossing, typically late morning.
• Willis Avenue Bridge (Manhattan/Bronx) — closed to vehicles during the runners' crossing, typically early afternoon.
• Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx/Manhattan) — closed to vehicles during the runners' crossing, typically early afternoon.
• Queensboro Bridge (Queens/Manhattan) — the upper level is used by runners; expect significant restrictions through the afternoon.

Road Closures Borough by Borough

Each borough imposes its own rolling closures along the course. Streets reopen behind the final runners, but the timing is unpredictable and the NYPD does not guarantee a specific reopening. Plan as though the course streets are closed all day.

Staten Island

Fort Wadsworth and the surrounding streets near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge are closed from the early morning hours for the start village and staging. The bridge itself is the biggest barrier — without it, Staten Island is effectively cut off from Brooklyn by car for much of the morning. If you need to leave Staten Island on race morning, a chauffeured car service that knows the alternate routes (via the Goethals Bridge or Outerbridge Crossing to New Jersey and back into Manhattan) is invaluable.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn absorbs the longest stretch of the course. Runners come off the Verrazzano and flow through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint before crossing into Queens. Fourth Avenue, Bedford Avenue, and Manhattan Avenue are among the major arteries closed for hours. Cross-streets are intermittently open, but moving east-west across the course is slow and often impossible while runners pass.

Queens

The course dips into Queens around the Pulaski Bridge, touching Long Island City and the Queensboro Bridge area. The closures here are shorter in distance but still significant, and the Pulaski Bridge shutdown severs a key Brooklyn-to-Queens connection. Northern Boulevard and surrounding streets see restrictions through the late morning.

The Bronx

The marathon makes its only Bronx appearance along a short stretch near the Willis Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridges. The area around 138th Street and the bridges closes while runners pass through, typically in the early afternoon. It is a brief window, but one that catches drivers off guard because the Bronx is otherwise the least-affected borough.

Manhattan & Central Park

Manhattan sees the most sustained disruption. Runners come off the Queensboro Bridge onto First Avenue, head north into the Bronx, return down Fifth Avenue, and enter Central Park for the finish. First Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and the roads around Central Park — including Central Park West and the park drives — are closed for most of the day. The finish area around the southwest corner of the park is the most congested, with crowds, security perimeters, and road closures persisting into the evening.

How to Get Around on Marathon Day

Public transit is the official recommendation, and the MTA runs extra subway and bus service on marathon morning. But transit has real limits on race day: stations near the start and finish are packed, the ferry to Staten Island has long lines, and getting from a Manhattan hotel to a Brooklyn cheering point by subway can take far longer than usual because of crowds and station access changes.

A private chauffeured car service solves the problems transit cannot. With a dedicated chauffeur who knows the closures in real time, you can move between viewing points, get to the start village, or reach the finish area without navigating crowds, carrying bags on a packed train, or guessing which streets have reopened. YAZ Limousine's 24/7 dispatch monitors the rolling closures and reroutes on the fly — the trip-management standard that earns 140 five-star reviews every other day of the year.

Why YAZ Limousine Is the Trusted Marathon Day Car Service

Marathon day is not a normal day in New York, and it demands more than a normal car service. YAZ Limousine is a reliable option for NYC Marathon transportation because it combines a deep luxury fleet, vetted, professionally trained chauffeurs, and a 24/7 dispatch team that treats race-day logistics as a coordinated operation — not a series of one-off rides.

• A scalable fleet — executive sedans, first-class SUVs, Sprinter vans, minibuses, and motorcoaches for runners, families, and spectator groups
• vetted chauffeurs trained in discretion and route mastery
• 24/7 live dispatch that monitors rolling road closures and reroutes in real time
• Real-time flight tracking for out-of-town runners and spectators flying in for the race
• Multi-stop and full-day bookings so you can cheer at several points along the course
• Transparent, all-inclusive pricing with no surprise surcharges on the busiest day of the year
• 140 five-star reviews across corporate, entertainment, and leisure travel

Marathon Day Booking Tips

Marathon morning is one of the highest-demand days for private transportation in New York. Reserve as early as you can, and be specific about your plan.

• Book at least one to two weeks ahead — vehicles sell out for race morning.
• Tell dispatch whether you are a runner (need an early pickup to the start village) or a spectator (need multi-stop or full-day service).
• Share your flight details if you are arriving race weekend — YAZ Limousine tracks delays and adjusts.
• For spectator groups, book a Sprinter van or minibus so everyone travels together between viewing points.
• Confirm the pickup and drop-off points with dispatch the night before — closures change the closest accessible streets.

Book Your NYC Marathon Transportation

Do not leave your marathon day to chance. Whether you are toeing the start line in Staten Island or cheering from First Avenue, the trip-management standard that is backed by 140 five-star reviews will get you there — and get you home.

Reserve online in minutes through our secure booking portal, or call our 24/7 dispatch team for custom race-day itineraries, multi-stop spectator routes, and group transportation.

Frequently Asked Questions