Key Points
- More than 100 road closures are in place across Edinburgh and East Lothian from Friday to Sunday for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival weekend.
- The closures are linked to multiple race events, including the 10K, 5K, junior races, half marathon and full marathon.
- Traffic disruption is expected in parts of the city and surrounding areas, with route-specific restrictions affecting drivers, buses and parking.
- The festival’s transport guidance says people should plan ahead and use alternative travel options where possible.
- Temporary traffic measures are set out in the council order covering the event period.
Edinburgh(Edinburgh Daily)May 20, 2026-Edinburgh is dealing with widespread restrictions over marathon weekend as the city stages the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, with closures affecting roads in the capital and nearby East Lothian between Friday and Sunday. The main event schedule begins on Saturday 23 May 2026 with the 10K and 5K, followed by junior races, before Sunday’s half marathon and marathon take centre stage. Temporary traffic regulation arrangements have been published by the local authority to manage the event safely.
Which events are causing the disruption?
As reported by the Edinburgh Marathon Festival’s transport guidance, the weekend is structured around several races that require route protection and traffic control. Saturday’s programme includes the 10K at 9.00am, the 5K at 11.00am, the Junior 5K at noon, the Junior 2K at 1.00pm, the Junior 1.5K at 1.30pm and the Kids’ Kilometre at 2.00pm. Sunday brings the half marathon at 8.00am, the marathon at 10.00am and the Hairy Haggis Team Relay at 10.00am.
How are buses and travel affected?
Public transport services are also affected, with Lothian Buses saying some routes will not be able to operate normally because of traffic management and congestion. In 2025, the operator said Service 26 could not serve Prestonpans, Port Seton or Seton Sands during the marathon period, and that shuttle buses were used in certain areas where needed. The festival’s transport page also points travellers towards planning ahead and considering the available travel options before setting out.
What parking restrictions apply?
Parking restrictions are part of the event controls, with the council’s temporary order covering the marathon weekend and the surrounding days. Parking guidance from JustPark also advises motorists to book in advance and expect road closures around the festival area. That means drivers should assume that normal on-street parking and access near the route may be limited or unavailable during race times.
How should residents and visitors prepare?
People living in or travelling through the affected areas are being urged to allow extra time for journeys and to check travel plans before leaving home. The scale of the closures means even short local trips may take longer than usual, especially where roads feed into the race route. Bus users and motorists should also expect some changes to usual stop patterns, diversions and delays.
Why are the restrictions needed?
The restrictions are in place to allow the races to run safely and to protect runners, volunteers and spectators along the route. Large city marathons typically require road closures, parking controls and public transport changes because the course crosses multiple neighbourhoods and transport corridors. The Edinburgh event follows that pattern, with a full weekend of racing that requires coordinated traffic management.
Background of this development
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is an annual running event that includes multiple races for adults and children across Saturday and Sunday. Because the routes pass through a wide area, the council publishes temporary traffic orders and transport advice to manage safety and keep disruption predictable. In practice, that means the event affects not only runners but also commuters, residents, bus passengers and drivers across Edinburgh and parts of East Lothian.
Prediction
For local drivers, the biggest impact will be slower journeys, longer diversion routes and reduced parking availability during the race weekend. For residents near the course, the disruption is likely to be temporary but noticeable, particularly on Saturday and Sunday morning when the main races begin. For businesses and public transport users, the most important factor will be advance planning, since missed timings and route changes are the most likely knock-on effects.
