2025 Boston Marathon: What to know

The city of Boston—and runners from across the world—are undergoing their final preparations for Marathon Monday.

The 129th Boston Marathon will take place on April 21. Over 30,000 people are expected to race throughout the day, hailing from 128 countries and all 50 states. Over $1.2 million in prizes is up for grabs across the open, wheelchair, and para athletics divisions.

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The race coincides with the celebration of a number of anniversaries. This year marks 50 years since the first official wheelchair racer, Bob Hall, crossed the finish line in 1975. Since then, more than 1,800 wheelchair users have competed in the marathon.

April 21 is also Patriots' Day, with the weekend marking the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. The marathon will honor the holiday with a special ceremony at the finish line on Boylston Street at 9:30 a.m.

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The 26.2-mile course starts in Hopkinton and passes through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline before ending in Boston.

Here's what you need to know about the race:

Boston Marathon start times

6 a.m. – Military Marchers
9:06 a.m. – Wheelchair Division – Men
9:09 a.m. – Wheelchair Division – Women
9:30 a.m. – Handcycle & Duo Participants
9:37 a.m. – Professional Men
9:47 a.m. – Professional Women
9:50 a.m. – Para Athletics Divisions
10 a.m. – Wave 1
10:25 a.m. – Wave 2
10:50 a.m. – Wave 3
11:15 a.m. – Wave 4

Who's racing this year?

Reigning open division champions Hellen Obiri from Kenya and Sisay Lemma from Ethiopia will return to defend their titles this year. If Obiri wins, she will be the first woman since 1999 with three consecutive Boston Marathon championships and the fifth woman to ever do so.

Lemma faces competition from Kenyan runner Evans Chebet, who won the marathon in 2022 and 2023, and American Olympian racers Conner Mantz and Clayton Young.

Competition is also steep in the women's open race—this year is the deepest American women's field in the marathon's history. 14 American women set to race have run a sub-2:26.

The list of runners in the professional men and women's divisions can be seen here.

In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow-Cooper will similarly return to defend their championships. The field also includes Paralympic gold medalists Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni from the U.S. and Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland.

How to watch at the finish line

Roads near the the finish line will start to close at 7:15 a.m. on race day, and the city anticipates heavy traffic. Street parking in Back Bay will also be limited. As a result, the Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the marathon, strongly encourages spectators to use public transportation.

While Copley station will be closed on April 21, viewers can instead take the Green Line to Arlington and walk three blocks to the finish line. The Orange Line and the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail will both be running to and from Back Bay station, which is also near the finish area.

Security checkpoints will surround the course, and spectators may be asked to have their bags inspected.

Road closures, parking restrictions

The City of Boston released a traffic advisory ahead of the race. The list of road closures and parking restrictions can be seen below:

No Stopping April 8 - 24

Exeter Street (east side), from Boylston Street to Blagden Street

No Stopping April 9 - 24

Blagden Street (south side, opposite side of library), from Huntington Avenue to Exeter Street
Blagden Street (north side, library side), from the BPL Driveway to Exeter Street
Boylston Street (both sides), from Exeter Street to Dartmouth Street
Boylston Street heading easterly by Copley Square Mall from Dartmouth Street to Clarendon Street

No Stopping: April 14 - 24

Blagden Street (north side), Dartmouth Street to BPL Driveway
FIREHOUSE ONLY: Hereford Street (both sides), Boylston Street to Public Alleys #443 & 444

No Stopping: April 16 - 22

Exeter Street (west side), Alley 441 to Boylston Street
B.A.A. VEHICLES ONLY: St. James Avenue to Stuart Street

No Stopping: April 18, 19, and 21

Beacon Street (south side, Boston Common side), from Charles Street to Joy Street
Boylston Street (both sides), from Dalton Street to Dartmouth Street, unless otherwise posted
Dartmouth Street (both sides), from Boylston Street to Commonwealth Avenue
Exeter Street (both sides), from Newbury Street to Huntington Avenue, unless otherwise posted.

No Stopping: April 17 - 21

Clarendon Street (both sides), from Newbury Street to Stuart Street

No Stopping: April 19-21

Beacon Street, from Bay State Road to Brookline Town Line (both sides)
Berkeley Street (both sides), from Stuart Street to Newbury Street
Boylston Street (both sides), from Dartmouth Street to Charles Street, unless otherwise posted
Cambridge Street (both sides), from Court Street to Sudbury Street
Charles Street (both sides), from Boylston Street to Beacon Street
Hereford Street (both sides), from Public Alleys #443 & 444 to Newbury Street
Saint James Avenue (both sides), from Arlington Street to Dartmouth Street
Stuart Street (both sides), from Huntington Avenue to Arlington Street

No Stopping: April 20-21

Clarendon Street (both sides), from Public Alley 436 to Newbury Street
Newbury Street (both sides), from #29 Newbury Street crossing over Berkeley Street to #69 Newbury Street

No Stopping: April 19, 12:01 AM through 3:00 PM

Bay State Road Street (both sides), from Beacon Street to Silber Way
Clarendon Street (both sides), from Newbury Street to Boylston Street
Newbury Street (both sides), from Dartmouth Street to Exeter Street
Silber Way (both sides), from Bay State Road to Commonwealth Avenue

No Stopping: April 21

Arlington Street (both sides), Beacon Street to Isabella Street
Beacon Street, Brighton (both sides), Chestnut Hill Avenue to Brookline Line
Beacon Street, Back Bay (South side, Public Garden side), Charles Street to Arlington Street
Berkeley Street (both sides), Columbus Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue, unless otherwise posted
Belvidere Street (both sides), Huntington Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue
Boylston Street (both sides), Massachusetts Avenue to Dalton Street
Cambria Street (both sides), Boylston Street to the loading dock of the Hynes Center
Charles Street South (both sides), Park Plaza to Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill Avenue (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Beacon Street
Clarendon Street (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Columbus Avenue, unless otherwise posted
Cleveland Circle (both sides, parking area adjacent to Cassidy Playground & parking area adjacent to Sutherland Road) from Beacon Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue, 24 hours
Columbus Avenue (both sides), Arlington Street to Dartmouth Street
Commonwealth Avenue (south, inbound, side), Beacon Street (Kenmore Square) to 80’ east of Hereford Street
Commonwealth Avenue, Lake Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue (inbound)
Dartmouth Street (both sides), Saint James Avenue to Columbus Avenue
Deerfield Street (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Bay State Road
East Dedham Street (both sides), Harrison Avenue to Albany Street
Exeter Street (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Newbury Street
Fairfield Street (both sides), Boylston Street to Commonwealth Avenue
Gloucester Street (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Boylston Street
Hereford Street (both sides), Commonwealth Avenue to Newbury Street
Hanover Street (both sides, for Patriots' Day Parade), Tileston Street/Clark Street to Battery Street
Kenmore Street (both sides), Newbury Street to Beacon Street
Nassau Street (both sides, for Tufts Medical), from Washington Street to Harrison Avenue
Newbury Street (both sides), Arlington Street to Brookline Avenue excluding the section already posted
Plympton Street (both sides), Harrison Avenue to Albany Street
Raleigh Street (both sides), Bay State Road to Beacon Street
Stanhope Street (both sides), Berkeley Street to Clarendon Street
Scotia Street (both sides), Dalton Street to St. Cecilia Street
St. Cecilia Street (both sides), Belvidere Street to Boylston Street
Washington Street (both sides, for Tufts Medical), from Oak Street to Nassau Street
Washington Street (east side/even side), from Nassau Street to Kneeland Street
Blagden Street (both sides), Huntington Avenue to Exeter Street, unless otherwise posted
Bromfield Street (both sides, for Patriots' Day Parade) from Tremont Street to Washington Street
Congress Street (north side, Faneuil Hall side) for Patriots' Day Parade, State Street to Hanover Street
Commonwealth Avenue, Charlesgate West to Deerfield Street (outbound)
Dalton Street (both sides), Boylston Street to Clearway Street
Huntington Avenue (northwest side, odd side), Blagden Street to Massachusetts Avenue
New Chardon Street (both sides), Merrimac Street to Cambridge Street
Providence Street (both sides), Arlington Street to Berkeley Street
State Street (both sides) for Patriots' Day Parade, Congress Street to Washington Street
Tremont Street (both sides) for Patriots' Day Parade, Cambridge Street/Beacon Street to Stuart Street
Washington Street (both sides) for Patriots' Day Parade, Bromfield Street to State Street