Race guide for the night of 28–29 November 2026, Hanoi
VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight 2026
An independent guide for international runners: kit pickup, the midnight start, the course, the finish and where to stay.
Midnight start
Updated 29 Oct 2026. Race facts come from the organiser and its ticket partners. The race guide is emailed to runners and posted on the organiser’s page about three days before the race.
- Race night
- Sat 28 → Sun 29 Nov
- Distances
- 42 kmplus 21, 10 and 5 km
- Marathon start
- 00:00 Sunday
- Kit pickup
- Fri 27 – Sat 28 Nov
Hanoi Midnight is Vietnam’s original night marathon: the marathon starts at midnight and the other distances follow through the small hours, on quiet streets past Hoan Kiem Lake, Ba Dinh and across the Red River. The thing to plan around: race day is “29 November”, but you run on Saturday night. Book your hotel for Saturday and do not plan a late Saturday flight in.
On this page
Race week at a glance
Two kit days, then a night race.
Fri 27 Nov
Afternoon
Race kit pickup
Central Hanoi (place in your email)
Sat 28 Nov
Morning and afternoon
Race kit pickup. Rest in the evening.
Central Hanoi (place in your email)
Sun 29 Nov
From 00:00
42K starts first at midnight, then 21K, 10K and 5K. In 2025 the 21K started at 02:00.
Central Hanoi
When registering, you choose a kit pickup slot: Friday afternoon, Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon. In 2025 kit pickup was on Tran Nhan Tong walking street.
Distances, start times and cut-offs
Start times beyond the marathon are set in the race guide.
| Race | Start | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 00:00 Sun 29 Nov | See race guide |
| Half marathon | Early hours (02:00 in 2025) | See race guide |
| 10K | After the half | See race guide |
| 5K | Last start | See race guide |
No BIB number before the race
Your BIB number is not emailed in advance. You get it at kit pickup.
Prizes on gun time
VnExpress Marathon ranks prize winners on gun time, from the start signal.
Finisher shirts
For the 21K and 42K. Every entry includes free race photo downloads.
Collect your race kit
Kit pickup runs on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 November. The place and hours are in your confirmation and race guide emails.
Bring two things:
Your passport
For ID at the counter.
Your confirmation email
With your QR code. Check spam and promotions folders if it has not arrived.
Sign the e-waiver as soon as you register: the ticket partner sends the link by email, and an unsigned waiver can hold up your kit. When you or your authorised collector sign for the kit, you confirm the shirt size, BIB and chip are correct, so check them at the counter.
Getting to the start
Central Hanoi, in the middle of the night.
Stay walkable
At midnight, roads near the course close and cars are hard to find. A hotel within walking distance is worth paying for.
Grab after midnight
Grab and Xanh SM work through the night but expect waits around the start and finish.
Sleep in the afternoon
Treat Saturday like the day before an evening race: eat lunch, rest, then a light meal around 20:00.
From Noi Bai Airport
About 45–60 minutes to the centre. Land by Friday if you can.
The course
Hanoi after dark.
The 5K stays in the centre while cafés and streets are still lively. The 21K passes Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ba Dinh area. In 2025 the 42K crossed both the Vinh Tuy and Long Bien bridges over the Red River before returning to the centre as the city woke up. Final course maps are in the race guide.
Weather
~15–20 °Ctypical overnight temperature in late November
Late November nights in Hanoi are cool and dry, good for running but chilly while you wait. Bring a throwaway layer for the start and something warm for after the finish.
Where to stay
Around Hoan Kiem Lake.
The Old Quarter, the French Quarter and the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake are closest to the centre of the race. Book Saturday night as well as Friday: you will want a bed after you finish in the early hours of Sunday.
Same month in Hanoi. Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race is on 8 November. See our guide.
Rules worth knowing before you travel
Standard VnExpress Marathon rules.
Sign the e-waiver immediately
Do it as soon as you register, following the ticket partner’s email.
BIB numbers are issued at pickup
Nothing is sent before race week.
Prizes use gun time
Your personal time is chip time.
Check your kit when you sign
Signing confirms shirt size, BIB and chip are correct.
Still to confirm
Show the four open questions
These details matter to a visiting runner and had not been published in a form we could quote. The race guide, sent about three days before, is the authority.
| Open question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Start and finish location for 2026 | Decides where you stay |
| Kit pickup place and hours | Decides your arrival day |
| Start times for 21K, 10K and 5K | Decides your night |
| Cut-off for each distance | Decides your pacing plan |
Sources
Show sources
Race facts come from the organiser, VnExpress, and its ticket partners. Travel, weather and planning notes are our own.
- Organiser’s registration page — race date, kit pickup slots and entry benefits
- VnExpress — choosing a distance at Hanoi Midnight 2026, and the 2025 course
- iRace and Pace8 ticketing pages — kit pickup dates, BIB and waiver rules
- VnExpress Marathon FAQ — gun time, confirmation emails and race guide timing
- VNRUN — 2025 kit pickup location and start order
Keep reading
- Vietnam race calendar, Oct 2026 – Jun 2027
- Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race 2026 guide
- Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon 2026 guide
- Racing in Vietnam 101: heat, transport and travel insurance
- All race guides
Racing in Vietnam? Ask the community
Our Facebook group is where international runners swap race-week tips, find people to travel with and share their finish photos. English only, no BIB trading.
Vietnam Sports Events is an independent guide for international runners. This page is not produced or endorsed by the organiser or the title sponsor. Details change; the race website is always the authority. Read our disclosure.