A 06:30 start, before the Metro opens.
The Burj2Burj Half Marathon runs on Sunday 24 January 2027, with a 06:30 start. Bibs are collected only at the expo in the days before, and the Metro does not open until 08:00 on a Sunday. For a club or a group of runners flying in, the plan is mostly about the clock. Here is what the organiser has published, where its sources disagree, and how a group can plan the three days.
The race and the rules that shape the morning
The organiser lists the Burj2Burj Half Marathon on Sunday 24 January 2027, a 21.1 km course certified by World Athletics, starting at 06:30. The route is closed to vehicles, the time limit is three hours, the start is in batches from sub 1:30 to sub 3:00, and the minimum age is 16. The organiser says the last edition sold out, and its homepage reports more than 15,000 runners from 172 nationalities in 2026. We sell no entries, and entries and their rules are the organiser’s.
Three rules matter for a group. Bibs are collected only at the Burj2Burj Expo, from 21 to 23 January 2027, with the confirmation email or QR code and photo ID. There is no collection at the start or on race morning. Someone else can collect with copies of both IDs, but on group or club entries each runner collects their own bib. And there is no bag drop at the start: clothing can go in charity bins at the start line, and bag drop is at the expo, says the organiser.
We are not the organiser’s transport provider and not a partner of the race. If its notices and ours differ, follow the organiser.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteWhere it starts: two sources, one date
This is a point where sources differ. The organiser’s FAQ still says the start and finish will be shared when approvals arrive. A newer report from Arab News on 26 October 2026, quoting the organiser, says the new route starts at Coca-Cola Arena, runs along Jumeirah Beach Road and finishes in sight of Burj Al Arab, with a three-day expo opening at Coca-Cola Arena on 21 January and a 1 km children’s mini marathon for ages 3 to 12 on Saturday 23 January at 08:00.
We trust the newer report and attribute it, and we tell you to confirm on the organiser’s site before you book anything. We found no closure map, no spectator guide and no statement of where a vehicle can stop near the finish. The organiser promises a spectator guide “a few weeks before” and a transport guide closer to race day.
Getting to the start at 06:30
The organiser recommends a taxi or ride-share and says parking is limited. It says the Metro for 2027 is not confirmed and “usually only opens at 8am on Sundays”. RTA’s published hours show a Sunday opening at 08:00, which is after a 06:30 gun. So a runner relying on the Metro would arrive after the start.
Approximate drive times to Coca-Cola Arena from our routing model, built on OpenStreetMap data, with no traffic and no race closures, are below. The arena’s own page gives a shorter figure for the airport, and we pick no winner. Race morning will add time, and the closures are not published.
| From | Distance to Coca-Cola Arena | Approximate drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Airport (DXB) | About 21.6 km | About 33 minutes. The arena says about 25 minutes |
| Downtown Dubai | About 3.4 km | About 6 minutes |
| Dubai Marina | About 25.8 km | About 27 minutes |
| Palm Jumeirah | About 26.4 km | About 28 minutes |
| Deira | About 11.9 km | About 13 minutes |
From the arena to Burj Al Arab is about 14.0 km by road and about 15 minutes, but the race course is 21.1 km, so it is not a straight line.
Planning the three days
A group can think in three parts. First, the expo days, 21 to 23 January: each runner collects a bib in person, so pick one time for the whole group and tell them in writing. Second, race morning: work back from the start batch your runner is in, and add the walk and the warm-up. Third, the return, when the finish area is closed to vehicles and runners are tired.
We cannot promise a stop at the start corrals or at the finish. We agree a drop-off point and a collection point with you once the organiser publishes its closure map and transport guide, and we put them in your written quote.
If your group has other dates in Dubai, January is full. The Dubai Marathon runs on 17 January, AEEDC from 19 to 21 January, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic from 21 to 24 January and WHX from 25 to 28 January. See our Dubai Marathon runner and spectator guide, Marina, JBR and Downtown hotels to the Marathon start and WHX visitor transport. For the arena itself, see Coca-Cola Arena transport.
Choosing the vehicle
Runners carry kit bags and layers. Count the bags with the people. Our guide figures:
- Mercedes V-Class: up to 7 passengers and 6 bags.
- 13-seater HiAce: up to 13 passengers and about 10 suitcases.
- Mercedes Sprinter: up to 16 passengers and up to 12 suitcases.
- 30-seater mini coach and 50-seater coach for clubs and tour groups.
How a booked vehicle fits
- Send the plan. Dates, hotel area, party size, the start batch and the expo day you choose.
- Ask for a fixed written quote. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
- Read the pick-up and drop-off arrangement. The quote states it, and we update it when the organiser publishes its notices.
- Agree the return time. We plan the margin and tell you what is not yet published.
- Tell us if plans change. We adjust where we can, and cannot promise to beat traffic or closures.
Keep reading
- Dubai Marathon 2027 transport guide: Dubai Marathon 2027: start times, race-pack days, the organiser’s taxi and Metro routes, no parking near the finish, and where a private vehicle fits a group.
- DXB airport to the Dubai Marathon: Landing at DXB before the Dubai Marathon on 17 January 2027: race-pack timing, the very early race morning, bags, medals and the way back to the airport.
- Marina, JBR and Downtown hotels to the Dubai Marathon: Marina, JBR, Palm, Downtown and Business Bay to the Dubai Marathon start area: approximate drive times, a pick-up plan for a 6:30 am start, group sizes and the return.
- Old Dubai half day for a group: A half day in Old Dubai for a group: drop on one bank of the Creek, cross by abra, collect on the other. Plus how a dhow dinner cruise fits in.
- Coca-Cola Arena transport: Getting to and from Coca-Cola Arena at City Walk: where the traffic builds, what to do about parking, and a pre-booked group pick-up that avoids both.
- AEEDC Dubai 2027 delegation transport: AEEDC Dubai, 19 to 21 January 2027, at the Dubai World Trade Centre: exhibition hours, the hall layout, courses at the Novotel next door and the marathon Sunday before it.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
When is the Burj2Burj Half Marathon in 2027?
The organiser lists Sunday 24 January 2027, starting at 06:30, over 21.1 km. Bibs are collected only at the expo from 21 to 23 January 2027.
Where does the race start?
The organiser’s FAQ still says the start and finish will be shared when approvals arrive. A news report on 26 October 2026, quoting the organiser, says it starts at Coca-Cola Arena and finishes in sight of Burj Al Arab. Confirm on the organiser’s site.
Can we collect bibs on race morning?
No. The organiser says bibs are collected only at the expo, with the confirmation email or QR code and photo ID. On group entries each runner collects their own bib.
Does the Metro run before the race?
RTA’s published hours show a Sunday opening at 08:00, after the 06:30 start, and the organiser says the 2027 Metro is not confirmed. Plan another way to reach the start.
Is there a bag drop at the start?
The organiser says there is none at the start. Clothing can go in charity bins at the start line, and bag drop is at the expo.
Can the vehicle drop us at the start?
The route is closed to vehicles and no drop-off point is published. We agree a drop-off and a collection point with you once the organiser publishes its closure map, and we cannot promise a stop at the start corrals.
Do you sell entries?
No. Entries are the organiser’s and capacity-limited. We supply a vehicle and a driver only.
How do I get a price?
Ask for a fixed written quote through the booking form with the dates, hotel area, party size and start batch. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
To the start line, one planned morning.
Two questions now, a fixed price in your inbox shortly after.