Two Oceans Marathon 2026 road closures: full list of affected routes in Cape Town

Cape Town motorists are being urged to plan as widespread road closures come into effect for the 2026 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon this weekend.

More than 30,000 runners are expected to take part in the iconic event, with both the Ultra Marathon on Saturday, 11 April, and the Half Marathon on Sunday, 12 April, set to impact major routes across the city.

Ultra Marathon: Saturday closures

The 56km ultra marathon will see extensive road closures along the southern suburbs and False Bay coastline.

Closures begin as early as 03:30 in areas like Newlands, Claremont and Wynberg, before spreading along Main Road through to Fish Hoek and beyond.

Chapman’s Peak Drive will be closed from Friday evening (18:00) until midday on Saturday, significantly affecting travel between Noordhoek and Hout Bay.

Motorists travelling from False Bay towards the city are advised to leave before 05:30, after 08:45, or use Ou Kaapse Weg, which will operate under stop-go control between 06:15 and 09:00.

Key routes along the race path, including Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Hout Bay and Constantia, will experience rolling closures as runners pass through.

Half Marathon: Sunday closures

Road closures continue on Sunday for the half-marathon, with major disruptions again expected in the southern suburbs.

Main Road between Newlands and Claremont will be closed from early morning, with restrictions also affecting access to the M3 via key routes like Protea Road and Newlands Road.

Residents have been asked not to park along the race route and to use alternative parking for the duration of the event.

Additional closures and delays are expected near the M3 and UCT, particularly around Union Avenue, between 07:00 and 13:30, as runners approach the finish.

Major disruption expected across Cape Town

Authorities warn that the race will impact traffic across large parts of the metro, especially along the M3 corridor and key mountain routes like Rhodes Drive.

Both races start in Newlands and finish at UCT, drawing thousands of runners and spectators to the area over the weekend.

Motorists are encouraged to avoid affected areas where possible, allow extra travel time, and follow directions from traffic officials.