3. VCM Winterlauf – Vienna Calling 2026

The 3. VCM Winterlauf – Vienna Calling 2026

The 3. VCM Winterlauf – Vienna Calling 2026 takes place in Vienna (Wien), Austria on Sunday, 8 March 2026, combining a half marathon, 10K, 5K, and one-mile race into one lively winter running festival in the Prater. It’s an ideal early-season event for travelers who want a reason to visit Vienna before spring crowds arrive, while still enjoying the city’s coffeehouse culture, imperial landmarks, and the famous Prater Hauptallee running straight.

What is the 3. VCM Winterlauf – Vienna Calling?

The 3rd VCM Winter Run is part of the VCM Winter Running Series, created to help runners build fitness and motivation ahead of the 43rd Vienna City Marathon on April 19, 2026. The official Vienna City Marathon site frames the Winter Running Series as a friendly training-focused set of races where you can meet friends, stay motivated, and get a fitness boost during Vienna’s colder months. For visitors, the appeal is simple: you get a professionally organized race morning, then you spend the rest of your day in one of Europe’s most elegant cities.

“Vienna Calling” is the half marathon theme for this March date, and it’s paired with shorter distances that make the event welcoming for mixed-ability travel groups. Whether you’re racing hard over 21.097 km or jogging a 5K with friends, the event gives you that shared marathon-weekend energy without the pressure of a single “all or nothing” distance.

Confirmed date, distances, and start times (Vienna 2026)

The official event page confirms the exact schedule for Sunday, March 8, 2026. Distances and start times are listed as:

• Half Marathon (Vienna Calling Half Marathon): 8:30 AM (start Reichsbrücke, finish Prater Hauptallee)
• Mile (1.609 km): 11:30 AM (start & finish Prater Hauptallee)
• 5 km and 10 km: 12:00 PM (start & finish Prater Hauptallee)

This timetable is unusually traveler-friendly. If you’re visiting Vienna for the weekend, you can run the half marathon early and still have the full afternoon for sightseeing, while Mile and 5K/10K participants can enjoy a relaxed morning, a coffeehouse breakfast, and then head to the Prater later.

The routes: Prater Hauptallee and Vienna’s iconic running straight

The event uses Vienna’s Prater area as a core stage, which is one of the city’s most beloved spaces for running. The official page publishes route descriptions for each distance:

• Half marathon route: Reichsbrücke > Lassallestraße > Praterstern > Prater Hauptallee > Lusthaus > Ferris Wheel > Lusthaus > Ferris Wheel > Finish.
• Mile route: Hauptallee toward the Ferris Wheel, turnaround, back to finish.
• 5K/10K route: Hauptallee toward Lusthaus, around Lusthaus, back toward Praterstern, turnaround, then return; run once for 5 km and twice for 10 km.

The mention of the Giant Ferris Wheel is not just a route marker, it’s a classic Vienna moment. Many runners love events where the course gives you a landmark “anchor,” and in Vienna, the Ferris Wheel is as iconic as it gets, especially when you’re running through the Prater’s wide avenues.

Entry fees and what’s included (verified)

The official site provides clear entry fees for each category:

• Half marathon: €45, including a medal, with no late registration for the half marathon.
• Mile: €15, with children and youth rates up to 15 years listed at €6.
• 5K/10K: €25, with children and youth rates up to 15 years listed at €13.

The event also offers a separate optional Winter Run medal for Mile, 5K, and 10K participants for €5, but it must be pre-ordered and is not available for purchase on site. Half marathon finishers do not need to pre-order because the half marathon medal is included in the entry fee.

Registration deadline (confirmed)

The official registration deadline is Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM, as long as starting places are still available. This is important for travelers because it gives you a clear cutoff for committing to the trip if running is the main purpose. Since there’s no late registration for the half marathon, half marathon runners should treat the deadline as firm and book accordingly.

Bib collection and race-weekend logistics

Bib collection for all events is scheduled at Hervis Store, Mariahilfer Straße 36:

• Friday, March 6: 2–6 PM
• Saturday, March 7: 10 AM–2 PM

The organizer recommends picking up your bib on Friday or Saturday, especially for half marathon runners, to avoid long queues on race morning. If you absolutely must pick up on Sunday, the page lists last-minute windows for the half marathon (7:30–8:00 AM at the Reichsbrücke ramp south) and for the Mile/5K/10K (9:30–11:00 AM at Rugby Union Donau Wien).

Getting to the start: Reichsbrücke and public transport

The half marathon start is on the Reichsbrücke above the Danube Island (Donauinsel), and the official page stresses that the start area is accessible by public transport via U1, station “Donauinsel.” It also clearly states there is no car access and no stopping or parking on the Donauinsel and/or the Reichsbrücke south ramp, so visitors should plan transit time accordingly. For international runners, this is a helpful detail because it prevents a common mistake: assuming you can “just grab a taxi to the start.”

Bag drop and post-finish comfort

The event offers bag transport with a BigBus system: you drop a clothing bag at the start, and buses move it to the finish area. Bag pickup is available until 11:30 AM, and the page notes no liability for loss or theft. For Mile, 5K, and 10K runners, the event uses Rugby Union Donau Wien as a home base with facilities like changing rooms and showers, plus medals, refreshments, and awards.

Vienna travel tips: turning a winter run into a city break

Vienna in early March is a sweet spot for travelers. You get cool running temperatures, fewer tourist crowds than late spring, and the joy of warming up afterward with a proper Viennese coffee and cake.

A simple “runner weekend” plan:

• Friday: arrive, pick up bib if possible, and take a short evening stroll.
• Saturday: easy sightseeing and early night.
• Sunday: race morning, then spend the afternoon in central Vienna.
• Monday: a relaxed final day for museums, shopping, or a café crawl.

The best part of Vienna is that the city rewards slow travel. After the race, choose one neighborhood and enjoy it without rushing, whether you want imperial architecture, markets, or riverside walks.

Verified Information at a glance

• Event name: 3rd VCM Winter Run (3. VCM Winterlauf) – Vienna Calling 2026
• Event category: Road running event (Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Mile)
• Confirmed date: Sunday, 8 March 2026
• Distances (confirmed): 1.609 km, 5 km, 10 km, Half Marathon
• Start times (confirmed): Half Marathon 8:30 AM, Mile 11:30 AM, 5K/10K 12:00 PM
• Half marathon start/finish (confirmed): Start Reichsbrücke, finish Prater Hauptallee
• Mile/5K/10K start & finish (confirmed): Prater Hauptallee
• Registration deadline (confirmed): Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 11:59 PM (while places last)
• Entry fees (confirmed): Half Marathon €45 (incl. medal); Mile €15 (youth up to 15: €6); 5K/10K €25 (youth up to 15: €13)
• Optional medal (confirmed): €5 pre-order for Mile/5K/10K; not purchasable on site
• Bib collection (confirmed): Hervis Store, Mariahilfer Straße 36 on Mar 6 (2–6 PM) and Mar 7 (10 AM–2 PM)
• Public transport to half marathon start (confirmed): U1 “Donauinsel”; no car access/parking at start area

If you want a Vienna trip with a built-in purpose, lace up for March 8, 2026, run Vienna Calling through the Prater with the Ferris Wheel as your landmark companion, and then spend the rest of the day doing what Vienna does best: slowing down, warming up, and enjoying the city like you’ve earned it.