HONG KONG, November 23 – Over 20,000 runners took to the streets of Hong Kong in the pre-dawn hours today for the 2025 Hong Kong Street Marathon, marking a decade of the popular endurance event. The race, which featured full marathon, half marathon, and 10-kilometer distances, drew a record turnout and notably incorporated two major transportation arteries—the Eastern Harbour Tunnel and the yet-to-be-opened Central Kowloon Route—providing participants with a unique tour of the city’s infrastructure.
The event, now in its 10th iteration, significantly expanded from its inaugural 2014 run, which featured just 5,000 participants in a single 10-kilometer race. Today’s activities necessitated extensive, temporary road closures across multiple districts, prompting early operations for the MTR system and detours for dozens of bus and public light bus routes.
Runners Conquer New Tunnel Route Challenges
The primary routes for the full and half marathons began on the Island Eastern Corridor near the East Coast Park, plunging under Victoria Harbour through the Eastern Harbour Tunnel before winding through Kowloon. The race’s finale for these distances leveraged a 4.7-kilometer section of the Yau Ma Tei interchange along the Central Kowloon Route—a major expressway poised for public opening soon.
This exclusive access to the high-speed roadway was a major draw, but also presented a significant test of endurance. The first half marathon finisher, an expatriate runner clocking roughly 7:10 a.m., expressed delight in the beautiful views and the novelty of competing on the new infrastructure.
However, the challenging terrain quickly became apparent. The runner who placed second, a three-time participant, described the Central Kowloon Route’s tunnel sections as highly demanding.
“The tunnel section of the Central Kowloon Route was high difficulty, very challenging,” he stated, noting that a final two-kilometer uphill climb after a downhill segment made it the most grueling part of the various tunnel sections runners crossed.
The 10-kilometer race offered a different infrastructural experience, starting in Tiu Keng Leng before crossing the Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Bridge, linking through the Tseung Kwan O–Lam Tin Tunnel, and concluding at Kwun Tong Promenade via the Kwun Tong Bypass.
Celebrating Infrastructure and Community Spirit
Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki presided over the full marathon starting ceremony, highlighting the journey of the “Hong Kong Street Marathon” from a limited event to a major annual fixture.
Mr. Chan attributed the marathon’s success to the dedicated work of the social enterprise RunOurCity, the crucial backing of sponsors, and the efforts of staff and volunteers. Crucially, he emphasized the enduring enthusiasm of the athletes themselves as the driving force establishing the race as a prominent event on the city’s sporting calendar.
“This year’s race is particularly timely as it precedes the opening of the Yau Ma Tei section of the Central Kowloon Route,” Mr. Chan remarked in his address. “This allowed runners to be among the first to move along this critical new thoroughfare, fully appreciating the excellence of Hong Kong’s engineering while enjoying a truly unique racing experience.”
Detailed Traffic Management Implemented
To accommodate the massive undertaking, authorities initiated phased, temporary road closures starting at 1:00 a.m. throughout the areas affected by the routes.
Key Traffic Adjustments:
- 56 bus routes implemented diversions, route truncations, or stop relocations.
- 15 public light bus (minibus) services were similarly affected.
Roads and public transport services were anticipated to gradually resume normal operations in phases, with most of the closures lifted before 1:00 p.m., minimizing disruption to the city’s Sunday traffic flow following the conclusion of the event. The successful integration of such widespread closures and complex routes underscores the city’s capacity to host large-scale, high-profile athletic tournaments.
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