A Guide to the NYC Marathon in Long Island City (November 2026)

Updated Oct 2026

How to survive Marathon Sunday in LIC: the route, road closures, the 7 train and the ferry, and the best places to cheer when the TCS New York City Marathon runs through Long Island City on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

NYC Marathon in LIC, LongIslandCity.info guide graphic — Here's our NYC Marathon in LIC guide graphic: a route line with mile markers passing the 13.1 mile halfway point. Illustration: LongIslandCity.info

Once a year the whole world runs through our neighborhood. The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is on Sunday, November 1, and the runners cross the Pulaski Bridge into Long Island City right at the halfway point. This year is a special one: New York Road Runners is marking 50 years of the five borough course, which was first run on October 24, 1976. Here is how to cheer, get around and get through the day.

The route through LIC

Runners come over the Pulaski Bridge from Greenpoint at mile 13.1, the halfway mark. Miles 14 and 15 are in Long Island City, and then the course climbs the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. NYC DOT's construction embargo for the 2026 race (October 23 to November 1) lists these LIC streets on the course, in order:

11th Street, from the Pulaski Bridge and Jackson Avenue to 48th Avenue
48th Avenue, from 11th Street to Vernon Boulevard
Vernon Boulevard, from 48th Avenue to 10th Street
10th Street, from Vernon Boulevard to 44th Drive
44th Drive, from 10th Street to Hunter Street
Hunter Street, from 44th Drive to Crescent Street
Crescent Street, from Hunter Street to Queens Plaza South
Queens Plaza South, from Crescent Street to 23rd Street, and onto the Queensboro Bridge

These are the same streets the City closed for the race in 2025, and NYRR says the only course change for 2026 is in the Bronx (the first change in 15 years). As of October 18 the City has not posted its 2026 street closure and no parking list. We will update this guide when it does. You can see the whole course on NYRR's 2026 course map.

Road closures

NYC 311 says many street and bridge closures will be in effect citywide from 7 AM to 4 PM on race day, which starts with the wheelchair division at 8 AM. In 2025 the course streets in LIC were closed from 7 AM to 5 PM, the Pulaski Bridge from 7 AM to 6:30 PM, and the lower level of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in both directions from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM, with the upper level closed to trucks. We will post the 2026 LIC times when the City does. If you can leave the car parked for the day, do.

No bikes, skateboards or scooters on the course while it is closed, including during setup (NYRR).
Run a business on the route? In 2025 the City asked private carters to finish pickups before noon on Saturday and to keep containers off the curb along the route from 10 PM Saturday to 7:30 PM Sunday.

Getting there: the 7 train, the subway and the ferry

NYRR recommends the subway for spectators and lists the 7, G and E trains for the LIC side of the Pulaski Bridge. Stations near the course on NYRR's map include Vernon Blvd/Jackson Av and Hunters Point Av (7), 21 St (G), Court Sq (7 and G), Court Sq/23 St (E), Queens Plaza (E and R) and Queensboro Plaza (7 and N).

In 2025 the MTA put platform controllers at Queensboro Plaza, a high priority viewing point, and some stairs were entrance only or exit only. Check mta.info or the MTA app on race morning for any changes.

NYC Ferry is a handy way in and out on a day of road closures. It stops at Hunters Point South (54th Avenue at 2nd Street, East River route) and Long Island City (46th Avenue and Center Boulevard, Astoria route). Check ferry.nyc for the Sunday schedule.

Where to cheer

NYRR's own tip: the Pulaski Bridge is closed to spectators, and many fans cheer on the Queens side, just past the halfway mark. Spectators are not allowed on any of the bridges, so LIC is the last place to cheer before the long, quiet climb over the Queensboro Bridge.

Stay behind the blue tape or barricades and keep the road open for runners.
Make signs and cheer for everyone, not just your runner. Read the names on their shirts and bibs.
Leave the speaker at home: unofficial speakers are not permitted in New York City.
The portable toilets on the course are for registered runners only.
No drones anywhere at the marathon.
Track your runner with the New York Road Runners app. If you see a runner who needs medical help, call the race emergency hotline at 866.705.6626.

Local businesses on and near the route

Vernon Boulevard is right on the course. From our directory, these places are on Vernon between 46th and 48th Avenues: Overflow Coffee (46-36), Ellee Salon (46-40), JQ Cute Nail & Spa (47-44), Corcoran (47-34) and Douglas Elliman (47-37).

A short walk away: Sweetleaf (10-93 Jackson Avenue, near where the course comes off the Pulaski Bridge), Café Henri (10-10 50th Avenue), Manducatis (13-27 Jackson Avenue) and Fifth Hammer Brewing (10-28 46th Avenue). Hours on race day can differ, so check with them before you go.

The race is on our LIC events calendar too, along with everything else happening in the neighborhood this fall.

Cheering in LIC this year? Tell us your favorite spot at contact@longislandcity.info. And to every runner coming over the Pulaski: welcome to Queens!

Sources

Every fact in this guide comes from the sources above, checked Oct 10 and Oct 18, 2026. Spot something out of date? Write to contact@longislandcity.info.

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