Delhi Half Marathon: Metro from 3.30 am Sunday, free rides with QR band from expo

Delhi Metro will open four lines at 3.30 am on Sunday, October 18, 2026, so that runners can reach the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium before the start, according to reports on Wednesday, October 14. The early trains will run on the Red, Yellow, Blue and Violet lines, and the race organiser is paying for participants' to-and-fro Metro travel on race day. Runners will travel on wristbands with special QR codes, which they collect with their bibs at the race expo from Thursday, October 15 to Saturday, October 17. The 21st edition of the race, a World Athletics Gold Label road race promoted by Procam International, starts and finishes at the stadium.

The Delhi Half Marathon is the capital's best-known road race and draws large numbers of amateur runners alongside the elite field. For many participants, the hard part of race morning is not the first kilometre but getting to the start line in the dark. Running the Metro from 3.30 am on four major lines, with free travel tied to the race band, removes the need for cabs and parking for many runners.

The wristband system means the band itself is the ticket. It is issued only with the bib at the expo and is valid for the return journey on race day only, according to the race's official information, so runners who send someone else to collect their kit should make sure the band is included.

The pacing team is aimed squarely at amateur runners chasing a personal target. Each pacer leads a group, or bus, towards a fixed finishing time: according to the organisers, a runner who stays with the sub-2:30 group can expect to finish roughly between 2:25 and 2:29. This year's 17 half marathon groups cover finishing times from 1:50 to 2:40. The Open 10K will be paced by an all-women group of eight, including Dr Chinmayee J Thrishulamurthy, a Bengaluru ophthalmologist and mountaineer who has climbed Mount Everest. The pacers include corporate executives, government officials and long-time participants, several of whom have run more than ten editions of the race, according to the organisers.

Runners should also note the official cut-off. The race information says half marathon finishers who take between three hours and three and a half hours can still complete the course, but those over 3:30:00 will not receive an official timing certificate.

At the front of the race, Ethiopia's Birhanu Legese, with a personal best of 58:59, leads the international men's field, and Kenya's Irine Cheptai, the 2022 winner with a best of 64:53, leads the women. The Indian elite field of 42 runners, 22 men and 20 women, is headed by Harmanjot Singh, whose 1:01:46 is the fastest personal best among the Indian men, and Lili Das, who won the Indian elite women's race in 2024.

Short-term: Registered runners will need to collect bibs and Metro bands at the expo between Thursday and Saturday. On Sunday morning, early trains and volunteers at key stations should ease the journey to the stadium, while other Metro lines open at their usual Sunday time.

Long-term: Free early transport linked to race bibs makes it easier for first-time and budget-conscious runners to take part, supporting the growth of running as an everyday fitness habit in the capital.

Who is affected: Half marathon and 10K participants, their families and supporters, Metro passengers travelling early on Sunday, and residents near the race route.

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