The ballot e-mail arrived — and it is a no again. You are in good company: the Berlin Marathon receives far more applications every year than there are places. The good news: a ballot rejection is not the end of your plans for 26 September 2027. Here are your options.
Option 1: A travel package with guaranteed entry
Tour operators such as S-E-T-T hold official race entry allocations tied to travel packages. You book hotel plus race entry in one — the start place is guaranteed. Hotel packages start at EUR 1,150 (three nights, 24–27 September 2027, including breakfast, city tax and entry); the camping package is EUR 989. A EUR 300 deposit secures the booking. Details: Berlin Marathon 2027 — packages & booking. How the model works in detail: Guaranteed entry without the ballot.
Option 2: Charity places
The organiser allocates places through charity partners: you commit to a fundraising target and receive an entry in return. A good fit if you want to support one of the causes anyway — but targets are usually well above the regular entry fee, and you still have to organise accommodation yourself.
Option 3: Enter next year’s ballot again
The following year’s ballot is open to everyone. But there is no guarantee then either — and hotels near the start and finish sell out early for marathon weekend.
What to check before booking a package
Reputable operators state their official status, show deposit and refund conditions before you book, and never sell bare bibs without a travel service — reselling race numbers alone is not permitted. With S-E-T-T you see all conditions up front (EUR 300 deposit, 50% refundable) and pay on a secured payment page in euros.
Questions? marathon@s-e-t-t.com — the team replies quickly, in English or German.