Mainz braces for travel chaos during Gutenberg Half Marathon
Mainz is preparing for major travel disruptions this weekend as the Gutenberg Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, May 10. The event will bring road closures, suspended tram services, and changes to bus routes across the city centre. From around 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., large parts of Mainz’s city centre will be closed to vehicles. The Theodor-Heuss Bridge, linking Mainz and Wiesbaden, will also shut between approximately 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drivers are being urged to use the A643 and A60 highways instead, as the usual A671 route remains blocked by ongoing construction on the Main Bridge near Hochheim.
Public transport will face significant changes. Tram services will stop running entirely during the marathon, and bus route 6 will close even earlier, starting on Saturday, May 9. Access to the Old Town will be restricted, with only the Schillerplatz and Münsterplatz stops served by select buses. To help participants reach the start, extra early-morning services will operate on night bus routes 90, 91, 92, and 93, arriving at Mainz Central Station by around 7:40 a.m. Full details of all detours and service adjustments are available on Mainzer Mobilität’s official webpage.
The marathon will cause widespread travel delays, with road closures lasting until mid-afternoon. Public transport users and motorists are advised to plan ahead, using the provided detours and updated schedules to avoid disruption. The changes will affect both local residents and visitors during the event.
