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City To Surf Perth 2027: Everything You Need To Know
- 16 hours ago
- 10 min read
Australia has two famous mass participation running events with remarkably similar names. On the east coast, Sydney has City2Surf, while more than 3,000 kilometres away on the west coast, Perth has the Chevron City to Surf for genU.
First held in 1975, the Perth event has become one of Western Australia's best known community sporting occasions. Nearly 35,000 people took part in 2026, with participants running, walking and rolling their way from Perth towards the finish at City Beach.
There are 12km and 4km options, making this an event for far more than experienced runners, while fundraising remains central to its purpose. If you're thinking about taking part in the City to Surf Perth 2027, here's everything you need to know.
Perth
Perth is the capital of Western Australia and its location gives it a very different feel from Australia's major east coast cities. Sitting beside the Indian Ocean and the Swan River, it combines a modern city centre with beaches, enormous green spaces and easy access to some of Western Australia's best known attractions.
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is one of the city's highlights. Covering around 400 hectares, it is one of the world's largest inner city parks and contains the Western Australian Botanic Garden, which displays more than 3,000 species of the state's flora. Its elevated position also provides outstanding views across the Swan and Canning Rivers and the Perth skyline.
Perth's coastline is another major attraction, with Cottesloe and Scarborough among its best known beaches. City Beach has particular significance for runners because this is where the City to Surf finishes, meaning the journey from the CBD really does take you from the city to the ocean.
If you're turning the race into a longer trip, Wadjemup / Rottnest Island is also well worth considering. Ferries operate from Perth, Fremantle and Hillarys, and the island is particularly famous for its quokkas. As always before a race, however, save the longest sightseeing days until after you've crossed the finish line.
The City To Surf Perth
The first Perth City to Surf took place on 23 February 1975 when around 500 people ran the original 12km route from the city centre to City Beach. From those relatively modest beginnings it developed into one of Western Australia's biggest participation events.
The event grew particularly strongly during the following decades and by 2013 more than 48,000 people had registered across a programme that then included a marathon, half marathon and the traditional shorter distances. The marathon and half marathon are no longer part of the event, leaving the 12km and 4km as the two distances for the modern City to Surf.
COVID brought another major interruption, with the event not taking place from 2020 to 2022. It returned in 2023 and has subsequently rebuilt strongly. Almost 29,000 people participated in 2025 and nearly 35,000 took to the streets of Perth in 2026.
The event has also undergone an important change behind the scenes. For many years it was known as the Chevron City to Surf for Activ, but it is now the Chevron City to Surf for genU. The fundraising purpose remains fundamental to the event, with money raised supporting Australians living with disability.
When Is The City To Surf Perth 2027?
The City to Surf Perth 2027 takes place on Sunday 29 August. Late August is winter in Perth, which can make conditions much more suitable for running than the hot summer months. That doesn't guarantee perfect weather, however, and runners should check the forecast during race week before deciding on clothing and their final race plan.
The organisers have also confirmed that the Karratha City to Surf will take place on Sunday 25 July 2027. Like Perth, the Karratha event offers 12km and 4km distances.
What Distances Are There?
There are two distances at the Perth City to Surf: 12km and 4km. Both can be completed by running, walking or rolling, which is an important part of the event's inclusive approach. The 12km remains the classic City to Surf challenge and follows the event's traditional concept of travelling from central Perth to City Beach.
The 4km provides a much more accessible alternative for families, younger participants, walkers and anyone who simply wants to be part of the occasion without covering the full 12km.
Is There A City To Surf Perth Expo?
City to Surf has bib collection before race day rather than a traditional large running Expo of the type you might encounter before a major marathon.
For the 2026 event, bib and event shirt collection took place at Hackett Hall in WA Museum Boola Bardip on the Friday and Saturday before the race. There was no race day bib collection, although another person could collect on a participant's behalf with the required registration confirmation.
The organisers have not yet published the equivalent 2027 arrangements, so don't assume the venue and times will be identical. Check the final participant information before travelling, particularly if you're coming to Perth from elsewhere in Australia or overseas.
The City To Surf Perth 12km Course
The 12km is a point to point course that delivers exactly what the event's name promises. You start among the high rise buildings of central Perth and finish close to the Indian Ocean at City Beach.
For 2026, the official start was at the intersection of St Georges Terrace and William Street in the Perth CBD, with the finish at City Beach Oval. The traditional route takes runners west from the city, past the northern side of Kings Park and through Perth's western suburbs before the final approach towards the coast.
The final 2027 course should always be checked against the organisers' route map when it is released, but this is a race where the changing surroundings are a major part of the experience.
Starting In The Perth CBD
The 12km begins in the heart of Perth on St Georges Terrace, one of the city's principal streets and the centre of its commercial district. Surrounded by office towers and city landmarks, it's a suitably urban beginning to a race whose destination is the beach. With thousands of people assembling in the CBD, the opening stages can be busy. There is little to gain from weaving aggressively around other participants simply to hit a particular pace during the first kilometre. Settle into the run, find some space and remember that there is plenty of time ahead.
Past Kings Park
One of the defining features of the traditional route is the journey past Kings Park, which provides an immediate contrast with the city centre.At around 400 hectares, Kings Park is enormous for a green space so close to a major city centre. Two thirds of the park is protected bushland, while the Western Australian Botanic Garden showcases thousands of species of native flora. You don't run through the heart of the park on the traditional 12km route, but its position alongside the early part of the course is an important part of the transition away from central Perth.
Through Perth's Western Suburbs
From the Kings Park area, the traditional City to Surf route continues west through suburbs including Subiaco and Jolimont. Subiaco is one of Perth's best known inner suburbs, with restaurants, shops and heritage architecture giving this section a very different feel from the opening kilometres in the CBD. By this stage the field should also have begun to spread out, making it easier to settle into your own pace. This middle section is where the race starts to feel less like a city centre event and more like a genuine journey towards the coast. Don't be fooled by the relatively short 12km distance, however. There is still some harder running to come.
Towards Perry Lakes
The route continues towards the Perry Lakes area as runners make their way farther west.
By now you're approaching the later stages of the 12km and the character of the surroundings has changed considerably from St Georges Terrace. This is a useful point to assess how much you have left rather than automatically increasing your pace simply because the finish is getting closer. The City to Surf isn't an entirely flat course, and some of its more testing running comes as you approach the coast. If you've controlled your effort during the first half, you'll be in a much better position to deal with it.
Oceanic Drive And The Final Kilometres
The traditional closing section uses Oceanic Drive for the final journey towards City Beach. This part of the race can include some noticeable changes in elevation, making it more challenging than runners expecting a straightforward downhill run to the ocean might anticipate. The good news is that the final approach ultimately brings you downhill towards the finish. After spending much of the race travelling west, reaching City Beach gives the event a genuine destination rather than simply an arbitrary finish line. If you're running for a time, concentrate on effort across the climbs rather than becoming too concerned about individual kilometre splits. Once the road begins to fall towards the coast, you can decide how much you have left for the finish.
The City Beach Finish
The finish at City Beach Oval is one of the best features of the event. After starting among the office buildings of central Perth, you've crossed the western side of the city and arrived only a short distance from the Indian Ocean. The finish precinct becomes a major celebration in its own right. In 2026 there was live entertainment, food and family activities as thousands of participants and supporters gathered after the event. It's worth allowing some time to enjoy it rather than immediately heading away. City to Surf is as much a community event as a road race, and the atmosphere at City Beach is a big part of the experience.
What About The 4km?
The 4km provides a shorter route to the same City Beach finish and is designed to be accessible to participants of different ages and abilities.
In recent editions, participants have been transported towards the 4km start at McLean Park in Floreat before making their way towards City Beach. The precise 2027 start arrangements and transport details should be checked when the organisers publish the final event information.
Don't assume the 4km is simply an event for children or walkers. You can run it competitively if you want to, but its real strength is that it allows families, schools and people who might never consider entering a conventional road race to take part in the same City to Surf experience.
Is The City To Surf Perth Fast?
The 12km can certainly be raced hard, but this isn't a completely flat PB course. The route includes some changes in elevation as it travels from the CBD towards City Beach, particularly during the later stages.
The unusual 12km distance also means many runners won't have a conventional PB to compare it with. That can actually add to the appeal. You can race it seriously, use it as a hard training effort or forget the watch completely and enjoy one of Western Australia's biggest running occasions.
The large field is another consideration if you're chasing a fast time. Make sure you start in the appropriate area and avoid wasting energy weaving through other runners during the opening kilometres.
Aid Stations
In 2026 there were five aid stations on the 12km course and one on the 4km, providing water and electrolytes, with toilets and first aid also available around the course. Fruit, water and electrolytes were available in the finish area.
The exact 2027 arrangements have not yet been confirmed, so check the final participant information before race day. Even over 12km, hydration can matter, particularly if race morning turns out warmer than expected.
If you normally carry your own drink or use any particular nutrition during a hard 12km effort, practise your race strategy beforehand rather than making changes on the morning.
What Is The Atmosphere Like?
This is where the City to Surf Perth really stands out. It combines competitive runners with walkers, families, wheelchair participants, schools, workplace teams and charity fundraisers, creating an atmosphere very different from a race focused primarily on finishing times.
Nearly 35,000 people took part in 2026, so there is plenty of noise and activity even where roadside spectator numbers are lighter. Fancy dress has also traditionally been part of the event, reinforcing the sense that you're participating in a huge community occasion rather than simply another road race.
The finish at City Beach Oval brings everyone back together, with the post race entertainment helping the event continue long after participants have crossed the line.
Can You Run The City To Surf Perth For Charity?
Charity is fundamental to the City to Surf rather than an addition to it. The event is genU's major fundraising event and money raised supports people living with disability. In particular, genU has used funds raised through the event to help make customers' homes safer and more accessible, supporting greater independence.
The organisation behind the race has its roots in a group of parents who wanted better opportunities for their children with disability more than 70 years ago. Today genU provides a wide range of disability and community services.
Participants can create fundraising pages and use their involvement in the City to Surf to raise additional money. With tens of thousands taking part, that combination of running, walking, community participation and fundraising remains one of the event's defining characteristics.
Our Verdict
The City to Surf Perth is exactly the sort of mass participation event that shows running at its most inclusive. You can race the 12km as hard as you like, walk the 4km with your family, take part as a wheelchair participant, join a workplace team or use the occasion to raise money for a cause closely connected with the event itself.
The route is also genuinely connected to its location. Starting among the towers of Perth's CBD, passing Kings Park and the western suburbs and eventually arriving beside the Indian Ocean gives you a much better sense of the city than a repetitive loop course ever could.
Perhaps most encouragingly, the event appears to have recovered strongly from its three year COVID interruption. Nearly 35,000 people took part in 2026, moving it significantly closer to the enormous fields seen during its peak years.
The course isn't completely flat, but for many participants the attraction here is about far more than chasing a fast time. The combination of history, scale, scenery, inclusivity and a finish beside one of Perth's beaches makes the City to Surf one of Australia's distinctive mass participation running eve
How Do You Enter The City To Surf Perth 2027?
Registration for the City to Surf Perth 2027 is available online through the official event website. The 2027 Perth event takes place on Sunday 29 August, with both the 12km and 4km available.
Don't rely on the old advice that you can simply turn up and enter on race morning. In 2026, online registration remained open until midday on the Saturday before the event, with in-person registration also available at bib collection, but there were no registrations on race morning.
Check the final 2027 registration deadlines and arrangements when entering, particularly if you're travelling to Perth for the event. Registering earlier also gives you more time to organise accommodation, transport and the rest of your race weekend.
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