1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Women's 400 metres
# 1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres event at the 1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships was held on 11 and 12 March in Milan.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| - | - | - |
| Marina Sidorova Soviet Union | Rita Bottiglieri Italy | Karoline Käfer Austria |

## Results

### Heats

First 2 from each heat (Q) qualified directly for the final.

| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Marina Sidorova | Soviet Union | 53.15 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | Rita Bottiglieri | Italy | 53.51 | Q |
| 3 | 2 | Karoline Käfer | Austria | 53.81 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | Mariya Kulchunova | Soviet Union | 53.92 | Q |
| 5 | 1 | Patricia Darbonville | France | 54.26 | |
| 6 | 2 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 56.12 | |

### Final

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time |
| - | - | - | - |
| | Marina Sidorova | Soviet Union | 52.42 |
| | Rita Bottiglieri | Italy | 53.18 |
| | Karoline Käfer | Austria | 53.56 |
| 4 | Mariya Kulchunova | Soviet Union | 54.77 |
