At a glance
8 November · 08:30
The marathon starts in the town of Marathon.
42.195 km
The classic route, from Marathon to Kallimarmaro.
05:00–18:20
On Sunday, cars are banned in the centre and in front of the stadium.
Free
Entry to Kallimarmaro to watch the finishes.
The weekend programme
The Marathon is not one race. It is five, over two days, and all of them finish in Kallimarmaro. The shorter distances start from Amalias Avenue, next to the National Garden, and the children’s races from Vasilissis Sofias, level with Parliament.
| Day and time | Race | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 7/11, 12:30 | Opening ceremony and transfer of the flame | Marathon Tumulus |
| Saturday 7/11, 16:00 | Children’s race, 1,200 metres | Vasilissis Sofias, level with Parliament |
| Saturday 7/11, 17:00 | 5 km race, about 30,000 runners | Amalias Avenue |
| Saturday 7/11, 20:00 | Night 5 km race for students | Amalias Avenue |
| Sunday 8/11, 08:00 | 10 km race, about 17,000 runners | Amalias Avenue, level with the Bodosaki Mansion |
| Sunday 8/11, 08:30 | Marathon 42.195 km, about 25,000 runners | Marathon |
This year the marathon starts earlier than in other years, because entries went up. Runners leave in 15 groups, the “blocks”: the first at 08:30 and the last a little after 10:00. The race closes at 18:15. Anyone who has not finished by then is out of time.
The route from Marathon to Kallimarmaro
The route follows Marathonos Avenue and passes through the municipalities of Rafina-Pikermi, Pallini and Agia Paraskevi. In Athens it enters along Mesogeion and ends on Vasileos Konstantinou, at the entrance to the stadium. The hard part is in the middle, where the road climbs for many kilometres. The end runs downhill towards the centre.
The road belongs to the runners. Railings keep spectators on the pavement.
The signs point to Mesogeion, Syngrou and Syntagma. During the race, no cars pass here.
A medal round the neck and family alongside. Anyone can sit in the stands, no ticket needed.
The 192 Athenians killed in the battle of 490 BC were buried here. The opening ceremony also takes place here on Saturday.
The water carrier from Marousi won the first marathon of the modern Olympic Games.
Why it is called “Authentic”
In 490 BC the Athenians defeated the Persians on the plain of Marathon. Tradition says a messenger ran to Athens to bring the news of the victory. The first marathon of the 1896 Olympic Games was built on that story. The winner was Spyridon Louis, a water carrier from Marousi.
Today’s route follows the same road, from Marathon to Kallimarmaro. That is why the race is called “Authentic”. If the battlefield itself interests you, our guide to the day trip to Marathon and Vravrona shows the Tumulus and the museum.
The start in Marathon: how to get there
The start is in the town of Marathon, about 40 km by road from Ioulianou 50. On Sunday at 08:30 the first block leaves, and the rest go until about 10:00. Thousands of runners wait their turn, each in their own block. Here is what it looked like last year:
The start of the 42nd Authentic Marathon
Marathon, 9 November 2025 · ERT video on YouTube
The start needs an early wake-up and a plan, because Marathonos Avenue closes in both directions from 07:30. There are three ways to get there.
By your own or a rental car
- Route: from the Athens–Lamia National Road, Kryoneri and Lake Marathon. About 40 km, 50 minutes without traffic. This way you never enter Marathonos Avenue.
- Arrival time: the organisers ask drivers to be in Marathon by 07:00. From Ioulianou 50, leave by 06:00 at the latest.
- Parking: from the car park to the start, allow about 800 metres on foot.
- Return: Marathonos and Mesogeion stay closed until the afternoon. Go back the same way, via Kryoneri and the National Road.
Driving route from Ioulianou 50 to Marathon on Google Maps. For rentals, see our guide when a car makes sense in Athens.
By the organisers’ buses (runners only)
The organisers run free buses from Athens to the start. They are for marathon runners, and no seats for companions are mentioned. If you are running, your block decides when and from where you take the bus:
| Blocks | Times | Departure points |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 05:00–06:45 | Omonia (suburban rail station) · Syntagma: Amalias at Parliament and Vasileos Georgiou, opposite the Megali Vretania hotel · Panepistimio · Evangelismos · Katehaki · Syngrou-Fix (last bus 06:15) |
| 11–15 | 06:30–07:30 | Mesogeion Avenue, at the Ethniki Amyna, Cholargos, Katehaki and Nomismatokopeio stations |
The buses go direct, with no stops on the way. After 06:45 for blocks 1–10 and after 07:45 for blocks 11–15, there is no transport. From Ioulianou 50 the nearest point is Omonia: about 1 km, 14 minutes on foot. That early, do not count on the metro. Walk or take a taxi.
By taxi or KTEL
You can book a taxi to Marathon for 06:00, by app or the evening before. The return is the hard part: taxis in Marathon are few and the roads fill up. Agree the time and pick-up point with the driver in advance. KTEL Attikis has a bus line to Marathon, but on race day the main road is closed. Ask KTEL about that Sunday’s timetable before you count on it.
Start or finish?
For most visitors, the finish is easier. Kallimarmaro is 30 minutes from Ioulianou 50 by metro and entry is free. The start needs a car, a wake-up before 06:00 and patience on the way back. If you do it, though, you will see something most people miss: 25,000 people setting off together.
Which roads close
The organisers announce a traffic ban in central Athens and in front of the stadium for two periods:
- Saturday 7 November: 15:00–21:00, for the 5 km races.
- Sunday 8 November: 05:00–18:20, for the 10 km and the marathon.
Last year, on race Sunday, the Traffic Police closed Marathonos, Mesogeion, Amalias and Vasileos Konstantinou. In the centre, Panepistimiou, Stadiou, Akadimias and Filellinon stayed closed for most of the hours. This year’s arrangements come out a few days before the race, and they usually resemble last year’s.
Ioulianou and Victoria Square are not on the route. The problem starts when you want to cross by car or taxi towards Syntagma, Kolonaki, Pangrati or eastern Athens. There you will find closed streets and detours.
Leaving for the airport on Sunday?
Mesogeion is closed from early morning until the afternoon, and many detours fill up. Take the metro: from Victoria to Omonia, change there for Syntagma and continue on Line 3. The whole trip takes 45–50 minutes. Our guide to the metro from and to the airport explains the ticket. If you prefer a taxi, book early and tell the driver it is Marathon day.
Metro, tram and buses
The metro is the surest way to get around that weekend. Last year on Sunday STASY ran two extra trains on Line 1 and three on Lines 2 and 3. Line 1, which passes through Victoria, does not meet the race route.
The tram changes. Last year the Pikrodafni–Syntagma line stopped at the “Fix” stop until 21:00. The Syntagma, Zappeion and Leoforos Vouliagmenis stops were out of service. Several buses and trolleybuses change route or stop. OASA and STASY announce the changes in the days before the race.
Keep coins or a card for the ticket. On race mornings, the stations in the centre fill with runners heading to the start. Our guide to metro tickets and day passes says what to buy.
Where to watch the finish
Entry to Kallimarmaro for the races is free. You go in, sit in the marble stands and watch the runners make their last metres on the track. The organisers estimate the first man at 10:39 and the first woman around 11:08. The marathon awards take place 11:30–12:00.
The leaders pass quickly. After midday the stadium changes: the amateurs arrive, some with children by the hand, others walking the last metres. The crowd in the stands applauds every one. If you only have an hour, go sometime between 12:30 and 14:30.
Want to see a finish earlier? The 10 km starts at 08:00 and the first runner reaches the stadium in about half an hour. For everything else about the stadium, see our guide to the Panathenaic Stadium.
You do not have to go all the way to the stadium. Along the whole route people stand on the pavement and shout “Bravo!”. Children hold out a hand and many runners slap it as they pass. Go to a spot near a metro station, stand behind the line and wait.
Our little one waves to the runners
Mesogeion Avenue, Agia Paraskevi · Marathon 2025, 9 November, 11:50
Rules for spectators
- Do not step into the runners’ lane, not even for a photo.
- Keep the neighbouring lane clear too. It is for the police, EKAB (ambulances) and organiser vehicles.
- Do not accompany a runner on a bicycle, scooter or motorbike. It is forbidden.
- Follow police instructions on where to cross the road.
How to get from Ioulianou 50 to Kallimarmaro
The stadium is about 1 km from the Syntagma, Akropoli and Evangelismos stations. From Ioulianou 50 the simplest way is the metro to Syntagma and then on foot. Allow 30 minutes door to door.
- Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
- Line 1 (green): towards Piraeus, one stop to Omonia.
- Line 2 (red): at Omonia change towards Elliniko and get off two stops later, at Syntagma. From Victoria to here, about 12 minutes.
- Syntagma → National Garden: exit towards Amalias Avenue and enter the National Garden, opposite Parliament.
- National Garden → Vasileos Konstantinou: cross the garden southwards to Vasileos Konstantinou. The stadium is opposite. About 1.1 km, 15 minutes on foot.
🏃 From Ioulianou 50 to Kallimarmaro
On foot to Victoria, metro to Syntagma (change at Omonia), then through the National Garden. Tap the stadium to open the route in Google Maps.
The National Garden closes at sunset, which is early in November. For Saturday’s evening races, walk along Amalias and Vasilissis Olgas, next to the Zappeion. Open the metro route in Google Maps.
Saturday: the Expo, the sponsors’ village and the evening race
The race expo, the allwyn Marathon EXPO, is at the Faliro Indoor Gymnasium (Tae Kwon Do), Palaia Leoforos Poseidonos and Moraitini. Runners collect their bibs there. Entry is free for people who are not running too.
| Wednesday 4/11 | 12:00–21:00 |
| Thursday 5/11 and Friday 6/11 | 10:00–21:00 |
| Saturday 7/11 | 10:00–20:00 |
By tram, go from Syntagma and change at the “Edem” or “Pikrodafni” stop for the line that stops at “Agia Skepi”. Go before midday on Saturday, because from 15:00 the centre closes for the 5 km. On Saturday, 15:00–22:00, and Sunday, 08:00–18:00, the sponsors’ village runs in Zappeion–Karaiskaki Square, opposite the stadium. The night 5 km for students starts on Saturday at 20:00. From the stands, with the lights on, it looks great.
If you want to run
Entries are made only on the official site, months before the race. For 2026 the start lists are already out, so you cannot join at the last minute. If you are thinking of next year, follow athensauthenticmarathon.gr from spring. Bibs are not handed out on Sunday morning. You collect them at the Expo until Saturday at 20:00.
What to watch for on those days
- Early start: the runners’ buses to Marathon leave 05:00–06:30 from points in the centre, such as Syntagma and Omonia. You will see people in running kit from very early.
- Restaurants: on Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime the places around Pangrati and Syntagma fill up. Book ahead.
- Museums: the Acropolis and the museums keep normal Sunday hours. Go by metro. Akropoli station is on Line 2.
- Walking: many distances in the centre are quicker on foot. See our walking times in the centre.
FAQ
When is the Athens Marathon in 2026?
On Sunday 8 November 2026, starting at 08:30 from Marathon. The 5 km races are on Saturday 7 November.
Can I see the start in Marathon without a car?
Hardly. The organisers’ buses are for runners, and Marathonos Avenue closes from 07:30. The solution is an early-morning taxi, with the return booked in advance.
Do I pay to enter Kallimarmaro on race day?
No. Entry to the stadium for the races is free.
What time do the first runners finish?
The organisers estimate the first man at 10:39 and the first woman around 11:08. The last arrive by 18:15.
Does the metro run on Marathon Sunday?
Yes. Last year they even added trains on all three lines. The tram and some buses change route.
Is the Victoria area affected?
Not directly. Ioulianou and Victoria are not on the route. What is affected is any car journey passing through Syntagma, Kolonaki and Mesogeion.
Can I take a taxi to the airport on Sunday?
You can, but Mesogeion is closed until the afternoon and the detours have traffic. The metro on Line 3 is surer.
Where do runners collect their bibs?
At the allwyn Marathon EXPO, in the Faliro Indoor Gymnasium, from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 November. Bibs are not given out on Sunday.
Video: Angels Apartments archive (November 2025) · start: ERT (YouTube).
Photos (Wikimedia Commons): Wikipedia user, CC BY-SA 3.0 (runners in Athens, 2016) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Kallimarmaro, 2010) · George E. Koronaios, CC0 (Tumulus) · unknown photographer, public domain (1896).
— Kathy
