This coming weekend, 11-12 November 2023, there will be traffic restrictions in Athens due to the 40th Athens Classic Marathon. Here is everything you need to know.
The Athens Marathon race – Traffic restrictions this weekend
Τraffic regulations will be enforced in the wider Athens area on Saturday, November 11, and Sunday, November 12. This is in view of the 40th Authentic Athens Marathon.
The regulations will apply to the main Marathon race on Sunday, as well as the accompanying 10 km, 5 km, and 1.2 km road races over the weekend. Apart from traffic restrictions, parking will also be prohibited at various areas.
All races will terminate at the impressive Panathenaic Stadium, which will be open for everyone to visit and congratulate the runners.
Here is some more information about the traffic restrictions over the Marathon weekend.
Saturday 11 November – 10 km Marathon races
On Saturday, November 11th, from 17:00 to 20:00, two consecutive road races will take place: the 10 km race and the Universities 10 km night run. Both races will begin at Amalias Avenue, close to Syntagma Square, and end at the iconic Panathenaic Stadium.
Both of these races will follow this route:
Vas. Amalias – El. Venizelou (Panepistimiou) – Char. Trikoupi – Akadimias – Vas. Sofias – Fidippidou – Messogion – Michalakopoulou – Fidippidou – Messogion – Vas. Sofias – Irodou Attikou – Panathenaic Stadium.
Sunday 12 November – Athens Classic Marathon
The 40th Authentic Athens Marathon will take place on Sunday, November 12th. The 42.195 km race will commence at 9:00 at Marathon Town, and finish at the Panathenaic Stadium.
The Marathon route runs along Marathonos Avenue, Messogion, Michalakopoulou, Fidippidou, Vas. Sofias, Irodou Attikou, and terminates at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Traffic regulations will be in place along this route until about 18:00. Both sides of these roads will be closed to traffic, with the exception of vehicles that are necessary for the safety of the athletes.
Sunday 12 November – Other Marathon races
On Sunday 12 November, there will be two more races in downtown Athens.
A 5 km road race will take place from Amalias Avenue (Syntagma) to Panathenaic Stadium. The race will commence at 8:15 and follow the route: Amalias – El. Venizelou (Panepistimiou) – Riga Feraiou – Akadimias – Vas. Sofias – Irodou Attikou – Panathenaic Stadium.
Moreover. a 1.2 km road race for children will take place on the route Vas. Sofias – Irodou Attikou – Panathenaic Stadium. This race will kick off at 10:30 and is expected to last for about 20 minutes.
Traffic regulations over the Marathon weekend
During the specified race periods, temporary traffic regulations will be gradually implemented along the Marathon route. The measures will affect all municipalities along the route.
This includes Marathon, Rafina-Pikermi, Pallini-Gerakas, Paiania-Glyka Nera, Stavros, Agia Paraskevi, Papagos-Cholargos, Chalandri, Filothei-Psyhiko, and the municipality of Athens.
Streets in those areas will be closed to traffic over various times of the weekend, and traffic will be diverted through alternative routes.
In addition, parking will be prohibited along central avenues such as Messogion, Vas. Sofias, Vas. Konatantinou, Ardittou, Michalakopoulou, Fidippidou, Syngrou, and the streets around the Panathenaic Stadium.
For detailed information on traffic restrictions, as well as alternative routes, you can refer to this article at Proto Thema (in Greek).
Bus route changes over the Marathon weekend
Due to the Marathon race, many bus routes will be altered, and a few will be cancelled altogether.
For detailed information, you can download the pdf document (in Greek) at the official OASA public transportation website.
Note that the airport bus X95 will not be running from and to Syntagma. Instead, it will be running from and to the 401 Hospital, close to Katechaki metro station. If you are heading to the Athens airport, it’s probably best to take the Athens airport metro.
Also, note that the Tram Line 6 will be terminating at Syngrou – Fix metro station, rather than Syntagma Square.
Weather in Athens on the Marathon weekend
According to the latest predictions, the weather on Sunday November 12th will be in favor of the runners.
During the early morning hours on Sunday, there will be a light westerly wind. This will lead to a slight decrease in temperature compared to the previous days.
At the start of the race, the temperature is projected to be around 11-12 degrees with a humidity level of 87%. By midday, the temperature in central Athens is likely to reach 18-19 degrees, with approximately 60% humidity.
Not too bad!
Best place to see the Marathon runners in Athens
On Marathon Sunday, Athens will transform into a giant carnival of joy and excitement. This is a once-a-year opportunity to see central Athens without the usual traffic!
No matter where you position yourself along the Marathon route, you will be able to see the runners and cheer for them! And if you don’t know much about the origins of the famous race, here is some background information about the Athens Marathon.
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Hi! I’m Vanessa from Athens, and I share news and guides about Greece on my blog. Follow me on Facebook for more Greece-related inspiration and travel tips! Hope to see you somewhere along the Marathon route 🙂