1 · The short answer

The Athens Authentic Marathon follows the historic route from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens. The 2026 race is on Sunday 8 November, with the marathon start in Marathon Town at 08:30, and a weekend of shorter races and ceremonies around it. For later years, the organiser announces the date on its own site.

The organisers strongly recommend the metro on race weekend, because vehicles are banned from central Athens for long stretches. Tickets, the official app and meeting up after the finish all live on your phone. If you are an EU resident, your home plan roams in Greece at home rates. Visitors from elsewhere can use Ringo Light's Greece plan, with unlimited data at full speed; it arrives by email and installs in one scan.

Dates: Race weekend Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026; the marathon starts in Marathon Town on Sunday at 08:30. Organiser's page

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2 · What happens over the weekend

  • ✓Saturday 7 November. The opening ceremony and Marathon Flame lighting at the Marathon Tomb at 12:30, then the kids race and the 5 km road race and a night run for universities in the evening.
  • ✓Sunday 8 November. The 10 km road race at 08:00 and the marathon start in Marathon Town at 08:30. The organiser estimates the first man at about 10:39.
  • ✓The finish. The marathon ends inside the Panathenaic Stadium. Entry for spectators is free. Only finishing runners and accredited staff can enter the track; friends and family use the stands.

3 · Getting around on race weekend

According to the organiser, vehicles are banned from central Athens and around the stadium on Saturday from 15:00 to 21:00 and on Sunday from 05:00 to 18:20. The Panathenaic Stadium is about a kilometre from the Syntagma, Acropolis and Evangelismos metro stations, and the organiser recommends the metro.

Athens Airport is linked to the centre by metro line 3 and by bus. Buy your ticket before you travel, and check the transport operator's site for race weekend timetables.

4 · The app, tracking and meeting up

  • ✓Official app. The Athens Marathon has its own app on the App Store and Google Play. Download it on Wi-Fi before the weekend and check inside it what it offers for tracking.
  • ✓Start lists. The organiser's site lets you search the start lists by bib number, which helps supporters know the starting block.
  • ✓Meeting after the finish. Agree a meeting point outside the stadium and a time. Phone calls fail when thousands of people leave at once.
  • ✓Paying. Cards and phone payments work in most cafes and shops in central Athens, though small kiosks may prefer cash.

5 · Signal at the start and the finish

Marathon Town is small and the start crowd is large, so expect slow data around the start. At the Panathenaic Stadium the finish crowd does the same. Refresh any tracker before your runner is due, watch them pass, and move on.

Runners: a phone tracking a four or five hour run drains fast. Start fully charged and keep photos and uploads for the hotel Wi-Fi. For EU residents, roaming applies in Greece.

6 · Athens around the race

The stadium sits near the National Garden and a short walk from Plaka and the Acropolis. A recovery day on foot through the old town, with the Acropolis Museum and the lanes of Anafiotika, suits tired legs. Check opening hours and ticket rules on the official sites, as they change.

7 · Frequently asked questions

When is the Athens Marathon?+
The 2026 race is on Sunday 8 November, with the marathon start in Marathon Town at 08:30. For later years, check the organiser's site.
Where does the Athens Marathon finish?+
Inside the Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens.
How do I get around on race weekend?+
By metro. The organiser says vehicles are banned from central Athens for long stretches on Saturday and Sunday, and recommends the metro.
Does EU roaming work in Greece?+
Yes. EU residents can use their home plan in Greece at home rates, subject to their operator's fair use rules.
Which Ringo Light plan covers Athens?+
The Greece plan covers Athens and the rest of the country, with unlimited data at full speed.

8 · Sources

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