Athens Authentic Marathon: road closures begin Thursday, race Sunday 8 November

Road closures from Thursday

Traffic police have put temporary traffic arrangements in place across central Athens and along the marathon route, starting Thursday, 5 November, and running until Monday, 9 November. The police say the measures will be applied in stages. Herodou Attikou will be closed to traffic along its full length, and so will part of Vasilissis Georgiou, from 8am on Thursday until 8am on Monday, 9 November. The ban covers all vehicles, with bicycles and electric scooters included. Parking is also banned on Herodou Attikou and around the discus statue at Kallimarmaro, where preparation work is under way for the athletes' entrance.

Friday and Saturday restrictions

From 3pm on Friday, 6 November, traffic is halted until 10pm on Sunday, 8 November, on several roads. These include Vasilissis Konstantinou between Vasilissis Olgas and Eratosthenous Street, toward Evangelismos, Ardittou between Vouliagmenis and Vasilissis Olgas, and the entire length of Mousourou. On Saturday, 7 November, traffic is halted on Archimidous from 8am to 10.30pm, and parking is banned there from 6am on Saturday until 7.30pm on Sunday. A parking ban on Mesogeion, from Kanellopoulou to Fidippidou, and on the whole of Vasilissis Sofias runs from 9am on Saturday until 7.30pm on Sunday.

Saturday races

Saturday brings the youth and Special Olympics events. The 1,200 metre children's races and the Special Olympics and disability races run from 4pm to 4.55pm along Vasilissis Sofias toward the Panathenaic Stadium. Two consecutive races, a 5 km race and a 5 km Universities Night Run, follow from 5pm to 9.10pm, starting at Syntagma Square and finishing at the stadium. The traffic police say information on the emergency arrangements will be available from the Marathon Operations Centre on Saturday from 3pm to 11pm, and on Sunday from 6am to 8pm, by telephone.

Sunday race day

The 43rd Authentic Athens Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 8 November, between 8.30am and 6.15pm. The route starts at Marathon and passes Mesogeion, the Kifisias and Alexandras junction, Vasilissis Sofias and Herodou Attikou before finishing at the Panathenaic Stadium. Before that, the 10 km race runs from 8am to 10.10am from Syntagma Square to the stadium. Police expect the heaviest traffic pressure on Mesogeion on Sunday morning. The measures cover nine municipal areas, including Marathon, Rafina-Pikermi, Pallini-Gerakas, Paiania-Glyka Nera, Agia Paraskevi, Papagou-Cholargos, Chalandri, Filothei-Psychiko and Athens.

What drivers should do

The traffic police call on drivers to avoid driving or parking in the areas where bans apply and to follow the instructions of traffic wardens. The police describe the arrangements as temporary and phased, and the affected streets change from day to day. They warn that several problems are likely for travel into central Athens over the weekend. Residents planning to enter the centre are advised to check the closures for each day before setting out.