How to Enter the Athens Marathon

We have to go back to 490 BC, when the Greek soldier Pheidippides ran 42.195 km from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory over the Persians before collapsing from exhaustion. His legendary feat inspired the creation of the Olympic marathon at the 1896 Athens Games. Ever since, the distance has been a lifelong goal for countless runners. That authenticity, blending history, mythology and sporting challenge, is what makes the Athens Marathon “The Authentic” such a distinctive fixture on the global racing calendar. Before you can take on this legendary route, you’ll need to secure your race entry. Registration, available packages, entry requirements, official agencies… here’s everything you need to know to prepare for your adventure in the birthplace of the marathon.

✓ How do you enter the Athens Marathon and secure that coveted race bib? We explain everything in this article.

No lottery, but demand is high

The Athens Marathon owes much of its success to its history. The race sells out several weeks before the event every year. Twenty-one thousand lucky runners line up for the headline distance, but in reality, 73,000 participants are expected across the full range of race formats. A legendary course combined with such strong demand is bound to attract attention. Unlike many marathons, including the World Marathon Majors such as the London Marathon, New York, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Tokyo and Sydney, the Athens Marathon does not use a lottery. To enter directly online through the official race website, you need to be quick off the mark. First come, first served.

The organiser offers two entry tiers: “Advanced” and “Full”. The latter is more expensive but includes more, with a backpack, toilet facilities, an OASA travel card and entry to the Acropolis Museum. In 2025, registration opened at noon on 8 April. The closer race day gets, the more the entry fee rises. The 2025 edition is sold out.

Travel agencies for a unique experience

Athens and Greece are steeped in history, both sporting and cultural. So why not use your marathon goal as an opportunity to discover and explore the surrounding area? Travel agencies can take care of everything for you, removing the stress of travel, logistics and planning.

The event’s partner agencies generally offer all-inclusive packages covering transport, accommodation and race entry. Some also include visits to landmarks or museums. While travel agencies guarantee your entry and provide a certain level of comfort, the cost will be higher than a standard race entry. The list of partner agencies is available on the official race website.

Our advice: plan your trip with the agency well in advance.

Running the Athens Marathon as part of a group

Because everything is more fun with company, the Athens Marathon organiser offers group entries. This option lets you register everyone at once and avoid tedious admin. Each runner is guaranteed a race bib. Large groups, made up of several dozen runners, can collect their race packs through a single representative or individually.

Volunteer at the Athens Marathon

Running a marathon isn’t your thing, but you’d still like to experience the event in a different way? Why not take part in the Athens Marathon as a volunteer? More than 4,500 volunteers are involved throughout the event, helping with bag drop, course marshalling, aid stations, medal distribution and race-bib collection. There’s bound to be a role for you.

If the idea appeals, you can register as a volunteer directly online through the official race website. Experiencing the Athens Marathon from the inside is also a great way to take the first step towards running it yourself one day.

A legendary distance in a legendary setting. For anyone who loves running and history, the Athens Marathon belongs on the bucket list. So don’t wait to register for the next edition of the Athens Marathon.

✓ Find all the details on entering the Athens Marathon