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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONGR / RACE GUIDE
Axios Running Festival race photo

Axios Running Festival

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

GRMay 16, 2027Distance TBD
john melekidis · CC BY-SA 3.0
Race date in 217 days
May 16, 2027 Sun
City · Distance
Koufalia · Distance TBD
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 11, 2026
Axios Running Festival race photo
john melekidis · CC BY-SA 3.0
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Axios Running Festival — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

Chasing a personal best or dreaming of a first finish.
This trip is built around your race.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Axios Running Festival runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

3o Axios Running Festival | 18.05.2025

AxiosRunningFestival

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Axios Running Festival — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Axios Running Festival course map and elevation

Course

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:30
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Koufalia

Show more

The half marathon is the main event, starting at 8:30 AM local time in front of the Koufalia town hall, about 40km northwest of Thessaloniki.

The finish differs from the start, being located at the Balkan Wars Military Museum in Topsin.

The course passes through Prochoma, crosses the Axios Dam road bridge, then enters the old Thessaloniki-Evzonoi national highway for the final stretch.

Typical race-season temperature: around 18°C (65°F)
Short sleeves — hydrate for the warmth

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Event T-shirt 2026

Finisher medal 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Where and when to collect your Axios Running Festival race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startKoufalia Town Hall (Δημαρχείο Κουφαλίων), Koufalia, Chalkidona municipality, ~40km northwest of Thessaloniki.
  • Transit cardThere's essentially no local transit in Koufalia itself — for onward travel to/from Thessaloniki, pay cash for the infrequent KTEL Imathias intercity bus, or plan on a taxi/transfer.
  • Getting to the finishBalkan Wars Military Museum in Topsin

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026 · Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Koufalia Town Hall (Δημαρχείο Κουφαλίων), Koufalia, Chalkidona municipality, ~40km northwest of Thessaloniki. No active train station in Koufalia itself; nearest operating rail stop reportedly Platy station (~15km away). Public bus: OASTH suburban line 81 runs between Thessaloniki's KTEL Macedonia intercity bus station and Koufalia

Start time/location (Half Marathon 08:30) per the official race page, consistent with the 2026 edition (Sunday 17 May 2026).

Map

Getting to the finish

Balkan Wars Military Museum in Topsin

Course crosses the Axios Dam road bridge via Prochoma and joins the old Thessaloniki-Evzonoi national highway for the final stretch, per official race page (not explicitly year-dated).

Map

Start shuttle

Public bus line 81 (OASTH) from Thessaloniki KTEL is the practical public-transport option. Rural area with sparse public transport — a rental car or taxi from Thessaloniki (~35-45min drive via the Thessaloniki-Edessa road) is the most reliable option for foreign runners.

Transit card

Koufalia is a small town near Thessaloniki, connected by KTEL Imathias line 81/81A, running roughly every 3-4 hours between Thessaloniki's Makedonia intercity bus station and Koufalia (~45-50 min journey). No local smartcard or day-pass system was found; this is a low-frequency regional route, so verify current timetables in advance and expect to pay cash.

Where to buy
Source · checked Aug 22, 2026Source · checked Aug 17, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Half marathon (21 km) starts at 8:30 a.m. in front of Koupalia City Hall.

It heads along Axiou Street toward Prochoma, then turns right at 4 km mark to the Axios Dam.

After crossing the bridge, runners follow rural roads toward the Elas Dam and the road beside the railway,

then turn left onto the old Thessaloniki–Evzoni National Road and finish at the Balkan Wars Military Museum (Topchin).

The 10 km race starts at 9 a.m. in Prochoma and follows the same old national road to finish.

The 5 km race starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Macedonian tomb in Agios Athanasios,

follows Athens Avenue toward Vasilakos, then turns left at the “Trigono” junction onto the old national road.

All four races share the same finish: the Balkan Wars Military Museum in Topchin.

Times are local to Koufalia. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Axios Running Festival start line in Koufalia

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Where runners eat in Koufalia

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

What to see in Koufalia after the race

Seeing Koufalia with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great - One-Day Sightseeing Tour

₩656,319

View on Klook

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Koufalia.

Total cost and budget for Axios Running Festival

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Axios Running Festival

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Koufalia runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Axios Running Festival

FAQ
When does Axios Running Festival 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sun, May 16, 2027 in Koufalia, Greece.

What time does Axios Running Festival 2027 start?

The race starts at 08:30.

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