Athens Megara Circuit
Athens Megara Circuit at a glance
- Location
- Megara, Attica
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 2.1 km (1.305 mi)
- Turns
- 10
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1998
- Address
- Megara, 19006
- Phone
- +30 2296 025099
- Website
- athenscircuit.gr
Track map and layout
Athens Megara Circuit is a compact 2.1 km road course on a roughly 200-acre site near the town of Megara, about 35 km west of central Athens. The lap combines six right-handers and four lefts across an 11-12 metre-wide ribbon of asphalt, with a 580-metre back straight giving cars and bikes their main overtaking opportunity. It is the smaller and older of Greece's two permanent circuits, built as the country's first purpose-built racing venue before the larger Serres Racing Circuit opened a few months later in 1998.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full circuit | 2.10 km | standard 2.100 km layout used for track days and national racing |
Events and race weekends
Athens Megara Circuit has hosted a mix of domestic Greek car and motorcycle championships since opening, along with occasional international visits such as McLaren and Prodrive corporate driving events, a Ferrari festival, and a round of the FIM Supermotard World Championship. Greece's economic downturn in the 2010s reduced the circuit's competitive calendar significantly, and today the venue's activity is dominated by track days and driving-school use rather than headline racing series.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| National car and motorcycle championship rounds | various Greek national series | varies | domestic racing calendar, scaled back since the 2010s |
| California Superbike School sessions | Rider training | varies | the circuit hosts a permanent branch of the school |
Getting there and parking
The circuit sits just outside Megara on the Athens-Corinth corridor, roughly 35 km from central Athens along the coastal motorway. Athens International Airport is the obvious gateway for visitors flying in, with a drive of a little under an hour depending on traffic through the city. There is no direct rail or metro connection to the circuit itself.
- Athens International Airport (ATH) · about 55 min drive
Parking
General on-site parking is available for track day and event visitors at no significant extra charge beyond entry.
Traffic through greater Athens can add significant time to the drive out to Megara, so build in extra time when heading to the circuit from the airport or city centre.
Hotels and camping near Athens Megara Circuit
Most visitors base themselves in Athens itself, which has by far the widest choice of hotels and is well connected to the circuit by road, rather than staying in the smaller town of Megara nearby.
Where to look
Central Athens for the widest hotel and transport choice; Megara town for those wanting to be closer to the circuit itself.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Public track days for cars and motorcycles form the core of the circuit's modern activity, run both by the circuit and by third-party organisers and riding schools, alongside a resident branch of the California Superbike School.
Who runs days here
- California Superbike School Greecemotorcycle
Spectator guide
As a small national circuit, Athens Megara has modest spectator facilities focused around the pit straight, sufficient for the domestic racing and track day crowds that make up most of its calendar.
Seating
Limited grandstand seating near the start-finish straight; general viewing elsewhere around the lap perimeter.
Best places to watch
The back straight and its braking zone give the best view of overtaking on the compact lap.
Weather
- June-September: hot, dry Mediterranean summer, often above 30°C
History of Athens Megara Circuit
Greece's first permanent circuit
Athens Megara Circuit was developed by Christos Anastasiades, with construction beginning in 1994 on a roughly 200-acre site near the town of Megara, about 35 km west of central Athens. The project took four years to complete, and the circuit opened in 1998 as the first purpose-built permanent racing facility in Greece, edging out the larger Serres Racing Circuit in the north of the country, which opened a few months later the same year. Its original name, Athens Circuit, was later adjusted in common usage to Athens Megara Circuit to reflect its actual location and distinguish it from Athens itself.
A compact, flexible venue
With a 2.1 km lap, ten corners and a 580-metre back straight, the circuit was designed as a multipurpose facility able to host cars, motorcycles and karts on the same site, and it has run everything from domestic Greek championship rounds to manufacturer driving events for brands such as McLaren and Prodrive, plus a Ferrari festival and a round of the FIM Supermotard World Championship. A dedicated kart track alongside the main circuit broadened its appeal to grassroots motorsport.
Economic downturn and a quieter present
Greece's severe economic crisis through the 2010s hit motorsport hard, and Athens Megara's competitive racing calendar thinned out considerably as budgets for organised championships shrank nationally. The circuit has continued operating through the difficult period, however, increasingly relying on track days, driving-school activity and a resident branch of the California Superbike School to keep the facility active. In recent years the circuit's fortunes have recovered somewhat alongside the broader Greek economy, with track days remaining the mainstay of its calendar rather than a full return to top-level national racing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Athens Circuit the same as Athens Megara Circuit?+
Yes. The venue near Megara, about 35 km from central Athens, was originally known simply as Athens Circuit and is now more commonly called Athens Megara Circuit to reflect its actual location.
How long is the Athens Megara Circuit?+
The full circuit is 2.100 km (1.305 miles) long with ten corners, six right-handers and four lefts.
Which is older, Athens Megara Circuit or Serres Racing Circuit?+
Athens Megara Circuit is the older of Greece's two permanent circuits, opening in 1998 a few months ahead of Serres, which also opened that year.
Does Athens Megara Circuit host major racing series?+
It runs mainly domestic Greek car and motorcycle championships and track days today; its bigger international moments have included manufacturer events and a Supermotard World Championship round, but Serres is Greece's higher-graded FIA/FIM facility.
How do you get to Athens Megara Circuit?+
The circuit is about a 55-minute drive from Athens International Airport along the Athens-Corinth motorway corridor; there is no direct rail or metro link to the venue.
Other tracks nearby
- Serres Racing Circuit · 343 km · road course
- Autodromo del Levante · 659 km · road course
- Autodromo di Pergusa · 798 km · dormant
- MotorPark Romania · 799 km · road course
- Autodromo Valle dei Templi · 848 km · road course
- Circuito di Pescara · 927 km · historic circuit (defunct)
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.