Penang Bridge International Marathon: Dates, Tickets & Venue (Bukit Mertajam)

The race on December 13, 2026

This is Penang’s biggest road race. The Penang Bridge International Marathon takes place on Sunday, December 13, 2026, with Bukit Mertajam named as its base. There are three distances:

• 10km, the usual choice for first-timers and groups running together
• Half marathon (21.1km)
• Full marathon (42.195km)

The race is built around the bridge that gives it its name. The original Penang Bridge opened in 1985 and runs about 13.5km between Perai on the mainland and Gelugor on the island. The Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge, Penang’s second crossing, opened in 2014 and is roughly 24km long. On race day, a stretch of open sea and a motorway closed to traffic is the reason thousands of people sign up.

Heat, darkness and the course

PBIM is a night race in all but name. Earlier editions sent the full marathon off in the small hours, well before dawn, so runners finished before the tropical sun got going. December in Penang stays warm and humid after dark, and bridge decks give you no shade and no shelter from crosswinds.

The bridge is a long, exposed out-and-back with gentle rises over the shipping channels. Runners usually carry a headlamp or wear reflective kit for the pre-dawn approach roads. Most also run the early kilometres slower than their road pace, because the humidity punishes anyone who goes out fast.

Getting to Bukit Mertajam

Bukit Mertajam sits inland in Seberang Perai Tengah, on the mainland side of the Penang Strait. Here is how out-of-town runners usually get in:

• By rail: Bukit Mertajam station is on the KTM network and is served by ETS intercity trains and KTM Komuter.
• By air: Penang International Airport is at Bayan Lepas on the island. From there you cross one of the two bridges by road.
• From George Town: the Penang ferry runs between George Town and Butterworth, and Butterworth links onward to Bukit Mertajam by rail and road.

Bridge closures on race morning cut off the usual island to mainland traffic. Visitors usually stay on the same side of the water as the start, and the town fills up on race weekend.

Race weekend etiquette in Penang

Registration is how you get in. The organiser publishes registration, category rules and race-kit details on its official PBIM site. Kits at large Malaysian road races are normally collected in person in the days before the race, so out-of-state runners usually arrive in Penang a day or two early.

On course and around town, a few local habits help:

• Water stations are usually staffed by volunteers. A quick terima kasih (thank you) gets a smile.
• The crowd is mixed: Malay, Chinese, Indian and international runners. Modest dress at the post-race hawker stops sits well with everyone.
• Hawker food in Bukit Mertajam is mostly paid in cash, and stalls do not expect tips. Char koay teow and other Penang noodle dishes are the classic post-race refuel.
• When the medal is done, Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest on Bukit Mertajam hill (Cherok Tokun) is an easy shakeout walk for runners who stay an extra day. St. Anne’s Church, one of the town’s oldest landmarks, is close by.