Vodafone Malta Marathon and Half Marathon Route Description

The 2018 Vodafone Malta Marathon and Half Marathon will retain the ones used in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Although not traffic free, the numerous police and wardens manning every key junction enables participants to run or walk their event with no or very little traffic around them. Over the years changes to the route have been made to avoid areas notable for traffic congestion. There are still minor adjustments that can be implemented to the way traffic is managed during the event, with the usual cooperation given by the Police and Transport Malta, these adjustments could ease the traffic congestion that motorists face at particular junctions.

The Full Marathon which starts at 0730 from outside the bastions of Malta’s old capital Mdina, heads through the main road of Rabat, down through Nigret and onto the Mtarfa by-pass to get to 6km mark in Ta’Qali.

The route will take the athletes round Ta’ Qali, down to Attard, through Mosta, back to Attard, round Ta’ Qali again and back to where the 6km was, at this point it will be 24km. The new route does not go down towards the centre of Attard as it previously did but turns left upon reaching Attard just after the 11km mark. 

From the 24th km, the Marathon Route passes from in front of the American Embassy, out of Ta’ Qali and down again towards Attard. This time the route passes through the old part of Attard, right in front of the Attard parish church and to Mriiehel and through Mriehel industrial estate before catching the Mriehel and Hamrun/Marsa by-passes. The distance taken off at Attard and some changes at Ta' Qali have been added with the inclusion of the Mriehel industrial estate.

From the Hamrun/Marsa by-pass the route goes down on to the December 13th Road and then on to Blata L-Bajda. The last 5km of the route passes along the Sa’ Maison, Pieta, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex and Gzira waterfronts up to the finish in Sliema.

The Half Marathon and 'Endo' Walkathon also start from outside Mdina but at 0915 and will head straight towards the Roman Villa and Nigret, on to the Mtarfa by-pass and down to the Military cemetry. From here the route will not go through Ta' Qali but will go straight to the Rabat Road and down towards Attard.

From the exit of Ta' Qali the Half Marathon route will continue on the Full Marathon Route right to the finish in Sliema.

A 2.5 metre lane along most of the roads from the 31st Km to the 40th Km of the Full Marathon (10th Km to the 19th Km of the Half Marathon), will be cordoned off with cones for runners.

Both the Marathon and Half Marathon routes are predominantly downhill, with the start being at 200metres and the finish at sea level. Whereas the Half Marathon heads directly to the finish after the 1st km from the start, the Marathon deviates from this direction with a small loop within Ta’ Qali (6th to 10th Km), followed by a larger loop from the 12th Km to the 27th km, that takes the athletes from Attard, through Mosta, Attard again and back to Ta’ Qali.

Marathon

Start - 6km. Mdina – Rabat – Nigret – Mtarfa – Ta’ Qali.

6km – 12km. Ta’ Qali loop going by the National Stadium, Pitkali vegetable market and the new American embassy – Attard

12km – 27km, Attard – Mosta – Attard – Ta’ Qali- BOV Park, National Stadium and American embassy.

27km – 42km. Attard - Mriehel Industrial Estate - Mriehel bypass - Hamrun/Marsa bypass – Marsa - Blata L-Bajda - Sa’ Maison – Pieta – Msida - Ta’ Xbiex – Gzira – Sliema - Finish.

Half Marathon

Start - 5km. Mdina – Rabat – Nigret – Mtarfa.

6km – 21km. Attard - Mriehel Industrial Estate - Mriehel bypass - Hamrun/Marsa bypass – Marsa - Blata L-Bajda - Sa’ Maison – Pieta – Msida - Ta’ Xbiex – Gzira – Sliema - Finish.