The Techcombank Marathon HCM 2026 starts at 03:30 on Sunday 6 December, on Le Duan street in the heart of Saigon. More than 23,000 runners lined up last year. One thing has changed for 2026: the 5K now runs on Saturday afternoon, not Sunday morning.
It is the biggest marathon in Vietnam by registrations, with runners from around 80 countries in 2025. This guide covers race day, bib pickup, cut-off times, the route, and how to time your flight into Ho Chi Minh City.
Techcombank Marathon HCM 2026 at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Race day | Sunday 6 December 2026 (42K, 21K, 10K). 5K moves to Saturday 5 December 2026 |
| Start time (gun time) | 03:30 on Sunday (first wave). 5K on Saturday at around 16:30 (tentative). Wave times are published in the Athlete Handbook |
| Start location | Lê Duẩn – Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, District 1, at the Saigon Zoo gate. All Sunday distances share one start line |
| Finish | To be confirmed in the 2026 Athlete Handbook. Recent editions finished on the Thủ Thiêm side of the river |
| Bib pickup | Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December at the race Expo (Marathon Village, The Global City). Bring your original passport and confirmation email. No race-morning pickup |
| Where to register | marathonhcmc.com (official site). Techcombank customers can also buy through the OneU app |
| 42.195K (Marathon) | Minimum age 18 |
| 21.1K (Half Marathon) | Minimum age 16 |
| 10K | Minimum age 14 |
| 5K | Minimum age 10 |
| Kids Run 3K / 1.5K | Ages 7–14 / ages 5–10 |
Key point: You must collect your bib in person, or through an authorised proxy, at the Expo. If you land on Saturday night, you have no bib.
Race Weekend Schedule
If you are searching for a Vietnam marathon in December 2026, this is the big one. The Ho Chi Minh marathon in December now runs across three days.
- Friday 4 December: Expo opens. Bib and race kit pickup.
- Saturday 5 December: Expo and bib pickup continue. The 5K starts at around 16:30.
- Sunday 6 December: Marathon, half marathon and 10K. First gun at 03:30, with waves released by distance and pen.
Why did the 5K move to Saturday?
The 5K field grew every season. Organisers moved it to its own day to improve the experience as the field keeps growing. It also takes pressure off the Sunday start area.
Start time is tentative, so remember to check the Marathon HCMC official site in November.
Techcombank Marathon Cut-Off Times, Distances and Minimum Ages
The Techcombank marathon cut-off time is measured from the last start wave, not the first. Miss it and you get no official time. Organisers will transport you to the finish.
| Distance | Minimum age | Cut-off | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42.195K | 18 | 6h30 | Finisher shirt for runners inside cut-off |
| 21.1K | 16 | 4h00 | Finisher medal inside cut-off |
| 10K | 14 | 2h00 | Finisher medal inside cut-off |
| 5K | 10 | 1h00 | Saturday 5 December race |
| Kids Run 3K | 7–14 | N/A | Bring birth certificate or ID |
| Kids Run 1.5K | 5–10 | N/A | Bring birth certificate or ID |
How to Sign Up for HCMC Marathon 2026
Registration for the Techcombank Marathon Ho Chi Minh 2026 runs through the official race website, which links to the registration platform. It opened on 15 June 2026.
- Foreign cards work. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
- Fees are charged in VND. Your card issuer handles the conversion.
- No refunds for personal reasons. You can transfer your bib or change distance instead.
- Bib transfer costs 200,000 VND per bib, only inside the official transfer window.
- Bib resale is banned. Runners caught buying or selling bibs lose their results and can be banned.
Is Techcombank Marathon 2026 Early Bird Still Open?
No. Techcombank Marathon 2026 early bird pricing ran from June and sold out in stages: Super Early Bird, Early Bird, Regular, then Late. As of October, slots are in the Late phase.
| Distance | Late-phase fee (indicative) |
|---|---|
| 42.195K | 2,380,000 VND |
| 21.1K | 1,960,000 VND |
| 10K | 1,590,000 VND |
| 5K | 1,000,000 VND |
| Kids Run 3K / 1.5K | 760,000 VND |
Late-phase prices come from a third-party listing. Check the official fee table before paying, as slots and prices change by phase.
Techcombank Customers
Techcombank account holders can buy bibs in the OneU app (Utilities > Buy tickets), pay with U-Point reward points, and get a partner voucher bundle.
Techcombank Marathon Expo and Bib Pickup
The Techcombank Marathon Expo runs on the two days before race day: Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December. It is the only place to collect your Techcombank marathon bib.
The Marathon Village has been held at The Global City, on Do Xuan Hop street in Binh Trung ward, for the past two editions, and is listed there again for 2026. Allow around 30 minutes by Grab from central District 1. Confirm opening hours in the Athlete Handbook.
Bring these:
- Your original passport (foreign runners) or national ID. Photocopies are not accepted.
- Your confirmation email or bib number.
- For a proxy pickup: your ID, the proxy’s ID, your confirmation, and a handwritten authorisation letter you have signed.
Read more: Vietnam Customs Rules: What You Can and Can’t Bring In
What’s in the Techcombank Marathon Race Kit
- Race shirt
- Bib with timing chip
- Drawstring bag, which doubles as your baggage-drop bag on race morning
- Race documents and sponsor items
The Techcombank marathon race kit is not shipped by default, and shirt sizes cannot be changed after registration. Marathon finishers inside 6h30 also receive a finisher shirt at the line.
Techcombank Marathon Route: 17 Saigon Landmarks
The Techcombank marathon route is a tour of old Saigon. Recent editions passed 17 landmarks, which is why many runners call it the Techcombank marathon Saigon course. All distances are measured to AIMS standards.
Highlights from the 2024 and 2025 courses:
- Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens: the start, at the Lê Duẩn gate. Open since 1864.
- Turtle Lake (Hồ Con Rùa): the roundabout where Võ Văn Tần meets Phạm Ngọc Thạch.
- Independence Palace: the former presidential palace, on Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa street.
- Notre-Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office: side by side on Công xã Paris square.
- Nguyễn Huệ walking street: 670 metres of open boulevard toward the river.
- Ba Son Bridge: over 1,400 metres long. This is the main climb on the course.
- Thủ Thiêm: the new urban area across the Saigon River, where recent editions finished.
The course is mostly flat. The bridge crossings are the only real elevation. The full 2026 route map is on the official race website.
Techcombank Marathon Results 2025: Who Won
The 8th edition, on 7 December 2025, confirmed the race as the biggest marathon in Vietnam: 23,200+ registered runners, around 80 countries and territories, and 736 million VND in cash prizes. Below is the winner list, based on Techcombank Marathon Results 2025:
| Category | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s marathon | Ayalew Seleshi Simaneh (Ethiopia) | 2:23:13 |
| Women’s marathon | Phạm Thị Hồng Lệ (Vietnam) | 2:48:10 |
| Men’s half marathon | Dương Minh Hùng (Vietnam) | 1:09:25 |
Ethiopian runners took the top four places in the men’s marathon. The men’s half was decided by under one second.
Planning Your Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Landing at Tan Son Nhat on Race Week
Most runners arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam’s busiest airport, about 7 km from District 1. Early December is also the peak travel season. Immigration queues of one to two hours are common when several long-haul flights land together.
A Tan Son Nhat fast track service puts an agent in front of the immigration hall to walk you through a priority immigration lane, often cutting the wait to under 30 minutes. Travelling with a running club? Group clearance works the same way for 8-20 travellers. Our guide to fast track for corporate and group arrivals explains how.
Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City?
Stay in or near District 1, you can find some of the best hotels in Ho Chi Minh City while staying near the city centre. With a 03:30 gun time, you want to walk or take a five-minute Grab to the start. Roads around the course close early on Sunday, so book a hotel within walking distance if you can.
Other Marathons in Ho Chi Minh City
Searching for Techcombank marathon 2026 or an upcoming marathon in Vietnam brings up several different races. Here is how to tell them apart.
| Race | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Techcombank HCMC International Marathon | 5–6 Dec 2026 | This guide. 9th edition, start on Lê Duẩn |
| Ho Chi Minh City Marathon (HCMC Marathon 2027) | 17 Jan 2027 | Separate race, different organiser. Start and finish at 30/4 Park |
| VnExpress Marathon HCMC Midnight | Separate date | Night race, different organiser |
| Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon | 4 Oct 2026 | Sister race in Hanoi. Already held |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pick up my bib on race morning?
No. Bibs are only released at the Expo on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December, and there is no pickup on race morning. If you land too late, a friend can collect it for you with their ID, your ID, your confirmation, and a handwritten letter signed by you.
Is the course flat?
Mostly. The only real climbs are the bridge crossings, mainly Ba Son Bridge at over 1,400 metres long, and total elevation stays low. Save a little energy for the bridge in the second half of the marathon.
Can foreigners register online?
Yes. Register on the official site with a Visa or Mastercard. Fees are listed in VND, so your card issuer converts the amount, and the organisers can help by email if a payment fails.
What time should I be at the start?
Plan to arrive 45–60 minutes before your wave. Wave times for each distance are in the Athlete Handbook, published before race day. Drop your bag at the start using the bag from your race kit, tagged with your bib number, and collect it at Baggage Claim after you finish.
Your Race Starts Before the Gun
You will have trained for months for the Techcombank Marathon HCM 2026. The plan is simple: land by Friday, collect your bib, sleep early on Saturday, and be on Le Duan by 02:45.
The part most runners forget is the airport. A long immigration queue after a long-haul flight costs you the rest of the day you planned around.
Fast Track Vietnam meets you before immigration at Tan Son Nhat, walks you through the priority lane, and can have a car waiting to take you straight to your hotel. Your legs stay fresh for Sunday. Book your Fast Track arrival here.