Penang Bridge

Popular as the third longest bridge in the world, Penang Bridge facilitates the link between Gelugor on the island of Penang to Seberang Prai on the Malay Peninsula. This bridge which was opened to public transport in 1985, also leads to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang.

Before this bridge was built, the connectivity between Penang and the mainland of Malaysia was carried out by Ferry Services that you could avail from Butterworth to Georgetown.

The bridge has an overall length of 13.5 km, four towers in mid span his 101.5 metres tall, and is 33 metres above water. The total length of piling for the bridge is 648 km, equal to the distance from Butterworth to Johor Bahru.

The Bridge can withstand earthquake up to 7.5 on the Richter scale. More than 2300 people were involved in the construction, including about 800 South Koreans from the main contractor, Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. Sadly to say, twenty workers loss their life during the construction.

The Penang Bridge International Marathon is held annually to commemorate the opening of Penang Bridge. Local and international participant took part in a run that incorporates a marathon, a half-marathon and a quarter-marathon. During this marathon, traffic is suspended on the bridge for hours. This is the only time of the year when the bridge is closed for several hours.

Today, with the massive industrial & project development in the island and the mainland, the iconic Penang Bridge had start to exceed its capacity. Traffic starts to pile up especially during peak hours. The traveling speed start to go down as more vehicle plying the over the 'stuff' bridge daily.

Fast Facts about Penang Bridge

Length: 13.5 km

Opened to public transport: 1985

Carriageway: 2 lanes per carriageway

Management: Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd

Tel: 604 398 7419 / 7421
Fax: 604 399 2578

Attractions in Penang