Mandalika MotoGP 2026: tickets, shuttles and where to stay
The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia runs October 9 to 11, 2026, at the Mandalika circuit on Lombok. Friday is practice, Saturday includes qualifying and the Sprint, and Sunday is the main race. If you are still planning the trip, secure a room and a way back from the circuit before choosing a ticket category. The organizer has announced shuttle capacity, but a final public list of pickup points and departure times was not available when we checked on September 30.
Photograph by Box Repsol from 2022 preseason testing at Mandalika, cropped and compressed under CC BY 2.0. It does not show the 2026 race.
| Decision | Confirmed on September 30 | Check before leaving |
|---|---|---|
| Race dates | October 9 to 11 at Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit | Any schedule revision on the MotoGP calendar |
| Tickets | General public tickets are in regular sale; the first local-ID special ticket phase has sold out | Your category, date, entry gate and any ticket redemption requirement |
| Inside the venue | ITDC says 118 shuttle vehicles are prepared for movement within the Mandalika area | Your gate and the correct internal stop |
| From elsewhere on Lombok | ITDC says the provincial government is providing 35 additional shuttles for outside-area transport | Final routes, stops, days, fares and last return service |
| Accommodation | The local hotel association reported near-full race-week occupancy on September 18 | A confirmed room or official camping booking before buying flights |
Buy the ticket for the day you will actually attend
The MotoGP calendar and official ticket shop list the October 9 to 11 event. Indonesia's tourism ministry page describes practice on Friday, qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, and the main race on Sunday. The local event site is another official place to check the current timetable and ticket categories.
Do not assume that a ticket for one day includes the others, or that a general-admission area has a reserved seat. Read the exact category and entry instructions at checkout. ITDC's September 27 update says the first special-ticket phase for West Nusa Tenggara ID holders sold out, while a second phase opened. That local-ID offer is not a general tourist discount. We are not quoting a fixed ticket price because the category and sales phase change what a visitor pays.
Save the ticket confirmation and its QR code on your phone, then check whether your seller requires a wristband or other exchange before circuit entry. That last step should come from your current ticket instructions, not an account of a previous race.
Plan two journeys, not one shuttle ride
The shuttle numbers in ITDC's latest race preparation notice describe different services: 118 vehicles inside the event area and 35 provincial vehicles for transport from outside the area. An internal bus will not necessarily take you back to Lombok airport, Mataram, a port or a hotel in Kuta.
First, identify your ticket gate and the venue's internal stop. Second, confirm how you will reach the external shuttle's pickup point from your accommodation. Third, arrange the return before race day. As of September 30, the notice does not give travelers a complete stop-by-stop schedule, fare or final bus time. A number of buses is not a timetable. Check the organizer's site and local transport notices again just before you travel; older race maps and forum reports may describe a different year's arrangement.
If you book a private transfer, agree on a return meeting place outside any restricted approach roads and keep the driver's contact details offline. Do not assume a car can reach your grandstand gate. Leave a wide buffer before a flight or ferry on Sunday: race traffic and the walk to your pickup point are both part of the journey. A same-evening departure with a tight connection is a poor bet unless you have a confirmed transport plan.
Where should you stay on Lombok?
Kuta and the Mandalika area make the simplest base if you can still find a confirmed room near your entry route. A room elsewhere on Lombok may be viable, but you need to know the pickup point and last return transport before you pay. Staying in Bali adds a sea or air crossing and another transfer; do not treat it as a routine short commute to the circuit.
On September 18, ITDC reported that the regional hotel association put race-week occupancy at nearly 100%. That is a reported occupancy estimate, not proof that every room on Lombok is gone. Compare the total cost and transfer time of any room that remains, and obtain a booking confirmation rather than relying on a search-result availability badge.
ITDC has also announced an Official Camping Ground in the western part of Kuta Beach Park, planned to open October 8. Its announced options include tents, glamping and campervans. Check the operator's current inventory, location and what the booking includes; the announcement alone is not a reservation. If you need an accessible room, a quiet sleeping environment or reliable air conditioning, confirm those needs directly before substituting a campsite for a hotel.
What to carry and which apps help
Save your ticket, lodging address and return pickup point locally. Download an offline map of southern Lombok before the weekend. Keep the MotoGP calendar, local organizer and your airline's app handy for changes. These are more useful than a screenshot of last year's bus diagram. Check the organizer's current bag and gate instructions; we could not verify a final 2026 prohibited-items list, so do not borrow one from a past edition.
The event area is exposed to sun and sudden weather changes. Carry water and rain protection within the permitted bag rules, and leave time to reach your assigned zone. If your group separates, agree on a meeting point outside the busiest exit. A phone signal helps with ticket retrieval, route changes and contacting a driver, but it cannot fix an unpublished shuttle schedule or guarantee service in a crowd.
For mobile data, the OpenSim Indonesia eSIM page is the plan-selection owner. Its public catalog listed 1 GB for seven days at US$1.40 and 5 GB for 30 days at US$5.40 on September 30, 2026; these particular plans were marked top-up eligible. Recheck price, allowance, coverage and your selected plan's terms at checkout. OpenSim is useful here if you want data ready for tickets, live notices and coordinating a return ride without hunting for a local SIM after arrival. If you are also traveling through another Asian destination, compare the Asia seven-area plan against Indonesia-only coverage. A working home roaming plan or local SIM may suit you better if it includes the same places and enough data.
Check phone eSIM compatibility, when to install an eSIM and how much travel data you need before purchasing. For wider sightseeing with children, our Indonesia with kids guide covers a different trip-planning question.
*Sources and update policy: MotoGP, Indonesia's tourism ministry and the local organizer's 2026 event pages, plus ITDC notices dated September 18 and 27, were checked September 30. We will recheck ticket instructions, any circuit access map, external shuttle stops, last return services and camping availability when organizers publish final race-week details. Use those live notices for same-day decisions.*