Second get_permalink inside loop points to wrong URL

Question

For some reason the second get_permalink located on the featured image is pointing to the current page, instead of the post URL.

The first get_permalink works fine. They are both inside the same loop.

I've posted a trimmed down version of the loop below.

The full code for the loop in case it's helpful: https://jsfiddle.net/hemjegzy/

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Loop Code (Trimmed)

    <?php
        if ( have_posts() ) :
        while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
    ?>
    <article id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>" <?php post_class( 'post-single-no-sidebar' ); ?>>

        <?php if ( is_single() ) { ?> 
        <?php
            the_title( '<h1 class="entry-title">', '</h1>' );
        } else {
            the_title( '<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="' . esc_url( get_permalink() ) . '" rel="bookmark">', '</a></h1>' );
        }
        ?>
            <a href="<?php get_permalink(); ?>">
                <?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>
            </a>

    </article>
   <?php
        endwhile;   
        endif;
   ?>

Additional notes:

All plugins and versions of WordPress are up-to-date. I have checked any plugins may be the cause of the issue.

I've looked at answer to:

WP get_permalink Return Wrong URL

Custom post type's get_permalink returns wrong url

Login to wp-admin "redirect_to" points to wrong URL after migration

I do not believe these are the same issues.

Answer 1

get_permalink doesn't output anything, it returns the permalink. Your first call works because you use it within the_title, which echos its value along with any before and after parameters you pass to it.

Change your second instance to:

<?php echo get_permalink(); ?>

or use the_permalink, which echos the value instead of returning.

<?php the_permalink(); ?>

Many functions within WordPress follow this same pattern, get_ vs. the_, one returns for use within php, one prints to page.