Bridges are built to connect places separated by water bodies or irregular topography. They not only make travel faster and easier, but also play a crucial role in boosting the regional economy.
Some of the longest bridges in the world are a marvel of modern engineering. Impressively, many of them are located in China, with the top 10 exclusively in Asia.
Built across seas and lands, these bridges are known for their innovative design and the massive distances they cover.
Here are the 10 longest bridges in the world:
Top 10 longest bridges in the world in kilometers
| Rank | Name | Length in miles / kms | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge | 102 / 164.8 |  China |
| 2 | Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct | 97.8 / 157.3 |  Taiwan |
| 3 | Kita-Yaita Viaduct | 71.10 / 114.4 |  Japan |
| 4 | Tianjin Grand Bridge | 70.64 / 113.7 | China |
| 5 | Cangde Grand Bridge | 65.79 / 105.8 | China |
| 6 | Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge | 49.54 / 79.7 | China |
| 7 | Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge | 34.18 / 55 | China |
| 8 | Bang Na Expressway | 34.18 / 55 |  Thailand |
| 9 | Beijing Grand Bridge | 29.92 / 48.15 | China |
| 10 | Metro-Manila Skyway System | 24.23 / 39 |  Philippines |
1. Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge, China
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge leads the list of the longest bridges in the world. This railway bridge is a part of the Beijing-Shanghai HSR (high-speed rail network). This feat of structural engineering reduced the travel time between Shanghai and Nanjing by more than 13 hours.
- Length: 102 miles (164.8 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2011
- Connects: Shanghai ⇋ Nanjing
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
2. Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct, Taiwan
Built in a seismically active area, the Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct is the second-longest in the world and the longest bridge in Taiwan. It is solely a railway bridge, created for the Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) network.
- Length: 97.8 miles (157.3 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2007
- Connects: Zouying (Kaohsiung) ⇋ Baguashan (Changhua County)
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
3. Kita-Yaita Viaduct, Japan
The Kita-Yaita Viaduct is an elevated section of Japan’s Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed railway network, spanning 114.4 kilometers and known as the third-longest bridge in the world. Operation of this railway bridge is managed by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).
- Length: 71 miles (114.4 kilometers)
- Year opened: 1982
- Connects: Tokyo ⇋ Shin-Aomori
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
4. Tianjin Grand Bridge, China
Also known as the Langfang–Qingxian viaduct, the fourth-longest bridge in the world is also a part of the Beijing-Shanghai HSR. Built in a record four years, Tianjin Grand Bridge covers a vast expanse of the Hai River Basin in Northern China.
- Length: 70.64 miles (113.7 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2011
- Connects: Langfang ⇋ Qingxian
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
5. Cangde Grand Bridge, China
Securing the 5th spot among the world's 10 longest bridges is the Cangde Grand Bridge in China, another part of the Beijing-Shanghai HSR. This railway bridge is located in northern Hebei province.
- Length: 65.79 miles (105.8 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2011
- Connects: Cangzhou ⇋ Dezhou
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
6. Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge, China
As part of the Xuzhou-Lanzhou HSR network, the Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge in Shaanxi Province, China, spans the Weihe River twice, connecting the east-central and northwestern parts.
- Length: 49.54 miles (79.7 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2010
- Connects: Zhengzhou ⇋ Xi'an
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
7. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, China
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region), China, is the seventh-longest in the world. This bridge-tunnel system serves as a cross-boundary land link with a total length of 34.18 miles (55 kilometers), comprising three main parts: the Hong Kong Link Road (7.46 miles/12 kilometers), the Main Bridge (18.39 miles/29.6 kilometers), and the Zhuhai Link Road (8.33 miles/13.4 kilometers).
Of the total length, 30.01 miles (48.3 kilometers) spans the Pearl River Delta, ranking it 1st among the top 10 longest bridges in the world over water.
- Length: 34.18 miles (55 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2018
- Connects: Hong Kong ⇋ Zhuhai ⇋ Macao
- Bridge Type: Land and marine viaducts
8. Bang Na Expressway, Thailand
Formally known as the Burapha Withi Expressway, the Bang Na Expressway (BNE) in Bangkok, Thailand, ranks eighth among the world's 10 longest bridges. Developed by the Expressway Authority of Thailand, it serves as a major transportation corridor connecting Bangkok with eastern Thailand.
- Length: 34.18 miles (55 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2000
- Connects: Bangkok ⇋ Bang Pakong district
- Bridge Type: Box girder viaduct (road) bridge
9. Beijing Grand Bridge, China
It is the first major railway bridge on the southbound Beijing-Shanghai journey. The Beijing Grand Bridge is the ninth-longest in the world. Like many other bridges on this list, it’s a part of the 819-mile (1,318-kilometer) long Beijing-Shanghai HSR.
- Length: 29.92 miles (48.15 kilometers)
- Year opened: 2011
- Connects: Beijing ⇋ Langfang
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
10. Metro-Manila Skyway System, Philippines
The elevated highway of the Metro-Manila Skyway System is the 10th-longest bridge in the world. The expressway serves the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) in the Philippines. The Skyway System is regulated by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and was constructed in 3 stages: Stage 1 (5.8 miles/9.33 kilometers), Stage 2 (4.27 miles/6.88 kilometers), and Stage 3 (11.49 miles/18.5 kilometers). The additional Stage 4 is under construction in 2026.
- Length: 24.23 miles (39 kilometers)
- Year opened: 1999 (Stage 1), 2010 (Stage 2), and 2020 (Stage 3)
- Connects: Stage 1: Buendia ⇋ Bicutan; Stage 2: Bicutan ⇋ Sucat ⇋ Alabang; Stage 3: Buendia ⇋ Balintawak (North Luzon Expressway)
- Bridge Type: Elevated viaduct
