Suspended bridges are the bridges in which the weight of the deck on which vehicles and trains run are supported through vertical cable suspenders that are further supported with a strong thick horizontal cable that runs across towers and is anchored at each end of the bridge.
The length of the suspension bridge is calculated based on the length of the deck. Here are the top 10 longest suspension bridges that are currently open for vehicles and trains. One notable thing is that most of the bridges are built in China.
Note: We are only keeping the bridges in the list that are open for vehicles, ignoring any cable-stayed bridges, footbridges, or pipeline bridges. 10th Is the least longer while 1st is the longest suspension bridge in the world.
#10 Hangrui Dongting Bridge, China
The Hangrui Dongting Bridge, situated over Dongting Lake in Yueyang, northeastern Hunan Province, China, is an incredible engineering achievement.
This bridge stands out for its smart design, featuring cable dampers that use a special fluid, magnetorheological fluid, which can change thickness when exposed to an electromagnetic field. This innovative design allows the bridge to support four traffic lanes, with two lanes going in each direction, making it easier for people to travel and transport goods in this important area.
The cable-stayed part of the bridge has three towers supporting central sections that are each 310 meters (1,017 feet) long. Additionally, there are two more side spans, each adding another 130 meters (427 feet) to the overall length of this impressive suspension bridge. When you add it all up, the entire length of the bridge is an impressive 1,480 meters (4,856 feet).
#9 Runyang Bridge, China
The Runyang Yangtze River Bridge is an impressive bridge complex in Jiangsu Province, China, situated over the Yangtze River near Nanjing. It connects Zhenjiang on the south bank with Yangzhou on the north, playing a crucial role in making it easier for people and goods to move around the region.
Before the bridge was built, people used ferry services all day to cross this part of the Yangtze River. It took about 40 minutes to go from Yangzhou to Zhenjiang Railway Station. Even though the bridge is now there, the ferry service still operates, giving people another option. Some locals find the ferry quicker to reach the city centres of Zhenjiang and Yangzhou.
Construction of the bridge complex started in October 2000 and finished ahead of schedule, opening to traffic on April 30, 2005. The total cost of building the bridge was around 5.8 billion yuan (approximately 700 million U.S. dollars), and the whole length of the bridge complex is about 35.66 kilometers (22.16 miles). The main span, which is the longest part of the bridge, measures 1,490 meters (4,889 feet).
As per our analysis, Runyung Bridge is the 9th Longest Suspension bridge in our list of Top 10 longest suspension bridges in the world.
#8 Yi Sun-sin Bridge, South Korea
The Yi Sun-sin Bridge in Yeosu, South Korea, is a special road that leads to the Yeosu Industrial Complex. It’s named after Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a Korean hero known for his skills in the navy, creating a connection between history and modern engineering.
Since it opened in 2012, people have recognized the bridge as the eighth-longest suspension bridge globally, stretching across 1,545 meters (5,069 feet). It links Gwangyang to the small Myodo-dong island.
What makes this bridge even more impressive is that it was designed by Yooshin Engineering Corporation and built by Daelim Industrial Company, marking a big achievement in South Korean engineering. It was one of the first times a local company handled the entire construction of such a large suspension bridge.
On top of that In 2013, the Yi Sun-sin Bridge became a finalist for the Outstanding Structure Award, showing how amazing it is and becoming a symbol of pride and accomplishment for the people in South Korea.
#7 Osman Gazi Bridge, Turkey
The Osman Gazi Bridge, also known as the İzmit Bay Bridge, is an amazing suspension bridge that stretches across the Gulf of İzmit in Turkey. This fantastic structure is part of the O-5 motorway, connecting Gebze to the Yalova Province and making travel in the region much quicker.
They officially opened the bridge on July 1, 2016. Back then, it was not only the longest suspension bridge in Turkey but also the fourth longest in the world, thanks to its central span measuring 1,550 meters (5,090 feet).
Building the bridge was a massive task led by a group of five Turkish companies and the Italian company Astaldi. They started working on it after winning a tender in April 2009. The whole project cost about 11 billion Turkish lira, showing a significant investment in Turkey’s infrastructure.
The Osman Gazi Bridge did more than just cut the distance between Istanbul and İzmir by about 140 kilometers (87 miles). It also helped avoid the longer route around the Gulf of İzmit, making the travel time between these big cities go from six hours to around five.
Now, the bridge has three lanes for traffic in each direction, making it easier for people and goods to move around. It’s not just a bridge; it’s like a big link that connects places and makes travel smoother for everyone.
#6 Great Belt Bridge, Denmark
The Great Belt Bridge, also known as the East Bridge, is an important connection in Denmark, linking the islands of Zealand and Funen. This suspension bridge, with a total length of 6,790 meters (22,277 feet) and a central span of 1,624 meters (5,328 feet), is the world’s sixth-longest main span.
Designed by Danish firms COWI, Ramboll, and Dissing+Weitling, the bridge was built between 1991 and 1998 by a group of companies. The whole project, costing around 21.4 billion Danish krone (about 310 million U.S. dollars), is the most significant construction effort in Danish history.
The Great Belt Bridge replaced the ferry service, making travel faster across the Belt. Together with the Øresund Bridge and the Little Belt Bridge, it created a direct driving route from mainland Europe to Sweden through Denmark, making transportation smoother and more efficient.
#5 Xihoumen Bridge, China
China’s Xihoumen Bridge is a special suspension bridge located in the Zhoushan Archipelago. It’s part of a big project that began in 1999, connecting Jintang and Cezi islands along with the Jintang Bridge. This bridge is super important because it helps link the vast Zhoushan Archipelago with mainland China.
The Xihoumen Bridge is a key part of the Yongzhou Expressway, showing how important it is for connecting the region.
The main part of the Xihoumen Bridge, called the central span, is really long, measuring 1,650 meters (5,413 feet). This made it one of the longest suspension bridges in the world when they built it.
Built by the Zhejiang province at a cost of about 2.48 billion yuan (approximately 363 million U.S. dollars), the construction started in 2005, and the main part of the bridge was finished by December 2007.
It officially opened for a test run on December 25, 2009, marking a big moment in China’s building progress. However, there was a small delay because a ship hit the nearby Jintang Bridge.
#4 Nansha Bridge, China
The Nansha Bridge in Guangdong, China, is like a pair of suspension bridges that stretch across the Pearl River. These bridges are super important for the expressway network in the Pearl River Delta, connecting Shatian Town in Dongguan to the Nansha District in Guangzhou.
Think of it as the starting point for the Guangzhou–Longchuan Expressway, making it a big deal for the area’s roads.
They opened up the Nansha Bridge for traffic on April 2, 2019, showing off China’s awesome skills in building modern bridges. The whole bridge is incredibly long, measuring 12,891 meters (42,293 feet), and the longest part, called the Nizhou Waterway Bridge, is a whopping 1,688 meters (5,538 feet).
What’s cool is that the bridge is really wide, at 54 meters (177 feet), with lots of lanes for traffic. This makes a big difference in connecting places and making transportation work better in the area.
#3 Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge, China
Opened in October 2019, the Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, is a super-long suspension bridge. It’s not just the longest in China but also the third longest in the whole world, stretching over 1,700 meters (5,577 feet) across the famous Yangtze River.
What’s cool about this bridge is that it has the world’s longest double-deck bridge span. This means there are two levels on the bridge for different kinds of transportation.
On the upper deck, there are six lanes for cars that connect to the expressway system, and there are also walkways on each side for people to walk. The lower deck has four more lanes for cars, as well as walkways and lanes for things like bikes and scooters. So, it’s like a super useful bridge that helps connect different parts of the city.
#2 Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, also called the Pearl Bridge, is a very important link between Iwaya on Awaji Island and Kobe on Honshu Island in Japan. It was finished in 1998 and goes over the Akashi Strait, a busy waterway known for tricky weather.
This Japanese suspension bridge is special because its main part called the central span, is 1,991 meters (6,532 feet) long. It used to be the longest suspension bridge globally until the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey became longer in 2022.
The idea for the bridge came after two accidents, the Sekirei Maru sinking in 1945 and the Shiun Maru disaster ten years later. These events showed how important it was to have a strong, permanent connection across the Akashi Strait.
They started building the bridge in April 1988, planning for it to be both a railway and road bridge. However, they changed the plan to make it a six-lane road.
The construction was a big job involving more than 100 different contractors. Even after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995, which moved the bridge’s towers, the bridge didn’t get damaged a lot because it was designed to resist earthquakes. It’s like a symbol of strength and resilience.
#1 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, Turkey
The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey is a source of national pride, spanning the historic Dardanelles Strait. It’s officially the world’s longest suspension bridge, stretching an impressive 2,023 meters (6,637 feet) in its main span.
Not only is it the longest, but it’s also the tallest bridge in Turkey, with towers soaring to a height of 334 meters (1,096 feet). Construction started in March 2017 and finished ahead of schedule in March 2022, even though it was initially supposed to be done in 2023.
The Çanakkale Bridge is more than just a link between the European and Asian sides of Turkey; it’s a tribute to a crucial Ottoman naval victory during World War I, as seen in its name.
The bridge cost around 2.5 billion euros (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars), according to President Erdoğan. But the cool thing is, it’s expected to save a lot of fuel and reduce carbon emissions every year. It’s like a symbol of progress and sustainability for Turkey
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