The longest bridges in the world are extraordinary feats of engineering that span rivers, sea straits, valleys, and entire bays — and they are a favourite topic for competitive exam setters.
Bridge geography and engineering records appear regularly in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, Railways, and State PSC general awareness sections. This page gives you a complete, updated list of the world\u2019s longest bridges with lengths, locations, types, and India-specific bridge facts for focused, exam-ready revision.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Danyang\u2013Kunshan Grand Bridge (164.8 km) in China is the longest bridge in the world.
- China dominates the global list \u2014 7 of the world\u2019s top 10 longest bridges are in China.
- Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge (9.15 km) in Assam is India\u2019s longest river bridge, crossing the Lohit River.
- Akashi Kaiky\u014d Bridge in Japan holds the record for the longest central suspension span (1,991 m).
- All of the world\u2019s top 5 longest bridges are located in China and are rail or road-rail viaducts.
Do NOT confuse India\u2019s longest bridges: Dhola\u2013Sadiya (9.15 km) is the longest river bridge; Atal Setu (21.8 km, Jan 2024) is the longest sea bridge; Bogibeel (4.94 km) is the longest rail-cum-road bridge. All three are in different categories. Also, the Golden Gate Bridge is NOT the longest suspension bridge \u2014 Akashi Kaiky\u014d (Japan) holds that record.
✅ My Progress Tracker
🌉 Complete List of Longest Bridges in the World
| # ↕ | Bridge Name ↕ | Length (km) ↕ | Type | Location | Country ↕ | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danyang\u2013Kunshan Grand Bridge | 164.8 | Rail Viaduct | Beijing\u2013Shanghai HS Rail | China | 2011 |
| 2 | Changhua\u2013Kaohsiung Viaduct | 157.3 | Rail Viaduct | Taiwan HS Rail | Taiwan (China) | 2007 |
| 3 | Cangde Grand Bridge | 115.9 | Rail Viaduct | Beijing\u2013Shanghai HS Rail | China | 2011 |
| 4 | Tianjin Grand Bridge | 113.7 | Rail Viaduct | Beijing\u2013Shanghai HS Rail | China | 2011 |
| 5 | Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge | 79.7 | Rail Viaduct | Zhengzhou\u2013Xi\u2019an HS Rail | China | 2008 |
| 6 | Bang Na Expressway | 55 | Road Viaduct | Bangkok | Thailand | 2000 |
| 7 | Beijing Grand Bridge | 48.2 | Rail Viaduct | Beijing\u2013Shanghai HS Rail | China | 2011 |
| 8 | Lake Pontchartrain Causeway | 38.6 | Road Bridge | Louisiana | USA | 1956/1969 |
| 9 | Manchac Swamp Bridge | 36.7 | Road Viaduct | Louisiana | USA | 1979 |
| 10 | Yangcun Bridge | 35.8 | Rail Viaduct | Beijing\u2013Tianjin Intercity Rail | China | 2007 |
| 11 | Hangzhou Bay Bridge | 35.7 | Road Bridge | Hangzhou Bay | China | 2008 |
| 12 | Runyang Bridge | 35.6 | Suspension | Yangtze River | China | 2005 |
| 13 | Donghai Bridge | 32.5 | Road Viaduct | Shanghai\u2013Yangshan Port | China | 2005 |
| 14 | Atchafalaya Basin Bridge | 29.3 | Road Viaduct | Louisiana | USA | 1973 |
| 15 | Second Yangtze River Bridge | 29.2 | Cable-Stayed | Wuhan, Yangtze River | China | 1995 |
| 16 | Chesapeake Bay Bridge\u2013Tunnel | 28.4 | Road Bridge-Tunnel | Virginia | USA | 1964 |
| 17 | Incheon Bridge | 21.4 | Cable-Stayed | Incheon, Seoul | South Korea | 2009 |
| 18 | Akashi Kaiky\u014d Bridge | 3.9 (span: 1.99) | Suspension | Kobe\u2013Awaji Island | Japan | 1998 |
| 19 | Hong Kong\u2013Zhuhai\u2013Macao Bridge | 55 (total crossing) | Road Bridge-Tunnel | Pearl River Delta | China | 2018 |
| 20 | Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge | 9.15 | Road Bridge | Lohit River, Assam | India | 2017 |
| 21 | Bogibeel Bridge | 4.94 | Road-Rail | Brahmaputra River, Assam | India | 2018 |
| 22 | Bandra\u2013Worli Sea Link | 5.6 | Cable-Stayed | Mumbai, Arabian Sea | India | 2009 |
| 23 | Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) | 21.8 | Road Bridge | Mumbai Harbour | India | 2024 |
| 24 | Golden Gate Bridge | 2.7 (span: 1.28) | Suspension | San Francisco Bay | USA | 1937 |
| 25 | Millau Viaduct | 2.46 | Cable-Stayed Viaduct | Tarn Valley | France | 2004 |
⚖️ Compare Two Bridges
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
The Danyang\u2013Kunshan Grand Bridge (164.8 km) in China is the longest bridge in the world and part of the Beijing\u2013Shanghai High-Speed Rail line. Built in just 4 years, it crosses the Yangtze River Delta wetlands. China holds 7 of the top 10 spots in the world\u2019s longest bridges list \u2014 all high-speed rail viaducts built since 2007.
India\u2019s longest bridge is the Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge (9.15 km) in Assam, inaugurated in May 2017. It crosses the Lohit River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra) and connects Assam to Arunachal Pradesh. Its official name is Bhupen Hazarika Setu. It has strategic importance for border connectivity.
The Atal Setu (21.8 km), inaugurated in January 2024, is India\u2019s longest sea bridge, connecting Sewri (Mumbai) to Nhava Sheva (Navi Mumbai). This is a very high-probability current affairs question for any exam from 2024 onwards. Do NOT confuse it with the Bandra\u2013Worli Sea Link (5.6 km), which is a different Mumbai bridge.
The Akashi Kaiky\u014d Bridge in Japan (total length 3.9 km) has the world\u2019s longest central suspension span at 1,991 metres \u2014 nearly 2 km between its two towers. It connects Kobe to Awaji Island. The Golden Gate Bridge (USA, 1,280 m span) is the most famous but NOT the longest suspension bridge.
The Bogibeel Bridge in Assam (4.94 km), inaugurated on 25 December 2018 (birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee), is India\u2019s longest rail-cum-road bridge, crossing the Brahmaputra River. It connects Dibrugarh (Assam) to Dhemaji district and has major strategic importance for military logistics in northeast India.
\u201cDhola Ate Bogibeel\u2019s Bandra\u201d
D = Dhola\u2013Sadiya (9.15 km \u2014 longest river bridge) | A = Atal Setu (21.8 km \u2014 longest sea bridge) | B = Bogibeel (4.94 km \u2014 longest rail-road bridge) | B = Bandra\u2013Worli (5.6 km \u2014 cable-stayed sea link)
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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The Danyang\u2013Kunshan Grand Bridge in China, at 164.8 km, is the longest bridge in the world. It is a high-speed rail viaduct on the Beijing\u2013Shanghai rail line, completed in 2011, stretching across the Yangtze River Delta.
The Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge (also called Bhupen Hazarika Setu), at 9.15 km, is India\u2019s longest river bridge. It crosses the Lohit River in Assam, connecting Assam to Arunachal Pradesh. It was inaugurated in May 2017 by PM Narendra Modi.
The Akashi Kaiky\u014d Bridge in Japan has the world\u2019s longest central suspension span at 1,991 metres (nearly 2 km) between its two main towers. The bridge connects Kobe to Awaji Island and was designed to withstand major earthquakes and typhoons.
The Atal Setu (21.8 km), inaugurated in January 2024, connects Sewri in south Mumbai to Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai. It is India\u2019s longest sea bridge and significantly reduces travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from over 60 minutes to approximately 20 minutes.
The Bogibeel Bridge was inaugurated on 25 December 2018 \u2014 the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is India\u2019s longest rail-cum-road bridge at 4.94 km, crossing the Brahmaputra River between Dibrugarh (Assam) and Dhemaji district.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The Danyang\u2013Kunshan Grand Bridge in China is the longest bridge in the world at 164.8 km. It is a high-speed rail viaduct built as part of the Beijing\u2013Shanghai High-Speed Railway and was completed in 2011. The bridge spans rivers, lakes, rice paddies, and wetlands in the Yangtze River Delta region and was constructed in approximately four years using over 10,000 workers.
The Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge (officially the Bhupen Hazarika Setu) at 9.15 km is India\u2019s longest river bridge. It crosses the Lohit River in Assam, linking the state to Arunachal Pradesh, and was inaugurated in May 2017. India\u2019s longest sea bridge is the Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) at 21.8 km, connecting Sewri in Mumbai to Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai, inaugurated in January 2024.
A suspension bridge hangs its deck from vertical cables attached to main cables slung between tall towers \u2014 the Akashi Kaiky\u014d Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge are examples. A cable-stayed bridge connects the deck directly to towers via diagonal cables \u2014 the Bandra\u2013Worli Sea Link and Incheon Bridge are examples. A viaduct is a long elevated structure, usually a series of arches or spans, carrying a road or railway over a valley, river, or low ground \u2014 most of China\u2019s record-breaking long bridges are rail viaducts.
Bridge records appear in UPSC Prelims (Geography, Science & Tech), SSC CGL, Banking, and Railway exams. High-frequency questions include the world\u2019s longest bridge (Danyang\u2013Kunshan), India\u2019s longest river bridge (Dhola\u2013Sadiya / Bhupen Hazarika Setu), India\u2019s longest sea bridge (Atal Setu, 2024 \u2014 very high current affairs priority), India\u2019s longest rail-road bridge (Bogibeel), and the world\u2019s longest suspension span (Akashi Kaiky\u014d). The Atal Setu inauguration in January 2024 makes it one of the most likely questions in any 2024\u20132026 exam paper.
