The world's longest bridges – where would Boris Bridge rank?

Japan's Akashi Kaikyō Bridge has the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world
Japan's Akashi Kaikyō Bridge has the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world Credit: AP

Boris Johnson has suggested building a bridge across the Channel to link Britain and France.

The Foreign Secretary had previously championed the idea of being able to visit our Gallic neighbours via a road tunnel alongside the existing tunnel that carries the Eurostar and freight trains but now believes a bridge might be the best option.

So what could this proposed new bridge look like? Here we highlight five of the longest bridges in the world (crossing over land or water) for some inspiration.

The five longest bridges in the world  

1. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge

Length: 102 miles 

China is no stranger to vertigo-inducing attractions, with a string of dizzying walkways dotted about the country, including the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge (the world’s longest and highest glass bridge) and the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge (claiming to be the world’s longest sea bridge), which stretches 26.4 miles long and could easily span the English Channel, 20.7 miles at its shortest crossing.

The Danyand-Kunshan Grand Bridge is 102 miles long
The Danyand-Kunshan Grand Bridge is 102 miles long Credit: Getty

So it comes as no surprise that many of the world’s longest bridges are in China, including the longest of any kind. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge – the Guinness World Record holder of the longest bridge in the world since June 2011 – forms part of the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, a 819 mile-long route linking China’s biggest, most populous regions.

The bridge is far from beautiful, but its scale is impressive. The viaduct, which is part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, traverses rice paddies, lakes and rivers for 102 miles.    

2. Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct

Length: 97.8 miles

In Taiwan, the Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct – stretching 97.8 miles – is the second longest bridge in the world. Spanning from Baguashan in the Changua County of mainland Taiwan to the Zuoying District of southern Taiwan, the viaduct is a section of the Taiwan High Speed Rail network and has carried more than 200 million passengers since 2012.

Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct, China
Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct, China Credit: Wikimedia Commons

3. Cande Grand Bridge

Length: 72 miles 

Completed in 2010, the Cande Grand Bridge is the third longest bridge on China’s Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway. Built with an impressive 3,092 piers, the 72 mile-long Cande Grand Bridge was designed to withstand earthquakes.

4. Tianjin Grand Bridge

Length: 70.6 miles

Although shorter in length than the Changhua-Kaohsiung and Cande Grand Bridge, this viaduct, running between the Langfang prefecture and Qingxian county of the Hebei province in northern China, has been listed as the second longest bridge in the Guinness World Records books since 2011. Also forming part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, the viaduct boasts a total length of about 71 miles.

5. Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge

Length: 49.5 miles 

The former longest bridge in the world was completed in 2008 as part of the Zhengzhou–Xi'an high speed railway, which connects the east central and northwestern cities, respectively. Its title was overtaken by two new bridges built on the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway in 2010. The 49.5 mile-long bridge crosses the Wei River twice, along with other rivers, highways and railways.

Other remarkable bridges around the world

Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, Japan

When two ferries sunk in the Akashi Strait in 1955, killing 168 people, public outrage convinced the Japanese government to build a bridge over the notoriously dangerous waterway. It took around 40 years for the bridge to be realised. This impressive structure has the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world, which stretches around 1.2 miles.

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge took 40 years to be realised
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge took 40 years to be realised Credit: Getty

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, US

The world's longest bridge outside of Asia, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is an epic, 24 mile-long structure that crosses one of the most famous bodies of water in the US; a lake that has inspired literature, music and film.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, US
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, US Credit: Getty

The Vasco da Gama Bridge, Portugal

Portugal’s Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe at 10.7 miles (17.2 km). Named after the famous Portuguese explorer, who was the first European to reach India by sea, this vast cable-stayed bridge spans the Tagus River near Lisbon.

The Vasco da Gama Bridge
The Vasco da Gama Bridge Credit: pajomend - Fotolia

Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, Switzerland

At 494 metres long and 86 metres above the ground at its highest point, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world opened in the Swiss Alps near the village of Randa last year.

Stretching across a valley between Grächen and Zermatt, along the Europaweg foot trail (which sits between 1,600 metres and 2,200 metres above sea level), hikers crossing the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge can enjoy scenic views of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks including the famed Matterhorn, as well as the Weisshorn and the Bernese Alps.

Switzerland's Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge
Switzerland's Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge Credit: Keystone/Valentin Flauraud

Millau Viaduct, France

You’ll need a head for heights if crossing the Millau Viaduct: measuring 343m from top to bottom this lofty structure in southern France is taller than the Eiffel Tower and lays claim to being the tallest bridge in the world. Designed by British Architect, Norman Foster, it opened in 2004 and clinched the Outstanding Structure Award in 2006.    

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