Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge is the world's longest bridge

The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China holds the record as the world’s longest bridge, stretching approximately 164.8 kilometers. Functioning as a massive railway viaduct, the structure is a critical component of the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway, which has been operational since June 2011.

Rather than spanning a single gap, the bridge was engineered to navigate the complex landscape of the Yangtze River Delta. The viaduct allows the railway to traverse a diverse terrain consisting of rivers, canals, lakes, rice fields, and marshlands without the need for constant ground-level adjustments. This elevated design provides a more uniform route for high-speed trains while minimizing the need for numerous crossings with roads and other obstacles.

By elevating the tracks, engineers also ensured that agricultural activities, water flow, and local traffic could continue unimpeded beneath the structure. One notable section of the bridge extends approximately nine kilometers over the open waters of Changcheng Lake near Suzhou. The scale of the construction is best understood through aerial views or maps, as the continuous structure appears as a series of interconnected segments from the ground.