Construction of all piers completed for record‑breaking sea‑crossing bridge in China
In eastern China's Zhejiang Province, work on three main piers of the Hangzhou Bay railway bridge was completed simultaneously on Wednesday, marking the completion of all seven main piers of the world's longest high‑speed railway bridge crossing open waters. This milestone means that construction of the landmark Tongsuzjiayong (Nantong–Suzhou–Jiaxing–Ningbo) high‑speed railway sea bridge has moved to the superstructure works, including steel girders and stay cables. The bridge, 29.2 kilometres long, crosses Hangzhou Bay and is designed for trains running at 350 kilometres per hour on a double‑track ballastless system. It is the most critical control project for the entire Tongsuzjiayong high‑speed railway line.
Upon completion, the new line will seamlessly connect with numerous existing and planned railways, including the Yancheng‑Nantong, Beijing‑Shanghai, Shanghai‑Kunming, Nanjing‑Taicang and Ningbo‑Taizhou‑Wenzhou high‑speed lines. The project will significantly reduce travel time between the northern and southern shores of Hangzhou Bay and further optimise the railway network structure of the Yangtze River Delta region.
The Hangzhou Bay bridge is part of the large‑scale Tongsuzjiayong high‑speed railway line, which will stretch from Nantong in the north to Ningbo in the south, passing through Suzhou and Jiaxing. At 29.2 kilometres in length, it is the world's longest sea‑crossing high‑speed railway bridge, with a design speed of 350 km/h, matching the most modern standards. The completion of all seven main piers has allowed the project to move to the next stage — installation of the superstructure and cable systems. Once operational, the line will become a key link in the transport network of the Yangtze River Delta, one of China's most densely populated and economically active regions, connecting several major high‑speed routes.
As CCTV+ reports, the completion of all the main bridge piers across Hangzhou Bay opens a new chapter in the development of transport infrastructure in eastern China. In the coming years, residents and businesses in the region will begin to feel the benefits of reduced travel times and improved logistics. This project is a vivid example of how ambitious engineering solutions turn maps and plans into real routes that connect people and economies.
