In addition to the Long Bien Bridge built during the French colonial period, Hanoi has constructed eight more bridges across the Red River, connecting various districts and neighboring provinces, contributing to the socio-economic development of the capital.
The Red River flows through Hanoi for 163 kilometers, accounting for about one-third of the river’s length in Vietnam. Before 1954, the only bridge connecting both banks of the river was the Long Bien Bridge, built by the French in 1898 and inaugurated in 1902. Long Bien Bridge stretches 2,290 meters with an additional 896 meters of approaches, consisting of 19 steel spans supported by 20 pillars over 40 meters high (including the foundations), with the approaches constructed from stone. The bridge accommodates railway traffic in the middle, flanked by lanes for motor vehicles and pedestrians. The vehicle lanes are 2.6 meters wide, and the pedestrian lane is 0.4 meters wide.
The construction of bridges across the Red River was a pressing need for the development of the capital. However, after reunification, Hanoi and the entire country faced significant challenges due to the blockade. In 1974, with assistance from the Soviet Union, Vietnam began constructing the Thang Long Bridge, which was completed in 1985. The bridge is located on Hanoi’s ring road 3, connecting Dong Anh District and Bac Tu Liem District. At the time of its completion, it was one of the largest constructions in Southeast Asia. Thang Long Bridge serves both rail and road traffic, featuring a 3.1-kilometer-long roadway and a 5.5-kilometer-long railway, built with two levels where the upper level has four lanes for motor vehicles and two pedestrian walkways. The lower level accommodates trains traveling in both directions and two lanes for non-motorized vehicles.
Chuong Duong Bridge began construction in 1983 and was completed in 1985, connecting Hoan Kiem District and Long Bien District. This was the first large bridge entirely designed and constructed by Vietnamese engineers.
The engineers utilized some steel beams and girders from the Thang Long Bridge to construct Chuong Duong Bridge, which consists of 21 steel spans. Chuong Duong Bridge is 1.2 kilometers long and 19.5 meters wide, featuring four lanes—two central lanes for cars and two side lanes for motorbikes.
Trung Ha Bridge spans the Da River, near its confluence with the Red River, and is included in the planning of Hanoi’s river crossing bridge system. The bridge is located on National Route 32, connecting Ba Vi District, Hanoi, and Tam Nong District, Phu Tho. It is 743 meters long, 11 meters wide, and consists of 14 spans with a prestressed concrete structure. The project was constructed in 1999 and inaugurated in 2002.
Thanh Tri Bridge began construction in 2002 and was put into operation in 2006, featuring six lanes, with a width of over 33 meters and a length of 3 kilometers. At the time of its completion, Thanh Tri was the longest and widest prestressed concrete bridge in Vietnam. Along with Nhat Tan Bridge, it is one of two bridges over the Red River built with ODA funding from Japan.
Connecting Hai Ba Trung District and Long Bien District, Vinh Tuy Bridge began construction in 2005 and was inaugurated in 2010. The bridge is 3.7 kilometers long, with a cross-section of 19.25 meters in the first phase, designed for eight lanes, featuring a prestressed concrete box girder structure.
The second phase of Vinh Tuy Bridge was put into operation in 2023, relieving congestion on Chuong Duong Bridge. The bridge was constructed using cantilever technology, with a record cantilever span of 135 meters, surpassing Thanh Tri Bridge’s 130 meters.
Vinh Thinh Bridge crosses the Red River on National Route 2C, connecting Son Tay Town (Hanoi) with Vinh Tuong District (Vinh Phuc Province). The bridge broke ground in December 2011 and was opened to traffic in June 2014. This is the longest river crossing bridge in Vietnam, measuring 5.4 kilometers in length, with the main bridge being 4.4 kilometers long and the approach road around one kilometer. The bridge deck is 16.5 meters wide, comprising four lanes with a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
Nhat Tan Bridge features eight lanes, and construction began in March 2009, with its inauguration in January 2015. This is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam, stretching 3.9 kilometers, connecting Dong Anh District with Tay Ho District.
The bridge consists of six cable-stayed spans and five diamond-shaped towers symbolizing the five gates of Hanoi. Unlike other cable-stayed bridges worldwide and in Vietnam, which typically feature two towers and three spans, Nhat Tan Bridge’s new decorative lighting system allows it to change colors dynamically between its five towers, or according to the day or week.
Van Lang Bridge (also known as Viet Tri – Ba Vi Bridge) connects Hanoi with Phu Tho, located in the northwest of the capital, linking National Route 32 and National Route 32C. The construction is funded by a business under the BOT investment model.
The bridge broke ground in August 2016 and was opened to traffic in October 2018, measuring 1.5 kilometers in length and 12 meters in width, featuring two motor vehicle lanes and two mixed lanes, with a reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete structure.
According to the plan until 2030, Hanoi will construct 9 more bridges across the Red River. (Graphic: Dang Hieu).
