Tsing Ma Bridge in Hong Kong

Chinese name: 青马大桥
English Name: Tsing Ma Bridge in Hong Kong
Type: Architecture, Hong Kong Attraction
Best Time: Night
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 hours
Opening Hours: Lantau Trunk Line Visitor Centre: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 10:00 to 18:30 a.m. Christmas Holiday, New Year's Day and Lunar New Year's are closed. The Viewing Platform is open from 7:30 to 24:00 every day.
Tickets : Free
Location: Tsing Yi and Ma Wan, Tsuen Wan District, Kwai Tsing District, New Territories, Hong Kong

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Introduction of Tsing Ma Bridge

Tsing Ma Bridge is a bridge in Hong Kong. It is the world’s 11th-longest span suspension bridge, and was the second longest at time of completion. The bridge was named after the two islands it connects, namely Tsing Yi and Ma Wan. It has two decks and carries both road and rail traffic, which also makes it the largest suspension bridge of this type. The bridge has a main span of 1,377 metres (4,518 ft) and a height of 206 metres (676 ft). The span is the longest of all bridges in the world carrying rail traffic.

The 41-metre-wide (135 ft) bridge deck carries six lanes of automobile traffic, with three lanes in each direction. The lower level contains two rail tracks and two sheltered carriageways used for maintenance access and traffic lanes when particularly severe typhoons strike Hong Kong and the bridge deck is closed to traffic.

History of Tsing Ma Bridge

The Tsing Ma Bridge is the most prominent element of the Lantau Link, an infrastructure project built to connect Lantau, Hong Kong’s largest island, to the urbanised areas of the territory. Until this link opened in 1997, Lantau Island could only be accessed by water, and was completely rural. The Lantau Trunk Line was built as part of the Airport Core Plan, which eventually provided Hong Kong with a new airport, located on the North Bank of Lantau, to replace the old and busy Kaide Airport.

Design of Tsing Ma Bridge

The bridge was designed by Mott McDonald. The company designed an early version of the bridge in 1982, with a two-lane road on the top and a light rail on the bottom. The bridge has been redesigned since 1989 to accommodate three-lane, two-lane highways and heavier Airport railways. The designer was inspired by the fourth bridge in Scotland and the Severn Bridge in England.

Tourism of Tsing Ma Bridge

The Tsing Ma Bridge has become a scenic spot as well as a landmark. There is a visitor centre, the Lantau Link Visitor Centre and Viewing Platform, located at the northwest corner of Tsing Yi Island, near the bridge’s Tsing Yi end. From the Scenery Viewing Platform, one can also see the Ting Kau Bridge and Kap Shui Mun Bridge. The bridge can also be seen from the Airport Core Programme Exhibition Centre located about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the bridge.

How to Get There

Take MTR to exit A1 of Tsing Yi Station and take 308M green minibus or taxi to Lantau Trunk Line Visitor Centre. The minibus runs from 10 a.m. to 16 a.m. on Monday to Friday, and the last bus leaves at 16:30 p.m. from the Visitor Center. On Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays, the minibus runs from 9:30 a.m. to 18:30 a.m. The last bus departs from the visitor center at 19:00 p.m. It costs about CNY8. Some 308M green minibuses do not stop at the Visitor Center. Please check with the minibus driver when boarding.