Overview
What Makes Long Bien Bridge Special
Long Bien Bridge (Cầu Long Biên) is Hanoi's oldest and most historically layered river crossing, a 1,682-metre cantilever steel bridge spanning the Red River between the Long Biên and Hoàn Kiếm districts. Designed by the Daydé & Pillé engineering firm - which worked closely with Gustave Eiffel's company - and completed in 1903 during the French colonial period, the bridge was at the time one of the longest bridges in Asia. It served as the primary crossing point for rail, road, and foot traffic for decades. During the American War, the bridge was targeted repeatedly by US bombing campaigns between 1967 and 1972 - sections were destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, and the mismatched repair work is still visible in the bridge's current structure. Today the bridge carries a single railway track, a motorcycle lane, and a pedestrian/bicycle path, and remains in active daily use.
Gallery
How to Get There
🚗 Getting There
Long Bien Bridge is located at the eastern edge of the Old Quarter, approximately 1km from Hoan Kiem Lake. The Hanoi-side entrance is accessible on foot from the Old Quarter in around 15 minutes via Hàng Chiếu or Trần Nhật Duật streets. The bridge entrance is adjacent to Long Bien train station on the Hanoi side. Grab or taxi from central Hanoi takes 5-10 minutes.
What to Expect
👀 On the Ground
Walking or cycling the full bridge length takes approximately 20-30 minutes one way. The pedestrian path runs alongside the railway track with open views across the Red River in both directions - the river is wide at this point and the views extend to market gardens and flood plain villages on the far bank. Train crossings happen several times daily and are audible and visible from the pedestrian path. The bridge surface is uneven and the walkway is narrow in sections - comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The Long Biên side of the bridge connects to a network of market garden villages on the Red River flood plain that are worth exploring by bicycle.
Travel Tips
🧳 Tips
Long Bien Bridge works well as a morning walk from the Old Quarter combined with a visit to the Long Bien wholesale market on the Hanoi side - one of the largest and most active early-morning markets in the city. The bridge itself takes around 30-45 minutes to cross and return, and the experience of walking an active colonial railway bridge above the Red River - past the visible bomb damage repairs - is one of the more atmospheric free activities available in Hanoi.
Insider Tips
Based on real traveler experiences and commonly mentioned advice from multiple visitors.
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