World's First Cross-Border Ropeway To Connect China And Russia
The first China-Russia cross-border ropeway is being constructed over the Amur River, between Heihe City and Blagoveshchensk.
BY
MANAS SEN GUPTA PUBLISHED: AUG 06, 2026 07:58 PM HKT
A China-Russia cross-border ropeway is set to connect two cities across the Amur River.
The main structure of the landmark cable car project has been completed. The success not only marks a major engineering feat but is also a major step for tourism in a
historically rich, geopolitically significant, and naturally blessed region.
Construction of the cable car system began in July 2019. According to Chinese officials involved with the project, it is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2026.
- The ropeway project is expected to be completed before the end of 2026.
- Once fully operational, it is expected to handle an annual one-way passenger traffic of 2.6 million.
A China-Russia cross-border ropeway is set to connect two cities across the Amur River.
The main structure of the landmark cable car project has been completed. The success not only marks a major engineering feat but is also a major step for tourism in a
historically rich, geopolitically significant, and naturally blessed region.
Construction of the cable car system began in July 2019. According to Chinese officials involved with the project, it is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2026.
Which cities in China and Russia will the cable car system connect?
Frozen Amur and Heihe. | Image credit: Baycrest,
CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
The cable car route spans the Amur River, known as the Heilongjiang River in China, at a height of 70 metres. It connects Heihe in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province to Blagoveshchensk of the Amur Oblast in the Russian Far East. The two border cities are located on either side of the river, just 750 metres apart at their closest point.
The China-Russia cross-border cableway over the Amur River, one of the world’s longest rivers, is set to add a third route for people in the twin border cities, alongside an existing
ferry service and a highway bridge. The highway bridge, which was opened to traffic in 2022, is the first of its kind between China and Russia.
How many passengers will the ropeway system handle?
The China-Russia cross-border ropeway is expected to handle an annual one-way passenger traffic of 2.6 million.
Here are more details about the cable car system:
- Length: 970 metres horizontal cross-river span
- Carriages: Two
- Passenger capacity: 110 per carriage
- Maximum speed: 12 metres per second
- Travel time: 6-8 minutes
Heihe and Blagoveshchensk have shared close cultural ties for a long time, and are now major border trading hubs.
Heihe has a river port and a river island. But one of its best-known tourist attractions lies roughly 33 km to its south — the Aihui History Museum, which chronicles the story of Heihe, Blagoveshchensk and the surrounding region over centuries.
There is more to see for tourists in Blagoveshchensk, including the Amur River Embankment, the Amur Regional Local Lore Museum of Novikov-Daurskiy, the Triumphal Arch, and the Cathedral of Annunciation.
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