Huge new £73m bridge linking two countries to open this summer

A major new road bridge linking two of the world’s most sanctioned and isolated nations is scheduled to open to traffic this summer 2026. The project is estimated to cost around £73 million and has been described as being under close government supervision and progressing according to schedule. The Russian Transport Ministry said in a statement that the new bridge between Russia and North Korea is expected to strengthen “development of economic, trade, and cultural ties between the two nations.”

The only other land connection between Russia and North Korea is a Soviet-era rail bridge known as the “Friendship Bridge.” Once completed, the bridge will span a total of 2.9 miles, including approach roads, with 424 metres on the Russian side and 581 metres within North Korea.

Russian and North Korean transport ministers met in St Petersburg earlier this month and discussed the construction of the road bridge across the Tumen River. Satellite imagery and publicly shared photos from the construction site show the span now stretching fully across the river, with workers from both countries finishing decking and structural works.

The first direct passenger flight from Moscow to Pyongyang since the 1990s took place in July last year. Operated by Nordwind Airlines, the Transport Ministry said at the time that the service would operate once a month to build consistent demand and increase passenger occupancy on the route.

According to the Transport Ministry’s release, discussions are currently underway to train and retrain North Korean civil aviation specialists at Russian educational institutions.

During the meeting in St. Petersburg, the officials signed an agreement on the “mutual recognition of seafarers’ certificates.” This will enable crew members to serve on both Russian and North Korean vessels under a shared set of training and certification standards.

Work is also continuing on the development of the Khasan vehicle checkpoint in the Russian border town of Khasan. Once operational, it is expected to handle around 300 vehicles and more than 2,000 people per day.

The parties also discussed cooperation in railway transport, noting positive dynamics in passenger traffic, which quadrupled in the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to officials.

The release states: “Work continues to develop tourist routes, including rail service between Vladivostok and Rajin. In 2025, four trains operated, carrying 286 tourists, and six more are planned for 2026.”