Progress on Russia-China transit link across the Amur River
A binding agreement has been signed to complete construction of the first cross-border cable car, connecting Blagoveshchensk in Russia to Heihe in China across the Amur River. The Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (KRDV) and the ZED Development LLC (part of the Region Group of companies) signed the agreement in the presence of Alexey Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic. Tenderstream member UNStudio designed the Blagoveshchensk cable car terminal, which includes a shared urban space that joins the terminal to an existing cultural centre on city’s riverfront esplanade.
Since the mid-19th century, the Amur River has defined the natural boundary between Russia and China. However, when frozen over with thick ice, the river literally supports trade, commerce, and social connection between the two cities. This frozen river became an important reference point for UNStudio’s winning proposal for the Blagoveshchensk terminal. An elevated viewing platform over the Amur towards Heihe helps to connect the cities, as well as a framed view from the arrival platform of the cable car back towards Blagoveshchensk.
The governor of the Amur Region, Vasily Orlov, stated: "The cable car across the Amur River is not just a large-scale project for the Amur Region. This is the world's first cable car between the cities of two different countries. Its effect on the development of border territories is due to the very uniqueness of the object. The cable car will expand opportunities for the development of tourism and many related areas – hotel business, public catering - that will entail the creation of jobs, and additional taxes to the budget of the region.”
Construction on the cable car began in April 2021, with commissioning scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research
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