Dandong · Visitor Guide
Yalu River Broken Bridge (鸭绿江断桥, Yālǜ Jiāng Duànqiáo)
The Yalu River Broken Bridge is the half of a 1909 Sino-Japanese rail bridge that US jets bombed out in November 1950 to halt Chinese troop movements into Korea; the Chinese side's four remaining spans were kept as a war memorial and opened to visitors in 1993. It is Dandong's single most visited site, mainly because you can actually walk 500 meters out over the river and stare across at Sinuiju, North Korea.
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Quick Answer
Is Yalu River Broken Bridge worth visiting?
Four steel truss spans left sticking out into the Yalu after US bombing in 1950, walkable in 30–45 minutes for CNY 30 (as of 2026), best at sunset.
Quick facts
| Ticket | CNY 30 (as of 2026). Children under 1.2m free; students with ID pay CNY 15 (verify). Cash and WeChat Pay accepted at the gate. |
|---|---|
| Hours | 07:30–17:30 (April–October); 08:00–16:30 (November–March). Last entry 30 minutes before close. Closed during high-wind warnings along the river (verify exact 2026 schedule). |
| Recommended duration | 30–45 minutes for the bridge walk, plus 30 minutes for the on-site war museum. |
| Best time to visit | April–May and late September–October for mild weather and clear views into North Korea. Sunset (around 17:00 in winter, 19:00 in summer) when the Sinuiju skyline lights up. Avoid Chinese national holidays (Oct 1–7, May 1–3) — the bridge walkway crowds. |
| How to get there | No metro. Bus routes 6, 17, and 20 stop at "Yalujiang Guanguang Tai" (鸭绿江观光台) within 200m of the entrance. A DiDi from Dandong Railway Station costs CNY 8–12 and takes 8 minutes; from the airport (about 15 km west), a taxi runs CNY 35–45 and takes 25 minutes. If you stay on the central Binjiang Lu (滨江路) riverfront, it is a 5–15 minute walk from most hotels. |
| English signage | partial |
| Wheelchair accessible | no |
| Built | 1909 (original bridge opened by Japanese colonial authorities as a rail crossing) |
| Destroyed | November 8–12, 1950, by US Air Force bombing during the Korean War |
| Length remaining | Four truss spans totalling about 290 m on the Chinese side; full original bridge was 944 m |
| Opened as memorial | 1993, restored and opened to the public as Dandong's main anti-American-imperialism memorial |
| River border | Sits on the China–North Korea (DPRK) frontier, Sinuiju is the city visible across the water |
| UNESCO | Not a UNESCO site (verify); sometimes bundled into Liaoning provincial "red tourism" itineraries |
What to expect
Visitors enter on the south bank of the Yalu River and walk roughly 290 m out on a steel-truss deck, with the abrupt cutoff at span #4 dropping straight into the river. The bridge's wooden ties have been replaced with concrete for foot traffic, and the original bent rails and bombed-out steelwork are deliberately preserved — you can see the holes where bombs exited the structure. A glass observation platform juts out over the river about midway, which is the spot where tour groups cluster. Below the bridge, Dandong's Binjiang Park runs along the riverbank with statues of Chinese "Volunteer Army" soldiers and an old propeller plane on a pylon.
The bridge was originally the downstream of two parallel crossings built in 1909–1911 by the Japanese-controlled South Manchuria Railway; the upper (still-intact) bridge carries road and rail traffic today, and the lower one became this memorial. On November 8, 1950, US F-80 and F-51 sorties bombed the bridge to cut Chinese supply lines supporting North Korean forces after Chinese troops entered the war in late October. The first three Chinese spans and most of the Korean side collapsed; four spans on the Chinese bank remained standing, jammed half-broken, and were simply left there. In 1993 the Chinese government declared them a patriotic-education base, and the bridge became the symbolic centerpiece of Dandong's identity.
Practical reality: the site is well-maintained but not luxurious. The walkway gets crowded in summer and at peak sunset, and the on-site war-museum exhibits are mostly Chinese-language placards with a few English captions on the major bombs. There is no air-conditioning in the museum hall. Vendors outside the gate sell "Korean" souvenirs and North Korean cigarettes — assume they are Chinese-made unless you know the difference. Photography across the river is allowed but photographing DPRK soldiers or guards with telephoto lenses can attract a polite but firm police request to delete (this happens rarely). Bring your passport; foreign visitors occasionally get asked for ID at the gate.
How to get there
From Dandong Railway Station (丹东站): exit south, walk 5 minutes to the main road, take bus 6 eastbound to "Yalujiang Guanguang Tai" stop, or grab a DiDi for CNY 8–12 (about 8 minutes, 3.5 km). From Dandong Airport (ZDD): no direct bus, taxi or DiDi is the only realistic option at CNY 35–45, 25 minutes depending on traffic. From the central Binjiang Lu hotel strip, the bridge entrance is a flat 5–15 minute riverside walk east. Bus 17 also runs along Binjiang Lu from the older Zhenxing District and stops near the entrance. There is no metro line in Dandong, so plan around buses, walking, or ride-hailing. The companion bridge (Zhongchao Bridge, 中朝友谊桥) sits a few hundred meters upstream and is closed to foot traffic — you can only see it from the riverbank.
Best photo spots
- The cantilevered glass observation deck, about 70 m out on span #3, framing the Sinuiju skyline straight ahead.
- Looking back toward Dandong from the broken tip at the end of span #4 — the cityscape with the still-intact Friendship Bridge above makes a clear "before/after" pair.
- Low angle from Binjiang Park's riverside path with the broken spans rising against the sky — best around 30 minutes before sunset.
- The propeller-plane monument and volunteer soldier statue at the bridge's base, lit up at night against the river.
Tips
- Bring your passport — Chinese border-police occasionally ID foreign visitors at the entrance, and you cannot get back in once you exit without it.
- Buy your ticket on WeChat (search 鸭绿江断桥) the night before to skip the cash-only window; foreigners sometimes hit translation walls at the manual counter.
- Sunset visits are dramatically better than midday — Sinuiju's skyline lights up after dark, while daytime views show a fairly flat grey North Korean side.
- Skip the on-site "Korean restaurant" touts on the south side of Binjiang Lu; the better value Korean food is 1 km west around the old train station.
- Combine with a Yalu River cruise (departing just upstream, around CNY 80 for 60 min) on the same day; the cruise boat loops around the bridge base and gives the only good photo angle looking up at span #4.
Scams to avoid
- Hawkers outside the entrance sell "North Korean" cigarettes and "DPRK" banknotes — almost all are Chinese-made knockoffs; legitimate DPRK currency is controlled and rarely sold openly.
- Unlicensed "guides" at the bridge entrance, often elderly men with laminated IDs, offer English narration for CNY 50–100; the official site has free English handouts, so skip unless you genuinely want a personal guide.
- Generic Binjiang Lu touts pushing "Yalu River cruise + Korean lunch" packages for CNY 200+ at unmarked kiosks — book through your hotel or via the official Yalu River Scenic Area office instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Yalu River Broken Bridge ticket in 2026?
CNY 30 for adults at the gate (as of 2026), half price for students with a Chinese student ID, free for children under 1.2 m. Discounts for seniors 60+ and military personnel (verify exact policy on the day).
What are the 2026 opening hours?
Summer (April–October) 07:30–17:30; winter (November–March) 08:00–16:30. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Hours can shorten during high-wind river warnings.
When was the bridge bombed?
Between November 8 and November 12, 1950, by US Air Force F-80 Shooting Stars and F-51 Mustangs trying to cut Chinese supply lines into Korea.
How long is the walkable section?
About 290 m of bridge deck remain, divided across four truss spans. Plan 30–45 minutes for the round trip plus photo stops.
Can you see North Korea from the bridge?
Yes — Sinuiju, the DPRK city directly across the river, is visible with the naked eye. Bring binoculars for the Friendship Tower (友谊塔) and the central plaza.
Can you cross into North Korea from the Broken Bridge?
No. The intact road bridge next to it (Zhongchao Friendship Bridge, 中朝友谊桥) handles all vehicle and rail crossings and requires a pre-arranged visa. Tourists cannot walk across.
Is there a metro in Dandong?
No — Dandong has no metro or light rail. Use buses, taxis, or Didi. Bus 6, 17, and 20 all stop within 200 m of the bridge entrance.
How do I get to the bridge from Dandong Railway Station?
About 3.5 km south — a DiDi or taxi costs CNY 8–12 and takes 8 minutes, or take bus 6 eastbound for CNY 1.
How much is a taxi from Dandong Airport to the bridge?
About CNY 35–45, taking roughly 25 minutes; the airport is roughly 15 km west of the city center. There is no direct airport bus.
Is the bridge accessible for wheelchairs or strollers?
Partially — the riverside Binjiang Park and entrance plaza are flat and paved, but the bridge deck itself has steel-grate flooring and a noticeable slope at the approach, making wheelchair access difficult (no). Strollers are workable but bumpy.