As of August 1, 2017, where was the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge?

In 2017, Switzerland’s “Charles Kuonen Pedestrian Hanging Bridge” opened to foot traffic in the Alps, near the village of Randa. The span is 494 meters (1621 feet) long and, at its highest point, towers 86 m (282 ft) above ground level. It currently holds the record for the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.

On the other hand, longer bridges are regularly built. The 2016 record-holding span was the one across the Zhangjiajie Canyon in southern China’s Hunan Province. In 2014, Russia opened its 439 m “SkyBridge” as part of the “SkyPark” near the city of Sochi, which hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Although 9 m longer than the Zhangjiajie Canyon bridge, it has two observation towers and stairs to different levels, which adds length to the bridge; this maybe why it was not given the record for world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge, as the length of the bridge, itself, is longer than the length of the gap it crosses.

The Swiss bridge, named after its main sponsor, Charles Kuonen, is suspended above a valley connecting the towns of Grächen and Zermatt and affords a view of the Bernese Alps and the Weisshorn and Matterhorn mountains. Completing the walk takes 10 minutes. Taking the best alternate route means walking for as long as four hours, and the hike can take as long as two days.