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World's Worst Traffic Jam: 100 km, 12 Days in China - The Beijing-Tibet Expressway Nightmare
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News18•28-09-2026, 20:20
World's Worst Traffic Jam: 100 km, 12 Days in China - The Beijing-Tibet Expressway Nightmare
- •In 2010, China experienced a 100-kilometer, 12-day traffic jam on China National Highway 110, the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, near Beijing.
- •Vehicles were often stuck for hours, with some moving only 1 kilometer per day, forcing many drivers to spend nights in their cars.
- •The jam was caused by ongoing expressway construction, a high volume of heavy trucks transporting coal and construction materials from Mongolia to Beijing, and broken-down vehicles.
- •Authorities diverted new traffic, removed heavy trucks, and cleared damaged vehicles to gradually resolve the congestion by late August 2010.
- •The incident impacted supply chains and trade, with some reports estimating an economic loss of approximately 1 billion yuan for China.
Key Questions Answered
The horrific traffic jam occurred in 2010 on China National Highway 110, the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, near Beijing.
The jam was caused by ongoing expressway construction, a large number of heavy trucks carrying coal and construction materials from Mongolia, and broken-down vehicles.
The traffic jam lasted for 12 days beginning around August 14, 2010, and was finally resolved after authorities diverted new vehicles, removed stranded heavy trucks, and cleared broken-down vehicles.
