Shuttling between the Atlantic and Pacific
In January 2016 the world’s longest bus line, the Transoceánica, started offering service between Rio de Janeiro and Lima. It takes 102 hours to travel the 6,200 kilometer route between the two cities.
Planning for the Transoceánica started in the 1980s. It was meant to serve as a connection between the Pacific and the Atlantic, via Peru and Brazil. The construction materials and bridges were purchased and streets were constructed. But when funds ran out in the middle of the 1980s, only 21 of the 22 planned bridges had been built, so crossing the Madre de Dios River near Puerto Maldonado in Peru required taking a ferry. The construction materials for the 22nd bridge, the final link, were put in storage until 2007 when work resumed. Many of the components required a complete overhaul: The supporting steel cables were replaced, any damage was repaired, and finally, the structure was also strengthened. The Puente Continental, the longest hanging bridge in Peru, was finally opened in 2011 and completed the connecting route between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
