Lansdowne Bridge crosses the Indus between Sukkur and Rohri, and when it opened in 1889 it was the longest cantilever bridge in the world. It no longer carries trains, but it still carries road traffic, and it stands close enough to its younger neighbour, the Ayub Bridge, that the two are usually photographed together.
This guide covers the bridge's history, its Victorian engineering, the bridge beside it, and where to get the best view.
The history of Lansdowne Bridge
Sukkur became a railhead in 1878, and for more than a decade afterwards trains and goods crossed the Indus here by steam ferry, a slow and unreliable link in the Indus Valley State Railway. The bridge was built to replace it, with construction running from 1887 to 1889 and the structure opening on 25 March 1889.
It was designed by the engineer Sir Alexander Meadows Rendel as a cantilever truss: two anchored arms, each 310 feet long, meeting a 200-foot suspended span in the middle, for a total main span of around 790 feet. The ironwork, weighing roughly 3,300 tons, was manufactured in London and shipped out for assembly on site, a considerable undertaking given how far Sukkur then was from any port. Six workers died during construction, most in falls.
The bridge carried rail traffic for 73 years, until the Ayub Bridge opened alongside it in 1962 and took over as the railway crossing. Since then, Lansdowne Bridge has carried road traffic only.
The Ayub Bridge beside it
The Ayub Bridge stands about a hundred feet from Lansdowne Bridge, close enough that from a distance the two can look like a single structure. Its foundation stone was laid in December 1960 and it was inaugurated by President Ayub Khan in May 1962, built specifically to separate road and rail traffic that had previously shared the older bridge. It is an arch bridge rather than a cantilever, and at the time it was one of the longest railway arch spans in the world.
Seeing both bridges together, one Victorian and iron, the other mid-century and steel-arched, is really the point of a stop here: two different generations of engineers solving the same problem of getting a railway, and then a road, across a fast-narrowing stretch of the Indus.
Best photo angles
- From the Sukkur bank, looking towards Rohri, both bridges sit side by side with the river beneath, and this is the classic shot most visitors come away with.
- From Satyan jo Aastan, the hillside shrine overlooking the river near Rohri, you get an elevated view down onto both bridges and the Indus narrowing between them; our guide to Satyan jo Aastan has more on visiting.
- From Sukkur Barrage, a short distance upstream, you can take in the bridges and the barrage in one sweep; see our Sukkur Barrage guide.
- Early morning and late afternoon give softer light and calmer water, and are more comfortable than the middle of the day, when the ironwork and the exposed riverbank both get very hot.
Visiting practicalities
There is no ticket or fixed visiting hours for Lansdowne Bridge itself, since it is a functioning road bridge rather than a museum piece. The most comfortable way to see it is from the riverbank or a nearby viewpoint rather than stopping on the bridge itself, which carries steady traffic and has no real pedestrian space. A short taxi or rickshaw ride from central Sukkur gets you to the riverside in a few minutes.
Is it worth the stop?
Yes, and it is one of the quicker heritage stops in Sukkur: most visitors need no more than 15 to 20 minutes to view and photograph the bridges from the riverbank. It works well alongside Sukkur Barrage and, for anyone interested in the city's older buildings, a wider walk through the town described in our places to visit in Sukkur guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lansdowne Bridge still in use?
Yes, but only for road traffic. It carried trains from 1889 until 1962, when the neighbouring Ayub Bridge took over as the railway crossing.
Why was Lansdowne Bridge built?
It replaced a slow steam ferry that had carried goods and passengers of the Indus Valley State Railway across the river between Sukkur and Rohri from 1878 onwards.
What is the difference between Lansdowne Bridge and Ayub Bridge?
Lansdowne Bridge, opened in 1889, is a Victorian cantilever truss bridge that now carries road traffic. Ayub Bridge, opened in 1962, stands beside it and carries the railway. Building the second bridge let road and rail traffic be separated.
Where is the best place to photograph both bridges?
The Sukkur riverbank facing Rohri gives the classic side-on view. For a higher vantage point, the hillside at Satyan jo Aastan overlooks both bridges and the river between them.
Is Sukkur safe to visit?
Sukkur is in Sindh north of Nawabshah, where the UK government's Pakistan travel advice (updated 22 September 2026) currently advises against all but essential travel. Pakistani travellers pass through Sukkur regularly on the way north and south, and it remains a well-established stop. Visitors from overseas should check their own government's current advice before the trip, since it can affect travel insurance, and everyone should check local conditions before setting out.
