China has the world's most complex interchange: how drivers deal with 15 ramps.

The most complex road in China

According to The Sun: Drivers in China encounter an incredibly confusing road, known as 'the most complex road in the world.'

The Huangjuewan interchange in Chongqing, opened in 2017, has become a true sensation on the internet, causing both panic and awe among social media users.

An unpredictable interchange

This 12-story road network consists of 15 ramps and 20 exits that can confuse anyone.

One user aptly noted:

“You can visit, but you can never leave.”

Others joked that no GPS system could handle such complexity.

“My GPS navigator said: go wherever you want and leave me alone!”

The total length of this maze exceeds 10 miles (16.4 km) and was originally designed to connect the city of Chongqing to the airport and expressway.

Innovative architecture in Chongqing

The unusual shape of the interchange quickly turned it into a global discussion point.

During his visit to China in 2019, famous host The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson, remarked that the country’s road system

“is quickly becoming the eighth wonder of the world.”

China already has the impressive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which at 34 miles long is the longest sea crossing in the world.

By the end of 2023, according to The Business Standard, China already boasts over 100,000 miles of roadways — more than any other country in the world.

This impressive achievement is especially notable considering that in 1988 there was no freeway in the country.

The Huangjuewan interchange has become a symbol of innovation in Chongqing, where it was previously considered

“an anomaly of planning and engineering.”

Glass skyscrapers are connected by bridges, and even on the rooftops of buildings, there are schools and cultural centers.

One local resident explained:

“In Chongqing, the first floor can be on the 1st, 5th, or 10th floor, depending on which side you enter.”

The uniqueness of Chongqing

This feature is explained by the complex terrain of Chongqing, where steep hills, cliffs, and deep river valleys lead to drastic changes in land level in just one block.

That's why buildings and roads are often constructed in unusual ways.

The city, with a population of about 32 million, plans an ambitious project 'the land-based Suez Canal' – an elevated railway that aims to create a more efficient trade route between China and Europe.

This railway hub is key to Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which already connects about 60 cities in China with over 50 cities in Europe, forming a new 'Silk Road' for the 21st century.

Despite this, it is the tangled loops of the Huangjuewan interchange that best reflect the spirit of Chongqing: bold, chaotic, and utterly unique.

So, next time you find yourself stuck at a roundabout, just be grateful you are not in Chongqing.