Asian Highway 1 is the longest route of the Asian Highway Network. (Image: Getty)
You may not have heard of it before, but there is an incredible motorway in Asia that is also nicknamed the “gateway to Asia” and travels 12,774 miles across the continent and takes 125 hours to complete. The Asian Highway 1 (AH1) connects Istanbul in Turkey to Tokyo in Japan, traversing multiple countries and diverse landscapes. From bustling cities to mountain ranges and vast deserts, this route is the longest of the Asian Highway Network.
The journey covers diverse terrains, cultures, and historical landmarks, providing an incredible cross-continental experience that links Asia and Europe. It is one of the longest and most important motorways in the world. From Tokyo to the Turkey-Bulgaria border, the motorway passes through several countries, including Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.
The highway passes through many major cities including Tehran. (Image: Getty)
From Tokyo to Istanbul, the route follows ancient trade routes like that of the Silk Road and goes through Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey.
The Asian Highway Network is a major cooperative project among Asian countries and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The transcontinental route starts in Tokyo, and as it moves westward, the bustling metropolis gradually gives way to rural landscapes and mountainous regions.
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The road begins in Tokyo and then goes to Busan and Seoul in South Korea, where rolling hills and urban landscapes are navigated.
In China, the route passes through cities like Shenyang and Beijing, crossing vast plains and mountainous regions.
It travels past rice fields and mountains through Vietnam, reaching vibrant cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.
The road then passes through Thailand’s coastal and mountainous regions, Myanmar’s plains and hills, and diverse landscapes in many other countries, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tehran in Iran.
The border between Turkey and Bulgaria then connects to the European route E80, which stretches to Lisbon, Portugal.