Malawi Road Network Additional information
Bridges

Malawi has many small bridges of modest construction and during the annual flooding season
many may suffer from varying degrees of damage

Any bridges along key arterial routes are promptly replaced by temporary constructions (mostly in
the form of Bailey Bridges) until repairs can be undertaken
Kamuzu Bridge

The Liwonde and Kamuzu Bridges is the largest bridges in Malawi and they cross the Shire River
downstream from the lake outlet. These bridges are well constructed and do not present any
problems
Transport Corridors
International Corridors Leading to the Country
Location
Border Crossing Point
Direction
Mozambique to Malawi
Mulanje
South-east
Mozambique to Malawi
Nsanje
South
Mozambique to Malawi
Dedza
West
Mozambique to Malawi
Mwanza
West
Tanzania to Malawi
Karonga
North
Zambia to Malawi
Machinji
West (Central)
Main Corridors within the Country (leading to main towns / hubs)
- Transit Route – Blantyre to Lilongwe
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Blantyre
Lilongwe
Latitude
S 15° 47’ 34.95”
S 13° 57’ 33.04”
Longitude
E 34° 59’ 36.93”
E 33° 47’ 32.52”
Total Distance: 239 kms
Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers

The road from Blantyre to Lilongwe is a tarmac road and in good condition throughout the year

There are many steep sections along this route which makes travel very slow
- Mozambique Border at Mwanza to Blantyre
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Mwanza
Blantyre
Latitude
S 15° 34’ 42.19”
S 15° 47’ 34.95”
Longitude
E 34° 28’ 38.48”
E 34° 59’ 36.93”
Total Distance: 105 kms
Usage & Transit
Wet & Dry Season
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers
Jan -
Apr -
Jul –
Oct -
Mar
Jun
Sep
Nov
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours

This is a tarmac road and in good condition throughout the year

The road from Mwanza at the border to the Kamuzu Bridge across the Shire River crossing has
many very steep inclines and travel in both directions can be very slow
- Mozambique Border at Dedza to Lilongwe
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Dedza
Lilongwe
Latitude
S 14° 24’ 01.22”
S 13° 57’ 33.04”
Longitude
E 34° 19’ 31.10”
E 33° 47’ 32.52”
Total Distance: 87 kms

Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
This is a tarred road and in good condition throughout the year

This route is used by traffic from Beira to Lilongwe as the route is shorter than crossing at
Mwanza to the south
- Zambia Border at Mchinji to Lilongwe
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Mchinji
Lilongwe
Latitude
S 13° 47’ 48.00”
S 13° 57’ 33.04”
Longitude
E 32° 53’ 22.00”
E 33° 47’ 32.52”
Total Distance: 110 kms
Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers

This is a tarred road and in good condition throughout the year

Cross-border traffic between Zambia and Malawi is not common
- Mozambique Border at Mulanje to Blantyre
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Mulanje
Blantyre
Latitude
S 16° 05’ 55.43”
S 15° 47’ 34.95”
Longitude
E 35° 45’ 57.80”
E 34° 59’ 36.93”
Total Distance: 55 kms
Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers

The distance from Mulanje to Blantyre is 55 kms and the road is asphalted and is in good
condition
Road Corridor Assessment
- Port of Beira to Mwanza Border Crossing
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Port of Beira
Mwanza
Latitude
S 19° 49’ 08.00”
S 15° 34’ 42.19”
Longitude
E 40° 39’ 54.22”
E 34° 28’ 38.48”
Total Distance: 648 kms
Jan - Mar Apr - Jun Jul – Sep Oct - Nov
Usage & Transit
Wet & Dry Season
– Driving time for trucks & trailers

3 days
2 days
2 days
2 days
Flooding can occur on the Pungue Plains approximately 30 km west of Beira closing the roads for
long periods

The Chimoio to Tete section is a tarmac road which was upgraded in 2008 and is generally in
good condition

The route is hilly in places and travelling times for loaded trucks can be slow, particularly the 70
km between Guro and Changara where the road is in very poor condition

North of Tete there are bridges that become impassable during the wet season in November &
December

For transit to Lilongwe the border crossing further north at Dedza is used, a distance of 810 kms
from Beira

The distance from Mwanza to Blantyre is 105 kms which has many very steep inclines and driving
is very slow
- Port of Nacala to Chiponde Border Crossing
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Port of Nacala
Chiponde
Latitude
S 14° 32’ 31.50”
S 14° 22’ 17.00”
Longitude
E 40° 39’ 54.22”
E 35° 36’ 08.00”
Total Distance: 740 kms

Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers
3 days
2 days
2 days
2 days
The road from Nampula to Chiponde (approx 600 kms) is unpaved and only passable during the
dry season

With the rehabilitation of the port of Quelimane in Mozambique on the Zambezi estuary, a new
option may be available for overland road transport, the distance is only 317 kms to the border at
Mulanje in south-eastern Malawi
- Port of Dar-es-Salaam to Karonga
Location Details
Origin
Destination
Town or city
Dar-es-Salaam
Karonga
Latitude
S 06° 49’ 33.38”
S 09° 56’ 00.00”
Longitude
E 39° 18’ 22.72”
E 33° 56’ 00.00”
Total Distance: 1,328 kms
Usage & Transit
Jan Mar
Apr Jun
Jul –
Sep
Oct Nov
Wet & Dry Season
– Driving time for trucks &
trailers
3 days
3 days
3 days
3 days

The road from Dar-es-Salaam to Mbeya in the southwest is a tarmac for the entire route

The distance from Karonga to Lilongwe is 518 kms