Malawi
Malawi - 5.4 Malawi Road Network Additional Information
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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

Bridges across Shire River

  • The Bakili Muluzi Bridge at Mangochi, Kamuzu Bridges (at Liwonde, Zalewa, Chikwawa & Chiromo) are 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

Mchinji

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

– Driving time for trucks & trailers

8 hours

8 hours

8 hours

8 hours

  • 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 make 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

Jan - Mar

Apr - Jun

Jul – Sep

Oct - Nov

Wet & Dry Season

– Driving time for trucks & trailers

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

– 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

  • 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

– Driving time for trucks & trailers

2 hours

2 hours

2 hours

2 hours

  • The distance from Mulanje to Blantyre is 55 kms and the road is asphalted and is in good condition

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

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

  • 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

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