Transport inBrunei consists ofair,land, andsea transport. Previously there was somerail transport in Brunei, but eventually most of it was closed down.[1] Several public and commercial sector organizations are in charge of creating and overseeing these networks and infrastructures. TheMinistry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) is in charge of overseeing the maritime and aviation industries, as well as planning and regulating all kinds of land transportation.[2]
The Land Transport Department (JPD) is thegovernment agency to make sure that the transportation systems and services in Brunei and the surrounding area are readily available, effective, safe, and satisfactory for the movement of people and products.[3]
The currentBrunei National Roads System consists of a vast nationalhighway network, along with related facilities likegas stations,rest areas, andland border crossings; awaterway network that is significant at several key locations; anurban and interdistrictpublic transportationbus network based on franchised and commercial services, along with associated stops and interchanges. There are 216,000licensed motor vehicles as of 2013, the majority of which are private cars. With an annual vehicle growth rate of 9%, there are over 1,400 newly registered private vehicles per month. When compared to other countries, it shows extraordinarily high levels of car ownership, use, and dependency.[2]
With 3,167 kilometres (1,968 mi) of roads throughout Brunei, the highway network dominates the country's transportation infrastructure. The backbone of the network is a coastal roadway that connects the towns ofKuala Belait,Sungai Liang,Tutong, andJerudong withMuara Port from the south-west of the nation to the north-east. From here, important routes weave throughBrunei-Muara and connect withBandar Seri Begawan. The more remote areas ofLabi inBelait,Lamunin inTutong, andBangar inTemburong are all served by important routes that branch off the main corridor. Brunei-Muara and Temburong are not connected by a direct road. There are roads that connect the two, however they only run via the Malaysian District ofLimbang. There was no road connecting Brunei Town and Kuala Belait in 1953. To get toDanau, one must go all the way toKuala Tutong and board aferry there. To go to Kuala Belait from Danau, one must carefully travel along the beach until approximately Anduki.[4]
With the opening of the $139 millionRaja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge on 14 October 2017, the 750 metres (2,460 ft) long bridge connectingMukim Lumapas with the capital was officially opened bySultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The structure, which was constructed as a joint venture between the local company Swee andSouth Korea'sDaelim Industrial, is the second-longest single-pyloncable-stayed bridge in the world. The flyover was anticipated to relieve commuter traffic between Lumapas and Bandar Seri Begawan. The current Jalan Bengkurong Masin and Jalan Tutong highways are used by more than 18,000 drivers each day that commute from Mukim Lumapas and the adjacent villages.[5]
The Temburong District andBandar Seri Begawan are connected by the 26.3 kmSultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge, which was inaugurated on 17 March 2020. The bridge reduces the commute time for locals to the capital to under 30 minutes. Travelers from Temburong previously had to take a 45-minute boat ride across the bay or drive two hours through Limbang,Sarawak, and four border checks in order to reach the capital before the bridge's opening.[6] Later that same year on 14 September, it has allowed foreign vehicles to cross the bridge with the exception of those weighing more than 3,500kg.[7]
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TheBrooketon Colliery and Muara Port, a distance of about 2.5 km, were connected by the firstrailway in Brunei when it was built in the 1880s. To enable the use ofsteam locomotives,steel rails were added to the originaltimbertramroad at the start of the 1890s. To permit their use in themine galleries, two uniquelocomotives were built with a low profile and the unusually short gauge of 711 millimetres (28.0 in). Since 1924, the mine and its railway were abandoned. Several of the remnants are still inaccessible due to the resurgence of dense natural foliage.[8]
A 600 millimetres (24 in) gauge railway was built in the early 1930s by Royal Dutch Shell (nowBrunei Shell Petroleum) to span the approximate 19 km between itsSeria refinery and a water pumping station at Badas.[9] It transported both water and building supplies. The line was taken apart and the equipment was concealed duringWorld War II to protect it from advancingJapanese soldiers. The railway was repaired byAustralian forces when theisland of Borneo was liberated in 1945. Several sources claim that it was still in use well into the early years of the twenty-first century. The path between Seria and Badas is now a road, and it's thought that some of the track is still in place. With a 4 km pier serving an ocean goingtanker loading point,Brunei LNG constructed aliquefied natural gas plant atLumut in the early 1970s. Thepier includesgas pipelines as well as a 1533 mm gauge railway for the transportation of workers and supplies.[8]
As of 21 June 2021, A proposedLRT orMRT transportation system called the Brunei Metro has been taken into consideration for Bandar Seri Begawan. Official announcements have been made over the years, but nothing is currently being substantially developed. There are hardly enough people in Brunei, a microstate with a population of just over 400,000, to warrant the construction of an urban railway. Despite this, it is one of the nations with the highest per capita incomes in the world, and the government has long explored implementing some type of urban rail transit.[10]
The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), a governmental agency that regulates aviation issues, is in charge of managing and operating Brunei International Airport, country's main international entry point, in a safe, secure, and effective manner. The goal is to make sure that rules and regulations on safety and security are carefully upheld and followed, in accordance with national laws and regulations as well as theICAO's Standard and Recommended practices.[11]
The firstrunway was built at the existing Government Offices Complex,Old Airport during theJapanese occupation during the Second World War. Despite being heavily shelled by theAllied Forces during the war, the runway was rebuilt and repaired, and an appropriateairport was designed and constructed. The first internal air service linkages linking Brunei Town and Anduki marked the start of commercial air travel in Brunei in 1953.[12][13]
TheAnduki Airfield is a domestic airstrip in Seria, that mostly serves as aheliport. Operating and maintaining it isBrunei Shell Petroleum (BSP).[14]
The primary international entry point for the country is at theBrunei International Airport. additionally, it is the main hub of the national airline Royal Brunei Airlines. There is only one passenger terminal at the airport, which is utilized for both domestic and international flights. In 2005, it carried 1.3 million people.[15]
The nation's soleflag carrier,Royal Brunei Airlines, was founded as an autonomous corporation with 100 percent ownership by theGovernment of Brunei on 18 November 1974. On 14 May 1975, the first flight from Bandar Seri Begawan toSingapore took off.[16]
In September 2017, a corporation called theMaritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam (MPABD) was created. In addition to regulating and controlling navigation within the port's boundaries and along its approaches, MPABD serves to enhance port efficiency and development. The MPA also performs licensing and regulatory duties with regard to commerce ships, notably with regard to maritime safety.[17]
As of 2017, Brunei has 273 licensedboats and approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi) of navigablewaterways. However, the network's current use is primarily restricted to the area aroundKampong Ayer (water village), which is located across theBrunei River from Bandar Seri Begawan. Currently,water taxis transport people and small amounts of products from the capital to the water village for extended stretches of the day. Moreover, water transportation is used in Brunei's more isolated settlements located in the country's interior, where poor or nonexistent road links exist. Due to the lack of direct road connections mentioned above, travel from Brunei-Muara to Temburong was previously only possible via river. The water network in this context emphasizes its significance to Brunei's ability to operate, trade, and maintain itsterritorial integrity.[2]
Muara Port is located about 28 kilometres (17 mi) fromPusat Bandar. There is a minimum sea depth of 12.5 meters and a berth length of 250 meters at the Muara container terminal. Two Panamax quay cranes are available for use at the Muara Container Terminal. The dedicated container wharf's facilities cover 92,034 square meters and have a capacity of 220,000 TEUs per year. The linear berth at the Muara Conventional Terminal is 611 meters long with a 12.5 meter draught, and the aggregate berth is 87 meters long with a 5.2 meter draught.[18]
TheRasau gas fields are near to theKuala Belait Port, and Shell has numerous facilities to help with oil and gas production. Cooking gas and chemicals are supplied to the manufacturing facilities and residents of the town by the Kuala Belait fueling station. The terminal building, which is located on the southern end of the harbor, provides its clients with logistics support. The port has ashipyard where tankers, light transport ships, andfishing boats can be built. Offering services for maintenance, repair, and painting are its three workshops. Two operational zones make up the Kuala Belait port. The petroleum pier is 30 meters long and 12.5 meters deep alongside. It is equipped with five mobile cranes that can lift 25 tons, electricity, and freshwater. Farther upstream, close toKampong Sungai Duhon, is where Kuala Belait's commercial port is located. Unfortunately, the port is now only open to shallow-draft vessels due to an excessive buildup of silt and sediment. To stop silting at the river mouth, the harbor was recently dredged, and two majorbreakwaters were built.[19]
InSerasa on the shores ofBrunei Bay sits the country's primaryferry terminal,Serasa Ferry Terminal. Four times per day, the terminal handles frequent returnRoll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) services toLabuan, and less frequently toMenumbok,Sabah, for travelers and vehicles traveling toKota Kinabalu.[2]
