My question is short and simple: do long distance relationships work?

They most definitely can.

If the two people are committed to making a relationship work, of course.

Thousands of long distance relationships are currently working... military families face LDR's every moment of every day.

Yes. They can work.

Yes they can wok but they are super super hard if both people aren't 100% commitec to making it work. There has to be no doubts on either side.

As the others have said, yes they can. They take trust, honesty, commitment, and a lot of communication.

My husband and I had a LDR before he moved over so that we could be married. We actually spent only a total of 4 weeks together in person out of the entire time we spoke to each other before we were married.

Long distance relationships can work but they are hard. I'm in one just now and I'm not even that far away from him but can only see him at the weekend. Its hard. This weekend is his last weekend off in three months, I've returned home today and we'r not talking so I doubt I'll see him this weekend which means for the next three... Who knows...