Skip to main content
motorbikefriendly.com
HomeAlpine passes

Alpine passes for motorcyclists

Every pass here is a paved road you can ride, from Slovenia to the Maritime Alps, topping out at the Col de l’Iseran (2,764 m). Filter by country or height, sort the list, and use the status link on the morning you ride: the high passes open late, close early, and shut for snow or rockfall even in summer.

Updated

The passes

Showing 56 of 56 passes

Reading the table

  • Height is the highest point of the pass road, in metres with feet alongside.
  • Toll means the pass road itself charges. Swiss and Austrian motorways need a vignette on the way there, but that is a separate matter; see riding in Europe.
  • Typical season is the usual pattern, not a promise. A late spring or an early autumn storm moves the dates by weeks. Passes that are usually open all year, such as the Lukmanier Pass, Julier Pass, Bernina Pass, Maloja Pass, are the reliable links when a high pass is shut.
  • Status links to the operator for toll roads, and to the road authority or a pass status service for the rest. Check it on the day.

Planning a passes trip

For a trip that needs the highest passes open, aim between late June and mid-September; our guide to the best time to ride the Alps goes month by month. Base yourself in one valley for two or three nights and ride loops rather than moving every day: Andermatt for the Furka, Grimsel, Susten, Gotthard and Oberalp; Bormio for the Stelvio, Gavia and Umbrail; the Sella group for the four Dolomites passes; Briançon or Barcelonnette for the Route des Grandes Alpes cols.

Some pass roads carry their own rules: the Nockalmstraße bans motorcycles overnight, and Tyrol bans loud motorcycles from the Hahntennjoch and the Lechtal roads through the summer. Our table of motorcycle bans and closures has the details.

Alpine passes: questions

What is the highest pass in the Alps you can ride?

In this table it is the Col de l’Iseran at 2,764 m, just ahead of the Stelvio Pass at 2,757 m. The loop round the Cime de la Bonette climbs higher, to 2,802 m, but it is a loop above the Col de la Bonette rather than a pass.

When do the high Alpine passes open?

Most passes above about 2,000 m open between late May and June, once the snow is cleared, and close with the first heavy snow in October or November. Dates move every year. Lower main-road passes such as the Julier, Bernina, Maloja and Simplon usually stay open all year.

Which Alpine passes charge a toll?

Of the passes in this table: Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Hochtor), Timmelsjoch (Passo del Rombo), Nockalmstraße (Eisentalhöhe). These are private or operator-run roads with their own toll booths. The other pass roads are free to ride, though some have a toll tunnel below them.

Do I need a vignette to ride the Swiss or Austrian passes?

Not for the pass roads themselves. Switzerland and Austria charge a vignette to use their motorways and expressways, which you may need on the way to the passes. Austria’s toll roads, such as the Grossglockner, charge separately.

How do I check if a pass is open today?

Use the status link in the table: the operator’s own page for toll roads, and the road authority or a pass-status service for the rest. Check on the morning you ride, as passes can close for snow, rockfall or events even in summer.