Planning
Best Time to Ride the Alps by Motorcycle: When the Passes Open
The high Alps have a short season. Get the timing right and every pass is open, the snow is on the peaks rather than the road, and the coach traffic has gone. Get it wrong and the pass you came for is shut.
The short answer
For a tour that needs the highest passes open, aim for late June to mid-September. September is many riders’ favourite: everything is usually still open, school holidays are over and the light is clear. July and August are reliable but busy. June can be magical, with snow walls beside the road, but some of the highest passes may not be open yet.
Why the season is short
The big passes climb well above 2,000 m. The Stelvio reaches 2,757 m, the Col de l’Iseran 2,764 m, the Galibier 2,642 m and the Grossglockner road 2,504 m at the Hochtor. Snow sits on the high roads well into spring, and clearing it is a big job, so the high passes open when the snow allows and close again with the first heavy autumn falls. Dates shift every year with the winter.
Typical opening windows
These are typical patterns, not promises. Always check the current status before you ride.
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Austria): a toll road that usually opens in early May and runs into the autumn, with closures in bad weather. Our Grossglockner guide has the route.
- Stelvio Pass (Italy): usually from late May or June until the first serious snow, often in October or early November. It sometimes closes to motor traffic on set days for cycling events. See our Dolomites and Stelvio guide.
- Swiss high passes such as the Furka, Grimsel, Susten and Nufenen: usually open between mid-May and June depending on snow, and close in October or November. The Nufenen and Umbrail are often among the later ones to open.
- French high passes such as the Galibier, Iseran, Izoard and Bonette: usually June to October. These are the backbone of the Route des Grandes Alpes, which needs them all open.
- Lower and main-road passes such as the Brenner and Reschen stay open all year, which makes them reliable links between the high-pass regions.
Month by month
- May: lower passes and valleys are lovely, the Grossglockner usually opens, but most of the highest passes are still closed. Good for the Alpine foothills, the lakes and the Black Forest on the way.
- June: passes open one by one. Snow walls, waterfalls and quiet roads. Cold at the top, and you need a plan B for any pass not yet open.
- July and August: everything open, long warm days, but peak holiday traffic, campervans and cyclists on the famous passes, and afternoon thunderstorms. Ride early.
- September: the sweet spot. Quieter, still warm in the valleys, crisp at the top. Early snow is possible on the highest passes later in the month.
- October: autumn colour, empty roads, but passes start to close and cold mornings bring ice in shaded hairpins. Have flexible plans.
Beating the crowds
In summer, timing within the day matters as much as the month. The famous passes are quietest before about nine in the morning, when the light is good and the coaches, campervans and cycling groups have not yet started up. By late morning the Stelvio and Grossglockner can be busy, and on sunny weekends you will queue behind traffic on the hairpins. Ride the big names early, take a long lunch in the valley and ride the lesser-known passes in the afternoon. Weekdays are quieter than weekends almost everywhere.
Have a plan B
Whatever month you go, build alternatives into the route. If a high pass is closed by snow, a landslide or an event, know which lower pass or valley road gets you to the same place. Keep at least one flexible day in the plan so a closed road or a stormy afternoon moves the schedule rather than ruins it.
How to check pass status
Look at the official source for each country before you set off each day: the pass’s own website for toll roads like the Grossglockner, the national or regional road authority, and the tourist office of the valley below. Webcams on most of the big passes show snow, cloud and traffic at a glance. A biker hotel host in the valley will usually know the night before whether a pass is shut. Sat-nav apps are not always up to date on closures.
Weather on the passes
Even in high summer it can be 25°C in the valley and near freezing at the top. Pack a warm layer, winter gloves and waterproofs in the tank bag. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August; ride the high passes in the morning and be off the tops by mid-afternoon if the clouds are building. Our wet-weather guide and packing list cover the kit.
Tolls and vignettes
Austria and Switzerland require a motorway vignette for bikes; the Grossglockner road and some other scenic routes charge their own tolls. France and Italy have tolled motorways. Check ASFINAG for Austria and the Swiss federal authorities for Switzerland. Some roads in the Tyrol have restricted loud motorcycles in summer, so check the regional rules if your bike has an aftermarket exhaust.
Where to base yourself
With several passes in reach of one valley, a base for two or three nights is the best way to ride the Alps. Some good areas:
- The Tyrol, for the Timmelsjoch, Kaunertal and the run to the Stelvio.
- Central Austria, for the Grossglockner and Nockalm roads.
- Northern Italy, for the Dolomites, Stelvio and Gavia.
- The French Alps, for the Galibier, Iseran and the Route des Grandes Alpes.
Our guide to how far to ride per day explains why mountain days need to be shorter than you think.
Questions riders ask
When do the Alpine passes open for motorcycles?
Most high passes open between late May and June, depending on the winter’s snow, and close in October or November. Dates change every year, so check the official status before you ride.
What is the best month to ride the Alps on a motorcycle?
September for many riders: the passes are usually still open, the summer crowds have gone and the weather is often settled. Late June to August is also reliable but busier.
When does the Stelvio Pass open?
Usually from late May or June until the first heavy snow, often in October or early November. It can also close to motor traffic on set days for cycling events. Check before you go.