Grossglockner Road – OMG Drive to the Dolomites!

Above the Clouds: Austria’s High Alpine Road (€45 per car)

Imagine 36 sweeping turns over 48 kilometers (30 miles) climbing to 2,500 meters (8,200 ft). That’s the Grossglockner High Alpine Road—Austria’s highest scenic drive, and our first glimpse of the Alps on a three-week road trip in June.

How We Got There

Our journey started in Austria’s wine country near Vienna (Wachau), then westward to the lake district (Wolfgangsee). I was adamant we reach Italy via the Grossglockner—and I was right. The road delivered: meadows, forests, glaciers, and one unforgettable mountain panorama after another.

Why It Fits Into a Road Trip

The Grossglockner isn’t just a road, it’s a full-day Alpine experience. Open May through October it works perfectly as:

• A cross-border route: Salzburg → St. Wolfgangsee → Grossglockner → Lienz → Dolomites (Italy).
• A loop within Austria: Salzburg → Grossglockner → Innsbruck.

What to Expect on the Drive

The €45 toll funds more than just asphalt. The road itself is a masterpiece of 1930s engineering, designed to blend into the mountain and make as little impact as possible on the environment. The route downplays the impact of structures, tunnels, and bridges using natural stones to conceal civil engineering works.

Who Loves This Road

Easy driving: The road is wide enough for buses; this is not a white-knuckle pass.

• Motorcyclists: 36 bends of pure exhilaration.
• Cyclists: A legendary challenge, climbing through the clouds. A constant increase of 10% over 1,300 vertical meters.
• Families and casual drivers: Smooth road, plenty of places to stop, and views that change with every turn.

Highlights Along The Road

Edelweißspitze, altitude 2,571 m (8,400 ft): A 360° panoramic viewpoint and view of Grossglockner Peak 3,798 m (12,460 ft)

Nassfeld Wasserfall, an easy walk from the carpark, the waterfall sits at 2,528 m (8,200 ft.)

Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe National Park – Information centre.

Photocredit: Wikipediacommons/ “Nationalpark Hohe Tauern”

From here you can see Austria’s largest glacier, the Pasterze, (a 2-hour hike) and Johannisberg Peak altitude 3,453 m (11,329 ft).

Tips for Road Trippers

• Allow a full day for the drive even though it’s only 48 km (30 mi).
• If you’re heading south, Lienz makes a natural overnight stop.
• If you’re heading north, Zell am See is at the head of the drive, where lakeside hotels and views abound.

Final Thoughts

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a destination. Planned in 1924, opened in 1935, it is Austria’s top attraction. Take the “long way” to Italy. You won’t regret it.

Our Roadtrip Austria/Italy – 3 Weeks June 6 to 27

The Dolomites were part of a 3 week road trip – all sites within a few hours drive. Stories coming soon.

1. Wachau – wine country near Vienna
2. St. Wolfgang, Lakes Region
3. South to the Dolomites: Dolomites Peaks (Part 1); The Dolomites: Meadows, Mountains, Magic (Part 2);
4. Innsbruck and Salzburg, Austria

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