Grossglockner High Alpine Road

There are roads you drive, and then there are roads that fundamentally rewire your understanding of what driving can be. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road did that to me on a foggy September morning in 2018, when I made every rookie mistake in the book and still came away convinced I'd found one of the finest stretches of asphalt in Europe.

The Route: What You're Getting Into

Let's start with the basics. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road connects Bruck in Salzburg to Heiligenblut in Carinthia. It's 48 kilometers of pure mountain engineering, with 36 hairpin turns that snake up to 2,504 meters at Edelweissspitze. The road was built between 1930 and 1935, and driving it today feels like time-traveling to an era when infrastructure projects were equal parts practical necessity and artistic statement.

The road is a toll road, and in 2025, you're looking at around 40 euros for a day pass per car. Worth it? I've paid it nine times now, so yes.

My First Time: A Lesson in Preparation

I arrived at the Fusch toll station at 6:30 AM because I'd read that early mornings meant fewer cars and better light. What I hadn't done was check my fuel gauge. I had maybe a quarter tank, which seemed fine for a 48-kilometer road.

What nobody tells you is that "48 kilometers" in the mountains involves constant climbing, stopping, and restarting—all of which burns fuel like nobody's business. By the time I reached Hochtor, the highest point of the through-road at 2,504 meters, my fuel light was on and my confidence was not.

I made it to Franz-Josefs-Hohe—the viewpoint for the Pasterze glacier—on fumes and sheer willpower. The irony wasn't lost on me: I was standing in front of Austria's largest glacier, but all I could think about was whether my car would start again.

It did. Barely. And the descent to Heiligenblut, where I found a gas station run by a very patient woman who'd clearly seen many sheepish tourists in my exact situation, remains one of the most nerve-wracking drives of my life.

The Stops That Actually Matter

I've driven this road nine times now, and I've learned to be selective about stops. Here are the ones I never skip:

Edelweissspitze (2,571 m)

This requires a short detour up a spur road, and it's the actual highest drivable point. The 360-degree panorama includes views of over 30 peaks above 3,000 meters. I once sat here for two hours just watching the clouds move through the valleys below. There's a small observation tower—climb it.

Fuscher Törl (2,428 m)

There's a small museum here about the road's construction, and honestly, after you've driven these hairpins, you develop a profound respect for the workers who built them with 1930s technology. The exhibit includes photos of men hanging off cliff faces with picks and shovels. It puts your "difficult commute" in perspective.

Franz-Josefs-Hohe

The main attraction for most visitors, and for good reason. You're standing at 2,369 meters, looking directly at the Grossglockner peak (3,798 m) and the Pasterze glacier. The glacier has retreated dramatically in my lifetime—comparing photos from my first visit in 2018 to now is genuinely sobering.

There's a visitor center here with a restaurant that serves surprisingly decent schnitzel. After your first ascent, you'll want something substantial, trust me.

"The Grossglockner road doesn't just take you to a viewpoint—it makes the journey itself the destination. Every turn reveals something you couldn't have predicted ten seconds earlier."

Driving Tips from Nine Ascents

These are things I wish someone had told me before my first drive:

• Fuel up completely. I know I've mentioned this, but I've seen other cars stranded. There are NO gas stations between toll gates.
• Start early. Tour buses arrive around 10 AM and completely change the road's character. Before that, you might have entire sections to yourself.
• Check your brakes. The descent is long and steep. I use engine braking in second gear for most of it.
• Carry layers. It can be 25°C in the valley and 5°C at Edelweissspitze. Wind at altitude is brutal.
• Don't rush. Budget at least 4 hours if you want to stop at the key viewpoints. I once tried to do it in 2 hours and regretted it deeply.
• Weather changes fast. I've experienced sun, fog, rain, and snow in a single drive. The road can close temporarily for safety—check conditions.

Best Time to Visit

I've driven the Grossglockner in every month it's open, and each has its character:

May/Early June: Snow walls line parts of the road, sometimes towering several meters high. Dramatic, but sections may close for clearing.

July/August: Busiest period, but the alpine meadows are carpeted with wildflowers. Go early or late in the day.

September: My favorite month. Fewer tourists, golden light, and the chance of fresh snow on the peaks. The morning I described at the start of this article was in September.

October: Hit or miss weather, but when it's clear, the low-angle autumn light is extraordinary. The road typically closes mid-October to early November.

The Road's Personality

Every mountain road has a personality, and the Grossglockner's is theatrical. It's the road that knows it's famous and delivers accordingly. The hairpins are almost choreographed, each turn positioned to reveal a new angle on the peaks. The engineering feels intentional in a way that goes beyond mere transportation.

This isn't a criticism—sometimes you want the full show. If the Silvretta is intimate and the Gerlos is surprising, the Grossglockner is the grand opera of Alpine driving. It earns its reputation.

Final Thoughts

I keep coming back to the Grossglockner not because it's the best alpine road (that's subjective) or the most challenging (it's actually quite well-maintained), but because it delivers a consistent, remarkable experience. It's the road I take friends on when they visit Austria for the first time. It's the road I drive when I want to remember why I fell in love with mountain driving in the first place.

Just fill up your tank first.