Brenner Pass is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 1,370m (4,495ft) above sea level located on the Italian-Austrian border.
The pass links the province of Bolzano-South Tyrol on the northeastern part of Italy and the district of Innsbruck-Land in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It has been one of the most important passages between the North Sea and the Italian peninsula through the Alps since ancient times.
It’s a four-lane motorway built in the years 1833-45. It is one of the most important routes of north–south connections in Europe. Expect high traffic.
Set high in the Eastern Alpine range, the road to the summit, known as Brennerpass and Passo del Brennero, is totally paved. It’s called E45 (in Italy A22, in Austria the A13).
The pass is 49.1km (30.5 miles) long running from Sterzing (in South Tyrol in northern Italy) to Innsbruck (capital of Austria’s western state of Tyrol). The road is steep in parts, hitting a 10.7% maximum gradient through some of the ramps.
Being the lowest of the Alpine passes in the area, it is usually open all year round.