Roads of Austria
Nestled in the heart of Central Europe, Austria beckons with its majestic Alpine landscapes and a web of roads that traverse these natural wonders. Among these, the Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße stands out, a feat of engineering that snakes through the Austrian Alps, providing drivers with unrivaled panoramas and an adrenaline-charged experience. Not to be outdone, the Silvretta Hochalpenstraße, often dubbed the 'Dream road of the Alps,' lives up to its moniker with its sweeping vistas and cascading landscapes that are nothing short of picturesque.
Then there's the challenge of Timmelsjoch, rising as the crown jewel of the Ötztal Alps, testing the mettle of drivers with its steep gradients and demanding turns, all while rewarding them with views that seem plucked straight from a postcard.
Indeed, each road in Austria is a journey, not just in distance, but also in the sensory delights they offer. From undulating valleys to the rugged mountain tops, these routes are not merely stretches of asphalt; they are experiences, capturing the very essence of Austria's awe-inspiring beauty.
Austria has some of the most exciting mountain roads and exhilarating driving experiences of the world. With incredible views, narrow tunnels, countless hairpins, steep inclines and twisty turns, the country offers 12 scenic Alpine drives.
Whether you're a driving enthusiast or a nature lover, these roads promise an odyssey that etches itself into memory, capturing the spirit of Austria's mesmerizing landscapes.
Niederalpl Pass, a scenic drive in the Austrian Alps
Niederalpl Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.232m (4,041ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian state of Styria.
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the Katschberg Pass
Katschberg Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.641m (5,384ft) above the sea level, located in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria.
Driving the scenic Kalser Glocknerstraße
Located in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the Kals Glockner Road (Kalser Glocknerstraße) is a very scenic journey through many hairpin bends. It’s one of the scenic Austrian Alpine roads.
Pfitscherjoch is an awe-inspiring route in the Zillertal Alps
Pfitscherjoch (Passo di Vizze) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.276m (7,467ft) above the sea level located on the border of Italy and Austria. Nestled in the Zillertal Alps, the pass links Tyrol, Austria, and South Tyrol, Italy.
A memorable road trip to Reschenpass in the Alps
Reschenpass-Passo di Resia is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.522m (4,993ft) above the sea level, located in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy, not far from the Austrian border.
Strubklammstraße, one of the narrowest roads in Austria
Located in the state of Salzburg, and running along the Almbach river, the Strubklammstraße is one of the narrowest roads in Austria.
A very bumpy, grueling road to Karlsbader Hütte
Karlsbader Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.244m (7,362ft) above the sea level, located in the heart of the Lienz Dolomites, in the Austrian state of Tyrol.
A very demanding road to Gaisskarferner
Gaisskarferner is a high mountain chairlift at an elevation of 3.168m (10,393ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.
Furkajoch, an iconic road in the Austrian Alps
Furkajoch is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.761m (5,778ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian Alps in the Bundesland of Vorarlberg.
A memorable road trip to Peter-Anich-Hütte
Peter-Anich-Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.909m (6,259ft) above the sea level, located in the district of Innsbruck-Land in the Austrian state of Tyrol. Expect sections that are as steep as 30%.
A truly outstanding 4x4 adventure to Krummholzhütte
Krummholzhütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 1.838m (6,026ft) above the sea level located in central Austria, in the Liezen district of Styria.
The unpaved road to Klammljoch
Klammljoch (Passo di Gola) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.288m (7,507ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Austria and Italy. The road to the summit is unpaved and closed to motorized vehicles, but can be traversed by bicycle.
A delightful yet challenging road to Finstertalspeicher
Finstertalspeicher is a reservoir at an elevation of 2.325m (7,627ft) above the sea level, located in Tyrol, in western Austria.
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the Edelweissspitze
Edelweissspitze is a high mountain road located in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It’s a sideroad of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.
A curvy road to Hochtannberg in the Austrian Alps
Hochtannberg is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.676m (5,499ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian Alps in the Bundesland of Vorarlberg.
Tilliacher Joch: courage is required to drive to the summit
Tilliacher Joch (Forcella Dignàs) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.094m (6,870ft) above the sea level, located in Val Visdende, a valley in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria.
Driving the road to Silzer Sattel is not a piece of cake
Silzer Sattel is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.692m (5,551ft) above the sea level, located in the district of Imst in the Austrian state of Tyrol.
Eisentalalm, the highest point on the Nockalmstrasse
Eisentalalm is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.042m (6,699ft) above the sea level, located in Carinthia, in the Karnten region of southern Austria. It’s the highest point on the Nockalmstrasse.
Driving the international Seebergsattel pass
Seeberg Saddle is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 1.218m (3,996ft) above the sea level, located in the Southern Limestone Alps, on the border between Slovenia and Austria.
Felbertauern Tunnel
The Felbertauern tunnel is a high mountain tunnel at an elevation of 1.650m (5,413ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Salzburg and Tyrol, in Austria.
Gaislachkoglbahn is a road for James Bond
Gaislachkoglbahn is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.018m (9,901ft) above the sea level, located in the Weisskamm group of the Ötztal Alps, in Austria. The peak was the spectacular shooting location for the James Bond Spectre movie. It’s one of the highest roads in Europe.
An iconic paved road to Zillergrund-Stausee
Zillergrund-Stausee is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 1.850m (6,069ft) above the sea level, located in the Zillertal in the Austrian state of Tyrol.
Driving the international Pavlic Pass
Pavlič Pass is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 1.349m (4,425ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Slovenia and Austria.
Wurmkogl
Wurmkogl is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.023m (9,917ft) above the sea level, located in the Ötztal Alps of Tyrol, Austria. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.
Road trip guide: Conquering Markinkele
Markinkele is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.545m (8,349ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps on the border between Austria and Italy.
Mutkogel
Mutkogel is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.972m (9,750ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.
Driving the wild unpaved road to Polentin Pass
Passo Polentin is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.538m (5,045ft) above the sea level, on the border between Austria and Italy.
Festkogl
Festkogl is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.898m (9,507ft) located in the Ötztal Alps in Tyrol, Austria. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.
Zirmsee
Lake Zirm is a small lake in a rocky basin, at an elevation of 2.525m (8,284ft) above the sea level, located in Carinthia region, in southern Austria. The average gradient is 10.88% with sections up to 20%.
Roßfeldhöhenringstraße
The Roßfeldpanoramastraße is a toll-Alpine road located in the Alps of Berchtesgaden in the district of Berchtesgaden, Bavaria (Germany).
Feistritzer Alm
Feistritzer Alm is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.718m (5,633ft) above the sea level, located in the Carnic Alps, on the border of Austria and Italy.
Gletscherexpress Bergstation
Gletscherexpress Bergstation is a high mountain lift at an elevation of 2.842m (9,324ft) above the sea level, located in the Ötztal Valley, in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.
Pfeishütte
Pfeishütte is an Alpine mountain refuge hut at an elevation of 1.926m (6,318ft) above the sea level, located below Mount Sonntagkar in Karwendel, in the Austria’s western state of Tyrol.
Weinflaschenkopf
Weinflaschenkopf is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.813m (9,229ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.
Hagener Hütte
Hagener Hütte is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 2.435m (7,988ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Carinthia and Salzburg, in Austria.
Schwarzsee
Schwarzsee is a high Alpine lake at an elevation of 2.850m (9,350ft) above the sea level, located in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.