Silvretta High Alpine Road is the Dream Road of the Alps
Silvretta Hochalpenstraße High Alpine Road is considered one of the most beautiful and popular panoramic roads in the Austrian Alps. The 'Dream road of the Alps' is 22.3 km long and leads in 34 curves up to 2.032m (6,666ft) above the sea level, providing unique views in a wonderful natural landscape. Expect steep turns and sharp bends, endless serpentines and a superb panorama.
How long is the Silvretta Hochalpenstraße?
Set high in the Silvretta Alps, a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps, the road is 22.3km (14 miles) long and runs from Partenen in the Montafon (1.051m) through a total of 34 bends to the 2.032 m-high Bielerhöhe (toll road) as far as Galtür (1.584m) in the Paznauntal. It begins right in Galtür and heads across the Bielerhöhe to Vorarlberg. The first path from Partenen to the lake Vermunt was built in 1925. Five years later the dam was finished, so the trail wasn't necessary anymore. Only eight years later the path was expanded till the Silvretta, because another dam was planned. Located on the boundary of Tyrol and Vorarlberg states, the road has 34 hairpin bends. With more than 400.000 visitors each year, it's one of the scenic Austrian Alpine roads.
Is the Silvretta High Alpine Road paved?
The Silvretta High Alpine Road is totally paved and only open in summer and a toll has to be paid to use it. It provides unique views and has a wonderful natural landscape. From Galtür it is some ten kilometres to the Bielerhöhe, where the highest mountain in the Austrian Silvretta range sits enthroned, the Piz Buin. Restaurants, sports opportunities and much more await guests at Bielerhöhe. While there are only two hairpin bends on the way up, the road down into neighbouring Vorarlberg has 30 hairpin bends to negotiate. The Bielerhöhe at the top of the Silvretta-Hochalpenstrasse between Montafon and the Paznauntal valley, is the starting point for numerous hikes and tours. With the Silvrettasee nestling in the magnificent high mountain landscape, it offers a fantastic panorama. When you pay your fee, don’t forget to aks for the flyer, since it contains a beautiful panorama map of the whole Silvretta region. The toll station in Partenen is located at an altitude of 1.051m/3,500ft. The toll station on the other side of the mountain in Galtur is located at an elevation of 584m/4,500ft. The gradient is 10 - max. 12 %, reduced to 5 % on the hairpin bends. Known for its expansive views and alpine scenery, the drive is towered by the highest mountain of Tirol’s Silvretta Range, 3,312-meter Piz Buin Peak.
Is Silvretta-Hochalpenstraße open?
This route paves a way between mighty mountains. At the top of the pass there are restaurants, and even the opportunity to walk around the lake on foot and to explore the lake and its hydro-electric dam. The road is open weather permitting from June to October. Even when it’s been spring for months at lower altitudes, it can still look like winter on this scenic drive. Trailers are not allowed on the entire Silvretta-Hochalpenstraße, there is a night parking ban and a length limit of 13.8 m for tour buses. You will find an ideal location for beautiful pictures of the Hochalpenstraße between hairpin bends 22 and 23.
Silvretta High Alpine Road: numbers & facts
When was the Silvretta-Hochalpenstraße built?
The road was opened to public traffic in 1954 and extended to two lanes along its entire length until 1961. The experience of using this road is very impressive. On the entire Silvretta High Alps Road there is a speed limit of 70 km/h. You should follow that strictly for two reasons. First of all the landscape is enormous and second the speed limit is controlled frequently by the local police. On the Bieler height, which is the pass road summit, a more than grandiose view opens up to the glacier region of the famous Piz Buin mountain at the end of the storage lake. It is worthwhile to plan here a longer break. It is a frequently chosen location for motor sport events, including classic car rallies or cycling races.
Pic: https://www.silvretta-bielerhoehe.at