A steep and busy road to the top of Fern Pass in Austria

Fernpass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.212m (3,976ft) above the sea level, located in the Tyrol state of Austria.

Is Fern Pass in Austria busy?

The road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called Fernpass Straße (B 179). The route is said to have been popular with traders since pre-Roman times. Today the road is well developed, but also quite boring. It is usually very busy - the pass is one of the busiest alpine passes in the Eastern Alps – because it’s a popular connection for traffic from southern Germany to Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass.

Is Fern Pass in Austria open in winters?

Set high in the Tyrolean Alps, the road is usually open year round but short term closures are common in winter. Carrying winter equipment is a legal requirement in Austria.

How long is the Fern Pass?

Tucked away in the western part of the country, the two-lane road to the summit is 17.7km (10.99 miles) long, running south-north from Nassereith to Lermoos. The road to the summit is very steep, hitting an 8% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps.