Driving the scenic Passo del Rombo in the Alps
Timmelsjoch Pass (Passo del Rombo) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.479m (8,133ft) above the sea level, on the border of Austria and Italy, just some meters below the Queen of alpine roads, Passo dello Stelvio.
Where is Timmelsjoch Pass (Passo del Rombo)?
Set high the Ötztal Alps, it's one of the highest paved roads of the Alps. The pass connects the Ötztal valley in the Austrian state of Tyrol to the Passeier Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Since the completion of the pass road it is an indispensable connection between North and South Tyrol.
Can you drive to Timmelsjoch Pass (Passo del Rombo)?
The road to the summit is totally paved. On the Italian side it is called SS44bis. On the Austrian side, it’s a toll road, called Timmelsjoch Hochalpenstrasse, with a length of 12 km (7.45 miles).
Is the Timmelsjoch pass open?
It’s one of the scenic Austrian Alpine roads. The pass road is open to traffic daily from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Due to the exposed high-elevation terrain, driving over the mountain pass is only possible between approximately the beginning of June and the end of October. Often there are snow depths of up to ten meters. There are no restrictions as regards using the road on the Austrian side right up to the summit. However, due to the steep, narrow road conditions and bridge constructions on the Italian side, the following restrictions apply: Cars and motorcycles are permitted; motor homes and small lorries are permitted - max. gross weight 8 tons, max. width 2.55 m, max. height 4 m; small buses are permitted – max. overall length 10 m, max. gross weight 8 tons; buses with an overall length of over 10 m or a gross weight exceeding 8 tons are not permitted; lorries with an overall weight exceeding 8 tons are not permitted; trailers with an overall length of over 4.5 m are not permitted; cyclists who use the Timmelsjoch Pass do so at their own risk. Bicycle lights are compulsory.
When was the road to Timmelsjoch Pass (Passo del Rombo) built?
The pass is now popular with car and motorbike tourists. In the late 19th century the construction of a road to the summit was considered and the project was eventually realized in the mid 1950s (between 1955 and 1959). With construction work only possible from May to November, in only 17 months the road was built and could be opened for the public on July 7, 1959 on the Austrian side. However, the connection to Italy was only finished in 1968. For centuries the mountain pass was the most important connection between the Upper Inn Valley and the city of Merano, which represented the political and economic center of the historical county of Tyrol for a long time.
What is the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road?
The Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road is the name of a scenic drive through the Timmelsjoch Pass (Passo del Rombo). The road is totally paved and very curvy, featuring 60 turns and 30 hairpin turns. It hits a 12.7% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The drive is a truly memorable experience especially for cabriolet drivers, motor bikers or mountain bikers, with breathtaking views of the Ötztal Alps. The Ötztal valley side of the road is subject to a toll charge. If you drive along the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road, the highest pass of the eastern Alps, you can enjoy a majestic view of the Ötztal Alps and a masterpiece of road construction at the same time. Fantastic vantage points, crystal-clear brooks and steep-ascending rock faces accompany you from the Ötztal valley to the Italian Tyrol. The entire route was secured modern and has excellent road conditions.