24 in 4

The plan with this trip was to follow a route over 24 passes starting at the Pass Thurn in Austria and working our way westwards through Austria, Italy and Switzerland. These passes vary from motorway like, to one-way streets (with traffic lights),and everything in between. Some that are 2-way but when you meet a car coming the other way, one of you needs to stop.
The basic route was published in the German "Touren Fahrer" magazine in 1987

Total mileage for the passes, end to end is about 650 miles and we had four days to do it. Thats get there, do the passes and back, Just a long weekend break...

I started my trip From Kaiserslautern in Germany where I met up with an American friend, Stan, who lived there, heading out at about 6am. Its a long way on the Autobahns so it's just a case of fill up with fuel and coffee and keep going.

Left the A8 Autobahn at Achensee, just before the Austrian border, (don't want to pay tolls), and headed for Pass Thurn (1273m) and on to the Grossglockner Pass (2505m).

At the Grossglockner there is a small road of very dubious quality, cobbles!, that leads up to the Edelweissspitze (2571m),, the highest point.


The Grossglockner pass is a toll road so be prepared to shell out some Shillings.

Down the other side and the road takes you to the Iselsberg Pass (1204m)

Map - Staller Sattle to Bressanone 674k

Turn northeast on the 108 at Lienz, the west to Doellach and Hopgarten. The Staller Sattel (2052m). is is on the Italian border. Down the other side to the 49 and west to Bressanone (Brixen) and on to Bolzano (Bolzen). Find the 508 going north to Sarentino and on to the Penser Joch (2211m) or Passo Di Pennes and onwards to Vipiteno (Sterzing).

Map - Bressanone to Timmels Joch 565k


Pick up the 44 and go up to the Jaufen Pass (2094m) or Passo Di Mt. Giovo and then on to the 186 (north), to Timmels Joch (2500m) or Passo Di Rombo, back into Austria.

Map - Timmels Joch to Bernina 249k


The next pass was some way down the road and you need to go towards Imst and then Landeck and pick up the 187 going south to Nauders, to Reschen (Resia) and the Reschen Pass (1504m) and the Italian border again.

The road then becomes the 40. Stay on the 40. At Sponding, take the 38 to the Passi Di Stelvio (2757m) or Stilfser Joch. One of the big ones and going up from this direction, its not a surface to be raced on! Stop in the village before the climb if its late. Plenty of bike friendly hotels for good prices.
It's best to start this climb early in the morning. There are 48 hairpins and plenty of tourist traffic in the form of cars, buses and nutters on push-bikes heading for the top. Stop at the hotel on the right just over the summit (like 50 meters) for some of the best cappuchino you can get. (If you get the right place the chocolate sprinkle is in the shape of "OK")

Down the other side to Bormio and take the route 300 to the Passo Di Gavia (2503m). Then join the 42 going west to Edolo.

Here we diviated from the published route. On the 42, you will find a small road to Monno. If you feel like a little chalenge, this is the road for you. You take this road all the way to the top of the hill(?) At the top there is a "T" junction. 100 yards before this, there is a wooden sign, for those going the other way, that says Passo Di Mortirolo (1896m) . At the "T", turn right. Prepare to work a little. It's a tight, twisty, loose surfaced and dark road in places as the trees cover it. It's a little sod. Mostly 1st & 2nd gear work. Watch out for the local lads racing their Fiat wrecks on a weekend.

At the bottom, join the main road and stop in Tirano for a well-earned cappuchino and ice-cream. I have only seen this pass marked on one map and the the drawing does not reflect the nature of the road.
Take the 38a out of here to the border.

Forcola di Livigno (2315m) on the Swiss border and in a very short distance (5 kms) you will be at the Bernina Pass (2330m)
You are now on the 29.

Map - Albula Pass to St Bernadino 249k


Now heading north again for the Albula Pass (2315m) on the 29. Carry on until you join the route 3 going south to the Julier Pass (2284m). Keep going southwest on the 3 with the lakes on your left to the Maloja Pass (1815m).

On to the Italian border (again), where the road becomes the 37 To Chiavenna. Go north from here to the Splugen Pass (2113m). Carefull... there is a hairpin bend in one of the tunnel sections going up!

Then its back into Switzerland to the Grand St. Bernadino Pass (2469m). Its difficult to find the small road to the pass. It's Route number 13. We chanced our arm on the short section of Autobahn to get to the turn off (no Carnet!).
Nice road. Much improved since my first visit in the 70's.

Map 1 - 183k Map 2 - 636k

- G. St Bernadino to Klausen Pass.


Continue on down this road to Lumino, then head nortth on the 2 to Biasca and take the road to Disentis/Muster Don't know the road number. The road follows the river and is quite a spectacular gorge.

This takes you to the Lulmanier Pass (1914m). This road joins the 19 running east/west. Turn west and the next pass is the Oberalp Pass (2044m). Continue on, then south on the 2 to the St. Gottard Pass (2108m). Almost a motorway going up but be sure to turn off to see the lake and then head through the houses to the old road going down. Its Cobbled! The new road is a bit bland.

Next, go west, (don't know the road number), to the Nufenen Pass (2478m). Down the other side until you meet up with the 19 again. Head north, on to a place called Gletsch in the Goms valley From here, take a ride up the Furka Pass (2436m), look at the glacier on the way to the top. Then turn around and go back down into Gletsch as the other side of the Furka is nothing special. Now take the route 6 road up the Grimsel Pass (2165m) (2165m). On the other side, pick up the 11 to the Susten Pass (2224m) and on the other side, pick up the 2 again.

Go north to Altdorf and turn onto the 17 to the Klausen Pass (1948m).

Thats it! Decide how you get back home from there.

If you do them all its 27 passes not 24. We didn't do the Grimsel and Susten passes on this trip because the Grimsel was closed - snow.

This is only a suggested route and there are many other passes close by the roads we traveled. Its just that this was a good one with plenty of visits to Italy for warmer weather and great cappucino's.