The Großglockner Alpine Road in the Salzburger Land

The Celts and the Romans had already crossed over the Alps from the South towards the North close to the Glacier at the Großglockner. At the “Hochtor” the path left Italy and made its way into Austria and the Salzburger Land. Ancient Roman and Celtic relics were found around this area.

Today the Großglockner Alpine road is one of the main tourist destination points and one of the most popular motorcycle tours in the Salzburger Land. The circa 48 km long stretch takes the biker through multiple sweeps and curves up to the Kaiser Franz Josef Höhe. From here the unrestricted view of the Großglockner acts as the highlight of the day.

One of the most recognised high alpine roads is the Großglockner High Alpine Road in the National Park Hohe Tauern. The Großglockner, 3,798 m high, is Austria’s highest mountain and at the end of the drive at the Kaiser Franz Josef Höhe, 2,504 m, can visitors enjoy the view of the Großglockner Glacier. The Großglockner’s 48 km long high alpine road has 36 sweeping curves and bends making the Großglockner High Alpine Road a great fun ride for motor bikers.

The journey to the Großglockner High Alpine Road starts from Berchtesgaden and leads off to Ramsau up the German Alpine Road towards Bad Reichenhall and Traunstein. The road leading down from Wachterl is filled with plenty of curves to amuse the motor biker. At the bottom the biker takes a left towards Schneitzelreuth / Unken and remains on this road until Lofer. From Lofer the biker follows the road all the way to Zell am See. Signs to the Großglockner Hoch Alpenstraße, in Fusch, can be seen before reaching Zell am See. The places of Bruck and Fusch had their supplementary names changed after the construction of the road, instead of Bruck / Fusch im Pinzgau, for the Pinzgau Region they are now called Bruck / Fusch an der Glocknerstraße (on the Glockner road). Upon reaching the Toll Booth the biker has already rode 1 km on the Glockner road. The kilometre stone 0 can be found at the Guest house Lukashansel in the middle of the town of Bruck. Now the ride up the mountain begins. The road surface of some of the tighter bends is cobble stoned and can be dated back to the construction of the road in 1935.

After 28 km the biker reaches the Fuscher Törl (a memorial edifice). Just before the Fuscher Törl, to the left, is the parking lot, Edelweißspitze (Edelweiß point). The Edelweißspitze is the highest point of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and has extra parking facilities for motorbikes. From here one can see the peak of the Großglockner. After the Fuscher Törl the road meanders back down the mountain and after a few kilometres the road splits up, the left road takes the biker down to the Glockner village of Heiligen Blut (Holy Blood). The road to the right takes the biker through lots of bends back up the mountain to the Sightseeing platform at Kaiser Franz Josef Höhe and a large parking area that caters to motorbikes. The view from the platform towards the Glacier is something that everyone should experience for as long as the Glacier lasts. Over the last decades the Glacier has drastically receded.

Road book – Stretches of road – towns and villages to the Großglockner high alpine road.

Ramsau near Berchtesgaden (Alpenstraße B305)
Schneizelreuth (B21)
Steinpass Melleck (German/ Austrian Border)
Unken (Loferbundesstraße B178)
Lofer (Pinzgauer Bundestraße B311) circa 45 km
Zell am See
Bruck
Fusch Großglockner Landesstraße (L 271)

Total Km = circa 90
Travel time: 1:45 hrs