The road remains the highest mountain pass road in Austria.
Construction took only 26 months, employing up to 3,200 workers simultaneously during peak activity.
The Edelweiß-Spitze viewpoint provides a 360-degree panorama of more than thirty 3,000-meter peaks.
The Pasterze glacier, visible from the road, has lost significant mass, receding by several kilometers since the road's completion.
The road is one of the few high-altitude passes in the Alps that uses a toll system to fund its continuous snow-clearing operations.
It was declared a protected monument in 2015 due to its historical and engineering significance.
The route includes a specialized museum detailing the engineering challenges of building on permafrost.
Alpine marmots are frequently spotted near the parking areas at higher elevations.
The Großglockner Hochalpenstraße is Austria’s highest surfaced mountain pass road, reaching an elevation of 2,504 meters at the Edelweiß-Spitze. It serves as a trans-alpine link connecting the states of Salzburg and Carinthia through the High Tauern National Park. The road spans 48 kilometers with 36 hairpin bends and a maximum gradient of 12 percent. Engineered between 1930 and 1935, the route was designed to provide accessibility to the Großglockner, Austria’s tallest peak at 3,798 meters. Visitors traverse several climate zones, ranging from alpine pastures to high-altitude permafrost and glacial fields. Key infrastructure includes the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe visitor center, which overlooks the Pasterze glacier. The route is private property and managed by the Großglockner Hochalpenstraßen AG. It is considered a major feat of interwar civil engineering and remains a significant transit corridor for both tourists and cyclists.
Edelweiß-Spitze summit viewpoint at the highest point of the road.
Check the official website for real-time traffic and weather conditions before departing, as high-altitude snow can close the road even in summer.
Use lower gears when descending to prevent brake overheating.
Start your drive early in the morning to avoid heavy tour bus traffic.
Attempting the drive in standard tires during spring or late autumn, when snow chains are often still required.
The road is strictly seasonal, generally open from early May to early November, depending on snow accumulation; it is closed during the winter months.
Maintain lane discipline on narrow hairpin turns; pull into designated bays to allow faster traffic to pass.
