The Silvretta High Alpine Road
One of the Alps' most beautiful and spectacular mountain pass roads
The mountain pass between the Montafon on the Vorarlberg side and the Tyrolean Paznaun is one of the Alps' most beautiful and spectacular mountain pass roads.
This road is a must for all motorcycling enthusiasts, but you should also not miss out on this tour through the impressive natural environment if you come by car.
The Silvretta High Alpine Road in numbers
- Road length: 25.4km from Partenen to Galtür
- Number of bends: 34, 32 of which are on the Vorarlberg side
- Highest point: 2,032m
- Open: from May to November. The winter closure varies depending on the snow situation.
- Toll: €15 for cars and €12 for motorcycles
But these numbers say nothing about the incredible beauty that you can expect up there: from the lush meadows in the Montafon the road leads you all the way up to the snow-covered, rough Silvretta peaks and to the enormous reservoirs.
A stop at the reservoirs
The Bielerhöhe is the highest point is also the perfect place for a little break: here, at the Silvretta reservoir, you will find inns and pubs and a walk along the dam wall is a definite must.
Sad detail: the reservoir was mainly built under cruel and inhuman conditions by forced labourers under the Nazi regime.
The road's history
Today you will find three big water reservoirs in the Silvretta area: the Kops, Silvretta and Vermunt reservoir. The road was originally built in 1925 on the Vorarlberg side and was intended to be a transport route to and from the Vermunt reservoir. After the Anschluss Österreichs, the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, the road was extended in order to be able to complete the work for the Sivretta reservoir, the biggest of the three.
Years later an enormous digger was still standing up there. Instead of disassembling it and transporting the components down to the valley by cable car, it was driven towards Galtür because the path on this side wasn't as steep and more manageable. So, the continuous road was more of a workaround. In 1954 the road was made accessible for the public.
Out and about in Vorarlberg
Start in Damüls and drive for about an hour to the south via Bludenz and through the wonderful Montafon. Have a look at this and many other gorgeous motorcycling tours through the “Ländle”, as the locals call Vorarlberg.
The team at the Madlener Mountain Hotel very much recommends this tour during the summer months. Just send us a no obligation holiday enquiry or book online and get tips for you Vorarlberg holiday directly from your hosts in Damüls.