Advice required on best routes Switzerland & Austria
 

Hi All,

We're two riders from Alaska who'll be traveling around Switzerland and Italy in September on rented adventure bikes.

We're interested in suggested routes in the Alps. We'll be renting the bikes in Frankfurt then heading south for five days of touring.

Would be greatful for any advice on a round trip route!

Thanks in advance.

Vic and Beth

Hi Vic and Beth,

I don't know about Austria (never had the chance to go there yet), but for scenic motorcycle routes in this area I would suggest the following :

- from Frankfurt, head south straight to Luzern (CH), rest and visit a couple of hours this nice city
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzern
- take motorway #8 south to Meringen
- then head to Grimsel pass (CH)
- then on the other side, Furka pass (CH), where you can see the Rhone Glacier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furka_pass
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhone_Glacier
- head to Andermatt, St Gotthard pass (CH)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Gotthard_Pass
- ride through Bellinzona (CH), Lugano (CH), then switch to Italy, ride along Lake Como with George Clooney :scooter:,
- then head to the Stelvio Pass (IT) via Bormio (IT)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stelvio_Pass

- head to Bolzano (IT), ride the Dolomites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomites
- continue your route, either to Austria or to Switzerland, then back to Frankfurt.



5 days is pretty short, but it is doable.

The route I suggested (did it in 2007) will take you along the highlights in Alpine Switzerland (Luzern, Grimsel pass, Furka pass, Rhoen Glacier) and northern Italy (Dolomites, Stelvio pass).

Others Hubbers might jump in to suggest routes to and in Austria, but as said, 5 days is pretty short to make it all.

You sure are going to have a nice trip.

Ride safe and beware of speed camera in Switzerland !

Hello Vic, Beth:

I'm in Switzerland now, riding around. I ride here pretty much every year.

I generally agree with what LittleBigCheng in the post above. It's pretty difficult to NOT find a good pass to ride in Switzerland - your question is a bit like someone who is going to a 3 Michelin star rated restaurant asking 'What's good to eat?' :)

Having said that, I think you might be being a bit ambitious trying to do both Switzerland and Austria during the same 5 day period. Both countries are wonderful for riding, however, there is a bit of a 'dull spot' between the two countries when you are commuting between the best riding areas of each. If you were here for 2 weeks, that would be of no concern, but because you are only going to be here for 5 days, I recommend that you focus on Switzerland and forget about going to Austria on this particular trip. Doing that will keep the percentage of time you spend 'riding the passes' high, and minimize the percentage of time you spend 'transiting' boring motorways between the areas that have the nice passes.

From Frankfurt, it will be about a one day ride to get into the Swiss Alps. You can then plan on spending 3 days of riding passes that are all more or less just south of Luzern, then you have one remaining day to get back up to Frankfurt.

I suggest you consider riding the Sustenpass (one of my favourites), the Furkapass (same neighborhood), perhaps the Klausenpass, and if you are so inclined, the Gotthardpass. All of those begin within a one hour ride from Luzern. If you want to stay in the same hotel 3 nights in a row (rather than sleeping in a different place every night), consider riding from Frankfurt to Andermatt and setting up housekeeping in Andermatt. Andermatt is pretty much the 'ground zero' of all the Swiss passes.

Be aware that it is not uncommon to get snow in the passes in September. So, you will need to do some research in the days just before your ride to see which passes (if any) have been closed due to overnight snowfalls. The risk of pass closure due to snow increases towards the end of September.

Watch your speed carefully. There are lots of radar cameras in Switzerland. They are almost always set up at the entrances to villages, near where the speed limit changes to 50 km/h. Be aware that in Switzerland, you will not see a 'speed 50 km/h' sign at the entrance to a village. The sign that shows the name of the village is, de facto, the speed limit sign, because Switzerland has a national speed limit of 50 km/h in the villages. Radar cameras are not a big concern as long as you respect the 50 km/h limits in the villages.

Michael

Hi, i was in the Alps this summer and travelled most of the roads mentioned above which are all excellent. i would also suggest you consider 'Route des grand Alpes' which links a number of great roads from switzerland to Nice. Andy

Thanks for the replies Folks, I'll see that Vic and Beth get the advice as they are now already in Switzerland.

Nordkapper

Buy this book A motorcycle guide through the alps and Corsica by John Hermann.

Amazon.com: Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Corsica (9781884313325): John Hermann: Books

I have used it for 3 Alps and Austria trips and it is invaluable.

Here is me in Andermatt in Switzerland swatting up:

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...0/IMG_0603.jpg

Of course Stelvio has to be on your list. Do not approach it from the Italy side though as that is the easy approach.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...0/STB_0748.jpg

Steve

Steveindenmark,
Thanks for sharing the info on the book I have located a copy on the www and it is now ordered, hopefully it will be here for hubby's birthday present next weekend.
Maybe it will give him something to think about as at the moment all he wants to do is The Stelvio even after I have told him there are a great many more passes to do.
Thanks