Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland — Mountain
Europe

Swiss Alpine Passes

Switzerland

Point-to-point
Lucerne Zermatt

In short: Swiss Alpine Passes is a About 450 km mountain road trip in Switzerland, typically driven over 5 days, best in Jun–Oct. Highlights: Lucerne, Andermatt, Susten Pass.

Distance
About 450 km
Duration
5 days
Best Season
Jun–Oct
LegendaryModerateMountainEV-friendly

A coherent five-day high-pass figure-eight: Lucerne to Andermatt, west over Susten to Meiringen, east over Grimsel and Furka back to Andermatt, then south over Gotthard and Nufenen to Brig before parking at Täsch for car-free Zermatt. Each road day follows a continuous drivable order without the former Susten-to-Grimsel reversal.

~0 refuels
~1 charge
Practical notes
Check FEDRO/cantonal status for every pass on the same morning; summer roads, the Furka railway and the Rhône Glacier attraction can open and close on different dates. The default day 3 is the Furka road and conditional ice-grotto stop; a booked Furka steam-railway day is a mutually exclusive substitution, not an added attraction. Confirm every seasonal pass restaurant. Private cars cannot enter Zermatt: park legally in Täsch, take the shuttle train and retain luggage/parking margin.

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Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Lucerne to Andermatt

Devil’s Bridge and Suvorov Monument · Gasthaus Skiklub

Day 2Andermatt over Susten Pass to Meiringen

Susten Pass and Steingletscher · Reichenbach Falls · Restaurant Victoria

Day 3Meiringen over Grimsel and Furka passes to Andermatt

Grimsel Pass reservoirs · Furka Pass and conditional Rhône Glacier attraction · Hotel Grimsel Hospiz

Day 4Andermatt over Gotthard and Nufenen passes to Brig

Historic Gotthard Pass · Nufenen Pass · Restaurant Walliserstuba

Day 5Brig to Täsch, shuttle to car-free Zermatt

Täsch parking and Zermatt shuttle · Matterhorn Museum and village viewpoints · Schäferstube

Stops along the route

Lucerne — Departure — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Departure
Lucerne
The practical gateway before the first Andermatt overnight.
Andermatt — City — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
City
Andermatt
The hub for the signed westbound and eastbound pass stages.
Meiringen — City — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
City
Meiringen
Overnight between the Susten crossing and the Grimsel–Furka return.
Andermatt — City — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
City
Andermatt
The second hub night before turning south.
Brig and Täsch — City — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
City
Brig and Täsch
Brig is the overnight; Täsch is the mandatory car park and shuttle gateway.
Zermatt — Arrival — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Arrival
Zermatt
Reach the car-free final destination by train from Täsch.

Things to Do

Susten Pass — Nature — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Nature
Susten Pass
Cross westbound from the Reuss valley toward Meiringen on day two.
Grimsel and Furka passes — Nature — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Nature
Grimsel and Furka passes
The continuous eastbound day-three crossing back to Andermatt.
Gotthard and Nufenen passes — Nature — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Nature
Gotthard and Nufenen passes
The continuous Ticino-to-Valais pass day ending in Brig.
Devil’s Bridge and Suvorov Monument — Historic mountain crossing — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Historic mountain crossing
Devil’s Bridge and Suvorov Monument
Use the signed Andermatt/Göschenen gorge viewpoint for context before the high-pass days; verify path access after severe weather.
Susten Pass and Steingletscher — Mountain road — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Mountain road
Susten Pass and Steingletscher
Use signed viewpoints only after the live status check.
Reichenbach Falls — Waterfall — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Waterfall
Reichenbach Falls
Check railway/path operation and overnight in Meiringen or Innertkirchen.
Show 6 more
Grimsel Pass reservoirs — Mountain road — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Mountain road
Grimsel Pass reservoirs
Make this the second named pass anchor and retain weather margin.
Furka Pass and conditional Rhône Glacier attraction — Mountain road — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Mountain road
Furka Pass and conditional Rhône Glacier attraction
Drive the pass and use the ice-grotto stop only if the official attraction lists it open.
Historic Gotthard Pass — Mountain pass — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Mountain pass
Historic Gotthard Pass
Use the old-road segment only when open and suitable.
Nufenen Pass — Mountain pass — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Mountain pass
Nufenen Pass
Make the omitted pass explicit and end in the Upper Valais.
Täsch parking and Zermatt shuttle — Car-free arrival — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Car-free arrival
Täsch parking and Zermatt shuttle
Park in Täsch and take the train; never route the private car into Zermatt.
Matterhorn Museum and village viewpoints — Museum and mountain view — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Museum and mountain view
Matterhorn Museum and village viewpoints
Use a realistic weather-independent museum plus an open local viewpoint.

Where to Eat

Gasthaus Skiklub — Swiss — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Swiss
Gasthaus Skiklub
Reserve the Andermatt arrival meal.
Restaurant Victoria — Swiss — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Swiss
Restaurant Victoria
Verify and reserve this Meiringen dinner.
Hotel Grimsel Hospiz — Swiss alpine — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Swiss alpine
Hotel Grimsel Hospiz
Confirm seasonal lunch service before crossing.
Restaurant Walliserstuba — Valais — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Valais
Restaurant Walliserstuba
Verify this Brig-area arrival meal and reserve.
Schäferstube — Valais — Swiss Alpine Passes — Switzerland
Valais
Schäferstube
Reserve this Zermatt dinner after the shuttle arrival.

Nearby and similar drives

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Swiss Alpine Passes drive?

The Swiss Alpine Passes covers About 450 km from start to finish.

How long does the Swiss Alpine Passes take to drive?

Most travellers spend 5 days on the Swiss Alpine Passes, depending on stops and pace.

When is the best time to drive the Swiss Alpine Passes?

The recommended season for the Swiss Alpine Passes is Jun–Oct.

Where does the Swiss Alpine Passes start and end?

The Swiss Alpine Passes runs from Lucerne to Zermatt.

What are the main stops on the Swiss Alpine Passes?

The Swiss Alpine Passes passes through Lucerne, Andermatt, Susten Pass.

How difficult is the Swiss Alpine Passes to drive?

The Swiss Alpine Passes is rated moderate and is best handled with any vehicle.

Can I drive the Swiss Alpine Passes in a regular car?

Yes — the Swiss Alpine Passes is paved end-to-end and a regular car is fine in normal conditions.

How many fuel stops are needed on the Swiss Alpine Passes?

Plan around 0 refuels (or about 1 EV charges) along the Swiss Alpine Passes, based on its About 450 km length.

Is the Swiss Alpine Passes EV friendly?

Yes — the Swiss Alpine Passes has charger coverage along the route and works as an EV road trip.

Is the Swiss Alpine Passes safe to drive?

Check FEDRO/cantonal status for every pass on the same morning; summer roads, the Furka railway and the Rhône Glacier attraction can open and close on different dates. The default day 3 is the Furka road and conditional ice-grotto stop; a booked Furka steam-railway day is a mutually exclusive substitution, not an added attraction. Confirm every seasonal pass restaurant. Private cars cannot enter Zermatt: park legally in Täsch, take the shuttle train and retain luggage/parking margin.

What scenic tier is the Swiss Alpine Passes?

The Swiss Alpine Passes is a legendary drive — The world's most extraordinary drives — once-in-a-lifetime road trips with cinematic scenery, legendary roads, and unmatched cultural depth.