The Stelvio Pass: Italy's highest pass road
A road from 1825 in the middle of the national park, toll-free and open only in the summer half of the year.
The Stelvio Pass links Val Venosta in South Tyrol with Valtellina in Lombardy at 2,758 m (9,049 ft); below the summit a road branches off over the Umbrail Pass to Val Müstair in Switzerland. On the South Tyrol side 48 hairpins climb over 27.5 km (17.1 mi); on the Lombardy side 34 hairpins and seven tunnels climb over 21.7 km (13.5 mi).
The road was built from 1820 to 1825 under Carlo Donegani as the fastest link between the parts of the Austrian Empire, and opened in October 1825. The average gradient of 9 percent, at most 11 percent, was designed for horse-drawn carriages.
The pass lies inside Stelvio National Park. There is no toll so far; Stilfser Joch GmbH, owned by the Province of South Tyrol and ERSAF, is planning an access and booking system with a usage fee.
Stilfser Joch GmbH (South Tyrol and ERSAF): the Stelvio Pass road ↗
In numbers
- Summit
- 2,758 m
- Eastern ramp from Prad
- 27.5 km
- Hairpins, eastern ramp
- 48
- Climb, eastern ramp
- 1,870 m
- Western ramp from Bormio
- 21.7 km
- Hairpins, western ramp
- 34, plus 7 tunnels
- Gradient
- 9 %, at most 11 %
- Opened
- October 1825
