1753 hm
Ascent
21.5 km
Distance Ascent
12 %
max. gradient
8.2 %
ø gradient
Austria’s most famous mountain road. 48 kilometres, 36 hairpins, and at the top you stand at 2,504 metres with a direct view of the Großglockner, the country’s highest peak. No other Alpine pass combines this much infrastructure with this much raw wilderness.
The Route
The classic road bike ascent starts in Bruck an der Großglocknerstraße on the Salzburg side. 22 km, 1,570 metres of elevation gain, averaging 7.1%. The road is wide, perfectly paved and well signposted. No surprise: it’s a toll road and maintained accordingly.
The first 8 kilometres to the toll station rise steadily at 6-7%. Past the toll, it turns properly alpine. Hairpins tighten, the gradient kicks up to 8-10%. At the Fuscher Törl (2,428 m) the Glockner massif reveals itself for the first time. From here it’s another 4 km to the Edelweißspitze or the Hochtor tunnel.
The Carinthian side from Heiligenblut is shorter but steeper: 13.6 km, 1,301 metres of climbing, with sections over 12%. Less traffic, rougher, wilder.
For the full experience, take the spur road to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (2,369 m). You’ll stand face to face with the Pasterze, Austria’s largest glacier.
History and Pro Cycling
The road opened in 1935 and has been a symbol of the Austrian Alps ever since. It was never a Grand Tour classic, but since the 2010s it has become a fixture in granfondos and mass-start events. The Glocknerkönig is the big one: 1,400 metres of climbing, mass start format, sold out every year.
The Tour of Austria has featured the Großglockner several times. But the real draw isn’t professional racing. It’s the road itself.
Tips for Cyclists
Toll: cyclists pay around €8 (as of 2025). The road is open from May to October, depending on snow conditions. Best months: June or September. July and August bring motorcycles, camper vans and tour buses in droves. Avoid weekends.
Start early, before 8 a.m., and you’ll beat the toll gate rush. It gets cold at the top: even in summer, expect below 10°C. A jacket and arm warmers are non-negotiable. Water is available at the toll station and at the Fuscher Törl. The descent towards Heiligenblut is technical: tight switchbacks, tunnels, oncoming traffic.
In 2019 I rode the High Alpine Road from Fusch for the first time. Growing up watching the Tour of Austria, the Glocknerkönig always seemed impossibly out of reach. And then it happened: you get to feel like the king of the Glockner yourself.