Driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road
A 48-kilometre toll road built between the wars for no reason except the drive and the view. What it costs, when it opens, and why the vignette won't get you through the gate.
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a 48 km privately operated toll road in Austria, topping out at the Hochtor at 2,504 m. The day ticket is €46.50 for a car and €36.50 for a motorcycle, and it is not covered by the Austrian motorway vignette. It is gated with daily hours, and in 2026 it reopened on 25 April.
Most great passes are roads between two places people need to reach. The Grossglockner is not: it is a piece of civil engineering built as a destination in its own right, opened in 1935 after five years' work, purely so that people could drive it. That changes how it feels. The surface is immaculate, the gradients are engineered rather than inherited, and every viewpoint is deliberate.
The toll
The day ticket is €46.50 for a car and €36.50 for a motorcycle (source: GROHAG, the road's operator). The Austrian motorway vignette does not cover it.
This is the single most common surprise at the gate. The vignette you bought for Austria's motorways buys you nothing here; the Grossglockner is a separate, privately run toll road. Budget for it as its own line item. It is, for what it is worth, worth every euro.
Opening hours
Because it is gated, the Grossglockner closes each night, and the hours shift through the season:
| Period | Gates open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Until 31 May | 06:00 – 20:00 | 19:15 |
| 1 June – 31 August | 05:30 – 21:00 | 20:15 |
| From 1 September | 06:00 – 19:30 | 18:45 |
The road
The road climbs to the Hochtor at 2,504 m, with a spur up to the Edelweissspitze, its highest point, and a second branch out to the Franz-Josefs-Höhe, where the Pasterze glacier and the Grossglockner itself, Austria's highest peak at 3,798 m, fill the view. Because it opens weeks before the natural passes around it, the Grossglockner is often the first great alpine drive of the year.
Driving it from the UK
The Grossglockner sits about 1,200 km from Calais in southern Austria, the far end of a proper alpine tour. It pairs well with the Dolomites and the Eastern passes. Remember the Austrian motorway vignette on top of the toll; our UK driver's checklist covers both, and Stelvio vs Grossglockner weighs it against its great Italian rival.
Common questions
How much does the Grossglockner High Alpine Road cost?
The day ticket is €46.50 for a car and €36.50 for a motorcycle, as published by the road's operator GROHAG. It is not covered by the Austrian motorway vignette, which is a separate charge.
Is the Grossglockner covered by the Austrian vignette?
No. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a privately operated toll road with its own charge on top of the Austrian motorway vignette. A great many visitors discover this at the gate.
What are the Grossglockner opening hours?
The road is gated and open daily during the season. Until 31 May the gates are open 06:00 to 20:00 (last entry 19:15); from 1 June to 31 August, 05:30 to 21:00 (last entry 20:15); and from 1 September, 06:00 to 19:30 (last entry 18:45).
When does the Grossglockner open?
It opens earlier than the natural passes because it is actively cleared. In 2026 it reopened on 25 April, and it runs from around the start of May to the start of November.
Drive the Grossglockner with us
We build the Grossglockner into bespoke Eastern Alps trips, with the toll, the vignette and the hotels all arranged before you leave the UK.
See the trips