The Grossglockner High Alpine Road: Zell am See to Heiligenblut (2 Days)
Drive Austria's Grossglockner High Alpine Road from Zell am See to Heiligenblut — 36 hairpins, glacier views, tolls, where to sleep and real costs.
Rough estimate — fuel + nights at typical rates. Get an exact figure in the calculator.
Austria’s Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Großglockner Hochalpenstraße) climbs through 36 hairpin bends to about 2,500 m beneath the country’s highest peak. You drive on the right. Note that this is a toll road, open only in the warmer months (roughly May to October, weather permitting) and closed at night and in winter — check the dates and pay the toll at the entrance gate. Take it slowly, use the pull-offs, and let faster cars pass.
Day 1 — Zell am See to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (50 km)
From the lakeside town of Zell am See, drive up to the toll road and climb the northern hairpins. Stop at the Edelweißspitze, the road’s highest point, then continue to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe terrace facing the Pasterze glacier and the Grossglockner itself. Sleep near the pass or back in Zell am See.
Day 2 — Over the pass to Heiligenblut (20 km)
Descend the southern hairpins to the postcard mountain village of Heiligenblut, whose slender church spire is framed by the peak. From here you can carry on to Lienz, or turn around and drive the pass again in the other direction.
Costs
Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your exact dates. Budget for the Grossglockner toll (charged per car for a day’s access) — it is not a public road. Remember the road is seasonal and closed in winter. Mountain-village accommodation fills up in summer, so book ahead.
Where to stay on this route
Pick your dates and see what is available in Heiligenblut.
See places to stay — Heiligenblut →Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
🚦 Know before you go
Vignette. Austria requires a standard vignette for regular motorways — a 10-day digital vignette is approx. €12.80, bought online at asfinag.at or at petrol stations.
Tolls. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a SEPARATE seasonal toll road NOT covered by the vignette — a car day-ticket is approx. €46.50 (approx. €40 for EVs), paid by card/cash at the Ferleiten or Heiligenblut toll booths.
Good to know. The Grossglockner is closed in winter and only opens roughly early May to early November — check grossglockner.at before going, and budget the ~€46.50 toll on top of your vignette.
Estimate your exact costs in the cost calculator. Prices are approximate — check official sites before you travel. Some links are affiliate links.
Plan this trip
Where to sleep
Hotels & B&Bs → Holiday homes & apartments → Campsites (bookable) → Campervan & overnight spots →Tours & tickets
Find things to do →Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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