# Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes

> From Lucerne over four high Alpine passes in the Swiss Central Alps: around 330 kilometres through the Gadmertal, the Goms and the Val Bedretto, with honest…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-241-swiss-alpine-passes/

**At a glance:** 6-day round trip of about 242 km (151 mi) with 12 stops, starting and ending in Lucerne. About 3 h 21 min of driving in total. From Lucerne over four high Alpine passes in the Swiss Central Alps: around 330 kilometres through the Gadmertal, the Goms and the Val Bedretto, with honest advice on which famous passes a motorhome is better off skipping.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 242 km (151 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 21 min |
| Suggested days | 6 |
| Stops | 12 |
| Route | Lucerne → Lucerne |
| Countries | Switzerland |
| Updated | September 1, 2026 |

*From Lucerne over four high Alpine passes in the Swiss Central Alps: around 330 kilometres through the Gadmertal, the Goms and the Val Bedretto, with honest advice on which famous passes a motorhome is better off skipping.*

## The spirit of the route

The passes of the Central Alps are not about collecting summits but about changing worlds. Beyond Altdorf the road runs into the Reuss valley, then climbs in hairpins to the Susten Pass, where granite slabs gleam and the Steingletscher hangs as a band of blue ice above the car park. On the Grimsel the reservoirs lie like steel plates between the rocks, and in Gletsch the world ends at the tongue of the Rhone Glacier. The Nufenen leads over 2,478 metres into another language: down in the Goms, church bells ring in Valais villages of dark timber; past the summit the Bedretto valley smells of larch and stone, and Airolo speaks Italian. From your sliding door you will see marmots, glacial streams and clouds caught in the hairpins. It takes cool brakes, an early start and the willingness to spend the evenings on a campsite in the valley rather than staying up high.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Lucerne to Altdorf (Lake Uri) (approx. 55 km)

- **The drive:** From Lucerne take the A2 via Stans and through the Seelisberg Tunnel (just over 9 km) into the Reuss valley to Altdorf. If you prefer the views, drive via Küssnacht and Brunnen along the Axenstrasse on Lake Uri, which has tunnels and galleries and is occasionally closed because of rockfall – check the current status beforehand. Wide roads, few gradients, a little over an hour of driving. A quiet start that lets the brakes and the driver settle in.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Lucerne: the Chapel Bridge, the Water Tower and the old town – reachable by bus or bike from the pitch or campsite, not by motorhome.
  - Altdorf: the William Tell monument on the Rathausplatz and the tradition of the Tell plays; the town lies at the foot of the passes and is the logical opening.
  - Flüelen on Lake Uri: the harbour, the lakeside promenade and the view of the steep walls of the Urnerboden.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Remo Camping Moosbad on the edge of Altdorf (also with motorhome pitches) or Camping Flüelen right on Lake Uri, with access to the water and to the windsurfers. Before Lucerne, TCS Camping Luzern-Horw and Camping International Lido Luzern on the lake are options if you want to add a day there. Check opening times and facilities beforehand.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Switzerland the legal situation is regulated by canton and municipality: parking is allowed everywhere it is not prohibited, whereas camping (awning, chairs, table) is not. A single night in the vehicle to restore fitness to drive is tolerated in many places, but is often expressly prohibited on lake shores, in nature reserves and in pass car parks. According to the TCS, the canton of Uri has no general ban, but there are protection zones and municipal bans; overnighting in the vehicle in a regular car park is generally possible there where no night-time parking ban is signposted. Even so, wild camping on Lake Uri is not advisable.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up with fuel and water before entering the passes; the filling stations in the Reuss valley are the last big choice. Everything up to Altdorf is close to the motorway; in the summer months the Gotthard corridor is often jammed on Fridays and Saturdays – you can avoid a queue on the A2 by setting off early.

### Stage 2: Altdorf to Meiringen (via the Susten Pass) (approx. 62 km)

- **The drive:** From Altdorf follow the Reussstrasse via Erstfeld and Amsteg to Wassen, then the Susten Pass road (around 2,224 m) with a maximum gradient of 12 % down via Gadmen to Innertkirchen and Meiringen. Below the summit the road passes through a summit tunnel around 350 m long, and it has narrow sections and galleries. Pure driving time is about two hours; with stops, half a day.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Steingletscher on the north ramp: a short walk from the car park to the glacier lake with the remains of the glacier tongue.
  - Susten Pass summit with a view into the Gadmertal and of the Tierberge, cool and often windy.
  - Meiringen: the Reichenbach Falls above the town and the Aare Gorge east of Innertkirchen; the meringue was invented here.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Meiringen/Innertkirchen: Camping Aareschlucht in Willigen at the entrance to the gorge, Hofstatt-Derfli with electricity, sanitary facilities and waste disposal, or Camping Grimselblick near Innertkirchen. In the Gadmertal itself there is Camping Gadmen with electricity and sanitary facilities. Check season dates beforehand; many sites close in October.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The Stellplatz Truft near Gadmen is listed as a motorhome pitch; check its condition and rules on site. On the pass summit itself and in the lay-bys at the Steingletscher, overnighting is not intended; private land belonging to alpine cooperatives and power companies is often closed off.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Susten Pass is regarded as the narrowest and most accident-prone of the four passes. Write down the width and length of your vehicle and heed the signs at the foot of the pass in Wassen and Innertkirchen; large motorhomes need passing places and patience with the postbuses. Let oncoming traffic go up through the hairpins, and descend in second gear. Best time: before 10 am.

### Stage 3: Meiringen to Ulrichen in the Goms (via the Grimsel Pass) (approx. 57 km)

- **The drive:** From Meiringen take the Grimsel Pass road via Innertkirchen and Guttannen to Handegg, along the Räterichsboden and Grimsel reservoirs to the summit (around 2,165 m), then down in hairpins to Gletsch and on into the Goms to Oberwald and Ulrichen. The road is wider and better built than the Susten, but with many galleries and hairpins (short sections with a gradient of around 10 %); about 1.5 hours of driving.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Handegg: the Gelmerbahn (funicular) and waterfall, starting point for walks to the Gelmersee.
  - Grimsel Pass summit: the Grimsel Hospiz, the Totesee and a view back over the reservoirs.
  - Gletsch: the Rhone Glacier and source of the Rhone, on foot from the Hotel Glacier du Rhône.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Campingplatz Nufenen in Ulrichen, quiet at the foot of the Nufenen Pass; ask about the current facilities for electricity, water and waste disposal beforehand. Alternatively, the pitches on offer in the Goms, such as the Wald-Stellplatz Rhodania in the lower valley and the Stellplatz Alpenrösli near Gletsch/Oberwald with a good dozen pitches. Both according to the operators; availability in October is uncertain.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On the Grimsel, wild camping is effectively ruled out: the summit lies in the territory of the Kraftwerke Oberhasli power company, car parks are partly managed, and overnighting is not tolerated. In the Valais, according to the TCS, camping outside approved sites requires a building permit; enforcement officers can issue fines. Please do not assume you can overnight in pass car parks.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Furka would be the classic continuation to Andermatt; the TCS passes portal advises against it for motorhomes, and we have deliberately left it out. If you still want to drive it, you can use the Oberwald–Realp car shuttle train – check vehicle dimensions and timetable beforehand. Fill up in Meiringen, not on the Grimsel.

### Stage 4: Ulrichen to Airolo (via the Nufenen Pass) (approx. 38 km)

- **The drive:** From Ulrichen the Nufenen Pass road runs in wide hairpins to the summit at 2,478 m, the highest road pass in Switzerland lying entirely within the country. Then down into the Val Bedretto via All’Acqua and Bedretto to Airolo. Well built, moderately steep, often windy and cold at the top, narrower in the Bedretto valley. About 1.5 hours of driving.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Nufenen Pass summit with a view of the Blinnenhorn and the Griessee; short walks to the mountain lakes start right at the car park.
  - Val Bedretto: larch forests, stone bridges and the hamlet of All’Acqua, starting point for walks to the Cristallina.
  - Airolo: Forte Airolo (fortress museum) and the village where Italian begins.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Airolo the choice is thin: in OSM data the cable-car car park Airolo (Pesciüm) is listed as a Stellplatz; please ask the municipality of Airolo whether overnighting is allowed. A little further down the valley is the Stellplatz Leventina near Prato Leventina with waste disposal and electricity, around 15 minutes by car. Check both by phone beforehand.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Ticino wild camping is not allowed according to the TCS; overnighting in rest areas and car parks is not allowed either. So do not expect tolerance in the car parks on the Nufenen, in the Bedretto valley or in Airolo either.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In autumn the Nufenen is the first pass to close when fresh snow falls (usually from late October to November); check for snow-chain requirements and closures beforehand, and if in doubt, divert via the A2 motorway through the Gotthard Tunnel. Airolo has several supermarkets and filling stations; top up with water once more before the Gotthard.

### Stage 5: Airolo to Andermatt (via the Gotthard Pass) (approx. 29 km)

- **The drive:** From Airolo take the Gotthard Pass road (around 2,106 m) to Hospental and Andermatt. The cobbled Old Gotthard Road (Tremola) with its 24 hairpins is narrow and unsuitable for motorhomes; the modern pass road alongside it is considerably wider; according to the TCS passes portal, a weight limit of 3.5 t applies on the Tremola. A little over an hour of driving.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Gotthard Pass summit: the National Gotthard Museum in the hospice and the lakes on the pass, on foot from the car park.
  - The Tremola from above: a viewpoint over the cobbled Old Gotthard Road, a photo stop from a safe distance.
  - Schöllenen Gorge near Andermatt: the Devil’s Bridge and the Suvorov monument, a few minutes from the town centre.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Gotthard Camping Andermatt on the edge of the town with pitches (motorhomes up to about 12 m), electricity, water and waste disposal; third-party portals give an end of season in early October, so check opening times with the operator beforehand. Other options: Stellplatz Zumdorf (a small farm pitch) in the Urseren valley and the motorhome pitch on the Reuss near Wassen, down the valley. If you have time, stay two nights and use the free day to drive over the Oberalp Pass to Sedrun and the Tomasee.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On the Gotthard Pass and in the Urseren valley, overnighting in car parks is not intended; heed the signage and municipal bans on site. Camp & Rail Göschenen is a designated small Stellplatz.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Gotthard Tunnel (A2) is toll-free but often overloaded in summer – the pass road is then the relaxed alternative. In the Urseren valley, Andermatt is the last place with shops until the Reuss valley. The Oberalp crossing to Sedrun is winding and narrow; check closures and road condition beforehand on the TCS passes portal.

### Stage 6: Andermatt to Lucerne (approx. 90 km)

- **The drive:** Through the Schöllenen Gorge to Göschenen, then either on the old road via Wassen or on the A2 through the Reuss valley to Altdorf, on through the Seelisberg Tunnel and via Stans to Lucerne. Wide, fast roads; about two hours, with queues at the Gotthard north portal at weekends.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Wassen: the church past which the Gotthard railway loops three times in spiral tunnels.
  - Altdorf and Flüelen: a last look at Lake Uri.
  - Lucerne: the Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument and the Swiss Museum of Transport.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Lucerne, TCS Camping Luzern-Horw on the lake or Camping International Lido Luzern; both with electricity and sanitary facilities, book early in summer. Check the end of the season in autumn beforehand.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Lucerne and on Lake Lucerne, wild camping is not tolerated; the city has no free area for motorhomes. Use the campsites and take the bus into the city.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Central Lucerne has time and weight restrictions as well as height limits in multi-storey car parks; leave the motorhome at the campsite. Motorway service areas are mostly more expensive than filling stations in the towns.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Switzerland has no nationwide ban on wild camping; the rules are set by cantons and municipalities. Camping behaviour with table, chairs and awning is not allowed; whether sleeping in the vehicle in a car park is allowed depends on the municipality and the landowner and is not regulated uniformly. In nature reserves, wildlife quiet zones, federal hunting reserves and the National Park, wild camping is prohibited without exception. If in doubt, ask the municipality or the police.
- In Ticino wild camping is not allowed, in the Valais it requires a building permit outside approved sites, and in the canton of Bern it is generally not allowed; in Uri there is no general ban, but there are local bans. The Swiss National Park in the Engadin bans camping completely, but is not on this route.
- You can overnight legally on campsites (directory: camping.ch, TCS camping guide), on municipal Stellplätze and on farm pitches. Useful apps: park4night, Campercontact and the website wohnmobilland-schweiz.ch.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Water supply and waste disposal are available on larger campsites (Swiss dump stations at campsite receptions, in some cases for a fee) and at individual Stellplätze; empty waste water only there.
- Tap water is drinkable almost everywhere in Switzerland; avoid fountains marked “Kein Trinkwasser” (not drinking water).
- Gas: foreign exchange cylinders can generally not be swapped in Switzerland; Campingaz cylinders are available from specialist shops and at some filling stations. The supply of LPG filling stations is limited, so an adapter and full cylinders on entry are safer.
- Chemical toilet: empty cassettes only at designated dump points, never into drains or streams.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Motorway vignette for vehicles up to 3.5 t: CHF 40, valid from 1 December of the previous year to 31 January of the following year (14 months), as an e-vignette (tied to the licence plate) or a sticker vignette (on the windscreen); trailers and caravans need their own vignette. Without a vignette you face a fine of CHF 200 plus the purchase of the vignette. For motorhomes and caravans with a gross weight of more than 3.5 t, the flat-rate heavy vehicle charge (PSVA) applies instead of the vignette; it depends on gross weight and duration (1 to 30 days, 1 to 11 months or 1 year) and is paid via the Via app; check the amounts with the BAZG.
- Dimensions (maximum values including load, according to the TCS): 4.00 m height, 2.55 m width, 12 m length per vehicle or trailer, combinations up to 18.75 m. On individual passes the signage restricts width, length or weight further; the signs at the foot of the pass take precedence.
- Speed limits for motorhomes up to 3.5 t: motorway 120 km/h, expressway 100 km/h, outside built-up areas 80 km/h, in built-up areas 50 km/h; over 3.5 t, 100 km/h on motorways and expressways, otherwise 80 km/h outside built-up areas. Combinations drive at 80 km/h; 100 km/h applies only to light cars or vans with a trailer up to 3.5 t, if the trailer’s type approval allows it.
- Not suitable for motorhomes: the Furka (the TCS passes portal advises against it), the Klausen Pass (the portal advises against it; width limit 2.30 m without a special permit, trailers restricted), the Pragel Pass (3.5 t at most, trailers prohibited, motor vehicles banned on one section beyond the summit at weekends), the Albula and the Forcola di Livigno (the portal advises against them), the Grosse Scheidegg (motor vehicles banned) and the cobbled Tremola on the Gotthard (3.5 t).
- The passes on the route are toll-free and open only in the summer half of the year; closures because of snow usually begin from late October to November. On 8 October 2026 the TCS passes portal reported, among others, the Gotthard and the Grimsel as open; check the Susten and Nufenen separately before the journey. Winter equipment is not compulsory, but is necessary in snowfall; keep snow chains ready. Daytime running lights or dipped headlights are mandatory, using a phone at the wheel without a hands-free kit is prohibited, and the alcohol limit is 0.5 ‰.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Snow chains to fit your tyres – on the Nufenen and the Susten it can snow from the end of September.
- Have the brake fluid and pads checked before the trip, plus an infrared thermometer for the wheel rims after long descents.
- Warm layers, a rain jacket and a hat: at 2,400 m temperatures are often close to zero even in September.
- Levelling ramps and a long spirit level – farm and pass pitches are mostly sloped.
- A gas adapter for LPG filling stations and the Campingaz connection, in case your cylinders cannot be swapped.
- Offline maps and the TCS passes app; reception drops out in the Gadmertal and the Bedretto valley.

_As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [ch.ch (Bund) – Autobahnvignette](https://ch.ch/de/autobahnvignette)
- [BAZG – Schwerverkehrsabgabe LSVA/PSVA](https://www.bazg.admin.ch/de/schwerverkehrsabgabe-lsva-psva-schweiz)
- [BAZG – Pauschale Schwerverkehrsabgabe (PSVA) für im Ausland immatrikulierte Fahrzeuge](https://www.bazg.admin.ch/de/pauschale-schwerverkehrsabgabe-psva-fuer-im-ausland-immatrikulierte-fahrzeuge)
- [TCS – Pässe in der Schweiz (Pässe-Portal)](https://www.tcs.ch/de/tools/verkehrsinfo-verkehrslage/paesse-in-der-schweiz.php)
- [TCS – Verkehrsregeln, Gesetze und Hinweise für Camper](https://www.tcs.ch/de/camping-reisen/camping-insider/ratgeber/sicheres-reisen/verkehrsregeln-gesetze-und-hinweise-fuer-camper.php)
- [TCS – Wild campen in der Schweiz](https://www.tcs.ch/de/camping-reisen/camping-insider/ratgeber/reisevorbereitung/wild-campen-in-der-schweiz.php)
- [TCS – Medienmitteilung Wildcampen (Juli 2026)](https://www.tcs.ch/de/der-tcs/presse/medienmitteilungen-2026/wildcampen.php)
- [ADAC – Tempolimits Schweiz](https://www.adac.de/reise-freizeit/reiseplanung/reiseziele/schweiz/uebersicht/tempolimits)
- [alpen-paesse.ch – Susten- und Klausenpass (Status, Beschränkungen)](https://alpen-paesse.ch/en/alpenpaesse/klausenpass/)
- [Quäldich – Grimselpass](https://www.quaeldich.de/paesse/grimselpass/)
- [Quäldich – Sustenpass](https://www.quaeldich.de/paesse/sustenpass/)

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Lucerne** (Switzerland)
2. **Altdorf** (Switzerland)
3. **Sustenpass** (Switzerland)
4. **Meiringen** (Switzerland)
5. **Grimselpass** (Switzerland)
6. **Gletsch** (Switzerland)
7. **Ulrichen** (Switzerland)
8. **Nufenenpass** (Switzerland)
9. **Airolo** (Switzerland)
10. **Gotthardpass** (Switzerland)
11. **Andermatt** (Switzerland)
12. **Lucerne** (Switzerland)

## Best time to go

The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Cold, short days in December–February. Mountain passes on this route are usually open June–October. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## Practical notes for the road

- **Switzerland: Vignette needed for motorways.** Vehicles over 3.5 t pay the heavy vehicle charge instead of the vignette. Motorway limit for cars: 120 km/h.
- **Furkapass (2,429 m).** Usually open June–October; outside that window the road can be closed by snow. Alternative: The Furka car-carrying train (Oberwald–Realp) runs all year.
- **Grimselpass (2,164 m).** Usually open June–October; outside that window the road can be closed by snow. Alternative: Go round via the Brünig and Furka car train.
- **Sustenpass (2,224 m).** Usually open June–October; outside that window the road can be closed by snow. Alternative: Go round via Lucerne and the Gotthard road tunnel.
- **Gotthardpass (Tremola) (2,106 m).** Usually open June–October; outside that window the road can be closed by snow. Alternative: The Gotthard road tunnel is open all year.

## FAQs

**How long is Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes?**
6-day round trip of about 242 km (151 mi) with 12 stops, starting and ending in Lucerne. About 3 h 21 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes?**
We suggest 6 days: about 3 h 21 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes start and end?**
It is a round trip that starts and ends in Lucerne.

**Which countries does Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes pass through?**
Switzerland.

**Where can you camp along Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes?**
OpenStreetMap lists 97 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Camping Buochs-Vierwaldstättersee, Camping Seefeld and Camping Bucheli.

**When is the best time for Glacier water, granite and oncoming traffic: by motorhome over the Susten, Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard passes?**
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Cold, short days in December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)