# Alpine passes in a motorhome: gradients, closures and tunnels

> Choosing a crossing with a camper means weighing hairpins, size limits, opening dates and tunnel tolls before the altitude on the signpost.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-alpine-passes-camper/

*By CampingSpirit Editors, 2026-09-30*

An Alpine pass asks more of a motorhome than a motorway does. The question is not only how high the road climbs, but how tight the hairpins are, how long and wide the vehicle may be, whether the road is open at all, and what a tunnel would cost instead. A van of five to six metres usually copes with the main crossings; a coachbuilt motorhome of seven metres or more needs more care, and some roads exclude it altogether.

Planning therefore starts with four things: the summit altitude, the number and radius of the hairpins, the limits posted at the foot of the climb, and the opening dates. The examples below use figures that could be checked against operators or reference sources; anything that changes every year is better confirmed on the operator’s own page before departure.

## What makes a pass suitable

Hairpin geometry matters more than altitude. On a tight bend a long rear overhang swings across the opposite lane, so the usual technique is to take the bend wide, wait where the road is single width and never cut the inside. Measure the vehicle as it travels, with bike carrier and roof box included, because posted limits for length, height or width are often placed at the first village or toll gate, where turning back is awkward. Short tunnels and galleries on the approach can also be lower than the road suggests, so a tall van should read the signs rather than assume.

## Seasons and closures

High passes are closed by snow for months. As a rough guide, the highest roads open between May and June and close between October and November, but the dates follow the snow, not the calendar. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria runs from early May to early November in 2026, with the longest hours from 1 June to 31 August (5:30 to 21:00) and the last entry 45 minutes before closing. The Stelvio in Italy stays closed from about November to May, and its reopening date is announced each spring and moves every year. Even in season a late snowfall can close a pass for a day, so check the road authority’s live status the evening before and again in the morning.

## Four crossings compared

The Grossglockner road is 48 km long with 36 bends, crosses the Hochtor at 2,504 m and charges a toll. The Stelvio reaches 2,757 m; the northern ramp from Prad has 48 numbered hairpins, there is no toll, and size limits are posted depending on the side of approach, with a length limit of about 10.5 m reported for the South Tyrol side and a height limit of about 3.3 m reported from Bormio, so both should be confirmed locally. The Swiss Gotthard Pass, at 2,106 m, is passable in summer only, and the tunnel below it is the normal route. The Brenner, at 1,370 m, is the gentle counter-example: one of the lowest main crossings, carried by the A13 and A22 motorway, which is why most heavy traffic uses it.

## Tunnels and tolls

Tunnels trade scenery for certainty. The Gotthard road tunnel is 16.9 km long, a single bore with one lane each way, an 80 km/h limit and no overtaking; it carries no separate toll, being covered by the Swiss motorway vignette, and queues form at holiday weekends. The Mont Blanc tunnel between Chamonix and Courmayeur is 11.6 km long, with a speed range of 50 to 70 km/h, a minimum distance of 150 m to the vehicle ahead and a maximum vehicle height of 4.70 m; if the vehicle runs on LPG or carries gas bottles, tell the toll booth operator. Its operator classifies vehicles by height and axles and sets the tariff every 1 January; for 2026 a single crossing in the class between 2 and 3 m height costs roughly €73 to €75 depending on the side of purchase, compared with roughly €55 to €56 for a car. The Fréjus tunnel, 12.9 km from Modane to Bardonecchia, charges all traffic. In Austria several motorway tunnels and mountain sections, among them Brenner, Tauern and Katschberg, carry a separate toll outside the vignette.

## Climbing and descending

Descents ask more of a loaded vehicle than climbs. Select a low gear before the descent begins, let the engine hold the speed, and brake in short firm applications instead of dragging the pedal, which heats the discs and leads to fade. On long climbs watch the temperature gauge and use a lay-by to cool the engine rather than stopping in a bend. Fill the fuel tank in the valley, since fuel is often not available on the summit, and consider carrying only as much fresh water as the stage needs, because every 100 litres is 100 kg. A 3.5 tonne motorhome is often close to its limit once luggage and gas are aboard, so a weighbridge visit before the season is worthwhile.

## Winter equipment and last checks

From autumn, equipment rules apply. In Austria, for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, winter tyres are required on all four wheels from 1 November to 15 April whenever snow, slush or ice is on the road, with at least 4 mm tread on radial tyres; chains on summer tyres are allowed only where the road is continually or almost always under snow or ice. The basic fine is €35, rising to as much as €5,000 if others are endangered. Above 3.5 tonnes the rules are stricter and chains must be carried. Before leaving the valley, check the road status and any vehicle limits, fuel up, stow loose items, and start early in the morning when traffic is light and the road is firm. If a limit looks tight, the tunnel is the better choice.

## Sources

- [Grossglockner High Alpine Road: opening hours and season (Grossglockner Hochalpenstraßen AG)](https://www.grossglockner.at/en/)
- [Traffic regulations and rules of behaviour (Società Italiana Traforo del Monte Bianco)](https://tunnelmb.net/en-US/traffic-regulations-and-rules-of-behaviour)
- [Winter tyres and snow chains in Austria (Federal Ministry BMIMI)](https://www.bmimi.gv.at/en/topics/transport/roads/safety/tyres.html)
- [Streckenmaut für Kraftfahrzeuge bis 3,5 t (oesterreich.gv.at)](https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/mobilitaet/kfz/10/Vignette-und-Maut/Streckenmaut-für-Fahrzeuge-bis-3,5-t.html)
- [Stelvio Pass (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stelvio_Pass)
- [Gotthard Road Tunnel (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthard_Road_Tunnel)