
Is Hochtor Tunnel paved?
Austria, europe
17.4 km
2,504 m
easy
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, right on the border of Salzburg and Carinthia in Austria. You're surrounded by the majestic Hohe Tauern mountains, part of the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps. Suddenly, you plunge into the Hochtor Tunnel, which clocks in at 311 meters – the highest point on the whole road at a whopping 2,504 meters above sea level!
This tunnel is totally paved, so no need to worry about bumpy rides. The road up to it from Pockhorn is a 17.4 km climb with an average gradient of 8%, so expect some serious uphill action as you gain 1,400 meters in elevation. The tunnel was built back in the mid-1930s.
Keep in mind the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (and therefore the tunnel) is generally open from early May to the end of October. But, because you're way up in the mountains, always check conditions before you go – Mother Nature can be unpredictable at these heights!
Road Details
- Country
- Austria
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 17.4 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,504 m
- Difficulty
- easy
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