Rosi Mittermeier is the highest road tunnel in Europe
Austria, europe
15 km
2,830 m
moderate
Year-round
# Rosi Mittermeier Tunnel: Europe's Highest Alpine Passage
Want to experience Europe's highest road tunnel? The Rosi Mittermeier Tunnel sits at a breathtaking 2,830m (9,285ft) in Austria's Tyrol region, nestled in the stunning Ötztal Valley. This impressive feat of engineering—originally built in 1982 as the Tiefenbach Tunnel—was renamed to honor legendary ski racer Rosi Mittermeier (1950-2023).
The tunnel itself stretches 1.729km through solid mountain rock and connects two incredible glacier zones: Rettenbach and Tiefenbach. Both have spacious car parks, making it a convenient starting point for alpine adventures. The entire 15km Panoramic Glacier Road (Ötztaler Gletscherstraße) is fully paved and built to serious standards—we're talking four lanes of capacity with an 11% average grade that handles everything from regular cars to 38-ton trucks without breaking a sweat.
Here's the catch: you're playing in the big leagues here. This is high Alpine terrain, which means weather can turn on a dime. Sudden snowstorms, temperature drops, and avalanche risk are real concerns. Pack your snow chains year-round (yes, even summer visits)—they might be mandatory depending on conditions. The road closes when conditions get too sketchy, sometimes even blocking access twice in a season.
But if you make the drive, you'll be rewarded with some of the most jaw-dropping Alpine scenery Europe has to offer. Just come prepared.
Where is it?
Rosi Mittermeier is the highest road tunnel in Europe is located in Austria (europe). Coordinates: 47.6075, 13.3931
Road Details
- Country
- Austria
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 15 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,830 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 47.6075, 13.3931
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