Destination Guide

Cycling in Grossglockner & Carinthia

Cycling in Grossglockner & Carinthia: Austria's highest mountain, Europe's most spectacular toll road, and Giro d'Italia passes through a landscape of glaciers and alpine lakes.

Last updated: 12 March 2026

Terrain: Road, Climbing
Difficulty: Moderate — Expert
Road Quality: Excellent
Cycling Culture: Growing
Pro Team Presence: The Giro d'Italia has crossed the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse on multiple occasions, most recently in 2022. The Plöckenpass serves as a frequent Giro border crossing between Austria and Italy. The Malta Hochalmstrasse featured in the 2021 Giro d'Italia as one of the race's most demanding summit finishes. Ineos Grenadiers and Bora-Hansgrohe have used the Carinthian passes for altitude training camps.
Traffic: Low

Best Time to Cycle in Grossglockner & Carinthia

Jan

Feb

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Aug

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Nov

Dec

Best Shoulder Avoid

The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse opens in early May but reliable conditions for cycling — clear roads, no residual ice, comfortable summit temperatures — are established from mid-June. July and August are the peak months with maximum daylight and warmest temperatures, but the toll road carries significant tourist car traffic on weekends. Mid-week riding in July is significantly more pleasant than weekends. September is arguably the finest month: passes remain open, traffic drops sharply, autumn begins to colour the lower slopes, and temperatures at altitude remain comfortable at 8-14°C. The road closes definitively in November and cannot be ridden again until spring snowmelt allows reopening.

Temperature: -15°C (winter) to 28°C (summer)

Best Cycling Climbs in Grossglockner & Carinthia

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (Bruck side)

35km · 2000m · 5.7% · HC

Austria's most iconic cycling road and one of the great Alpine climbs in Europe. The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse was constructed between 1930 and 1935 and remains an astonishing feat of engineering: 35km from Bruck an der Glocknerstrasse to the Hochtor summit at 2,506m, climbing 2,000m through 36 switchbacks past glaciers, Alpine lakes, and Europe's highest national park. The gradient averages 5.7% with sustained sections at 10-12% on the upper approaches to the summit tunnel. Beyond the Hochtor, a dramatic 8km spur road climbs further to the Edelweißspitze observation platform at 2,571m — the highest point reachable by road in Austria. The Giro d'Italia used this road in 2022 to devastating effect in the mountains stage from Rovereto; the Patersberg's 12.9% cobbles are brutal but the Glockner's sustained 5.7% over 35km at altitude is a different kind of suffering entirely.

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (Heiligenblut side)

14km · 1200m · 8.6% · HC

The southern approach from the pilgrimage village of Heiligenblut is shorter, steeper, and more dramatic than the northern Bruck ascent. At 14km with 1,200m of climbing and an 8.6% average, this side more closely resembles the brutal character expected from a Giro d'Italia summit finish. The road climbs from the Gothic pilgrimage church at Heiligenblut (1,288m) through a series of tight switchbacks above the treeline before joining the main Hochalpenstrasse road for the final ascent to the Hochtor. The Grossglockner glacier — Austria's largest — is visible from multiple points on the upper road, providing a reminder that these are genuinely extreme high-Alpine environments. The Heiligenblut approach was used in the 2022 Giro stage and remains one of the hardest accessible road climbs in Austrian cycling.

Nockalmstrasse

38km · 1800m · 4.7% · HC

Austria's best-kept cycling secret and an alternative to the Grossglockner for riders who want dramatic Alpine scenery without tourist-road traffic. The Nockalmstrasse is a toll road through the Nockberge UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — a landscape of rounded, treeless mountains unlike any other in the Alps, covered in alpine grassland rather than the rocky peaks of the Glockner. The road crosses three passes in 38km: the Glocknerblick (1,982m), the Eisentalhöhe (2,042m), and the Turracher Höhe summit, passing through an entirely different scale of mountain to the dramatic jagged ridges of the Hohe Tauern. The gradient of 4.7% average with sections to 13% makes this a very long and ultimately manageable day. Traffic is substantially lower than the Grossglockner — a significant advantage for the riding quality.

Malta Hochalmstrasse

17km · 1156m · 6.8% · HC

A Giro d'Italia summit finish in 2021 that introduced the wider cycling world to one of Austria's finest hidden climbs. The Malta Hochalmstrasse rises from the village of Malta in the Liesertal valley to the Kölnbreinsperre dam at 1,900m — a vast concrete arch dam holding back the highest reservoir in Austria. The 17km averages 6.8% with sustained sections at 12-15% that punish any rider attempting to rush the middle section. The scenery transitions from forest to sheer rock canyon and finally to the dramatic artificial landscape of the reservoir plateau. In the 2021 Giro stage, Egan Bernal sealed his overall victory on these roads.

Plöckenpass

10.2km · 707m · 6.9% · CAT1

The historic border crossing between Austrian Carinthia and Italian Friuli that has served as a Giro d'Italia stage on multiple occasions. The Austrian approach from Kötschach-Mauthen climbs 707m over 10.2km with characteristic Alpine rhythm — a steady 6-8% average punctuated by steeper ramps to 15% in the village approaches. The summit at 1,360m sits above WWI battlefields (the Dolomite Front ran through this pass) with remnants of fortifications visible from the road. The Italian descent to Paluzza is 14km and very fast — one of the great Alpine descents in this corner of the Alps. The combination of historical weight, racing history, and genuine gradient challenge makes Plöckenpass one of the most satisfying climbs in Carinthia.

Insider Tips

The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse carries its heaviest car traffic on Saturday and Sunday throughout July and August. Mid-week riding on these days — Tuesday and Wednesday in particular — delivers dramatically better conditions with the road largely to yourself. The quality of the experience improves enormously without constant overtaking from tourist buses and camper vans.
The Edelweißspitze spur — an 8km out-and-back from the main Hochalpenstrasse to Austria's highest viewpoint accessible by road at 2,571m — is not to be missed. The 7% gradient on the spur takes 25-30 minutes to climb and the 360-degree view from the observation tower encompasses the Grossglockner, Wiesbachhorn, and on clear days extends into Slovenia and Italy. This addition requires careful calculation of overall day length.
The Malta Hochalmstrasse is free of charge for cyclists — unlike the Grossglockner and Nockalmstrasse, no toll is levied. This makes it the most cost-effective major climb in the region and an excellent choice for riders on longer trips watching budget. The Giro d'Italia stamp on its reputation has not yet pushed prices up.
Heiligenblut village at the foot of the southern Grossglockner approach is one of the finest small towns in Austria for a cycling base. The Gothic pilgrimage church (containing a vial reputed to hold the blood of Christ) is genuinely remarkable, the hotel infrastructure is strong, and the village café serves Carinthian Kasnudeln (cheese dumplings) that constitute one of the finest post-climb meals in the Alps.
Carinthia's lakes — Wörthersee, Millstätter See, Ossiacher See — are surrounded by flat-to-rolling cycling roads ideal for rest-day riding or for cycling groups of mixed ability. The Wörthersee lake circuit (50km, almost completely flat) is one of Austria's most popular leisure cycling routes and provides an excellent recovery day between hard Alpine climbing days.

How to Get to Grossglockner & Carinthia for Cycling

Nearest Airports

Salzburg Airport(SZG)

Transfer: 90-100 minutes to Bruck an der Glocknerstrasse

The most convenient gateway for the Grossglockner northern approach. Direct flights from London (Heathrow and Gatwick), Dublin, Amsterdam, and multiple German cities. Bruck an der Glocknerstrasse — the start of the main Glockner ascent — is 100km south on the B311 and B167. Car hire essential at the terminal. The drive south through the Salzach valley and the Pinzgau is straightforward and passes through Zell am See, one of the finest cycling resort towns in Austria.

Klagenfurt Airport(KLU)

Transfer: 60-90 minutes to Carinthian climbing areas

Primary gateway for southern Carinthia — the Nockalmstrasse, Plöckenpass, and Malta Hochalmstrasse are all more accessible from Klagenfurt than Salzburg. Limited airline services (primarily Austrian Airlines from Vienna, select European connections) but the geographic positioning is superior for the southern climbing region. Car hire available. Klagenfurt city itself sits on the shore of Wörthersee — one of Austria's finest cycling lake routes — which makes a pleasant rest-day option.

Innsbruck Airport(INN)

Transfer: 2 hours to Bruck via the A10 motorway

Alternative option for riders combining Tyrol and Carinthia cycling in a single trip. The A10 Tauern motorway cuts through the Alps directly south to Bruck, but the transfer is 160km. Useful for longer trips incorporating both the Ötztal passes and the Grossglockner in a 7-10 day itinerary.

Getting around: Car Essential — A car is essential for cycling in the Grossglockner and Carinthia region. The climbing areas are spread across a large geographic zone with no meaningful public transport connections between them. Zell am See makes an excellent base for the northern Grossglockner approach, Heiligenblut for the southern side. Spittal an der Drau or Gmünd work for the Nockalmstrasse and Malta Hochalmstrasse. The A10 Tauern motorway (carries a toll) is the primary north-south artery. Plan driving days into the itinerary for multi-area exploration.