Mountain passes – winter closures and road conditions

Many mountain passes in Europe have winter closures in the period between October and May – sometimes even until early June. These passes are then completely closed to all traffic. But there are also passes that are open all year round and can be passed with, for example, snow plows and studded tires or snow chains.

Especially in Norway, studded tires are common between the last weekend in October and the Easter weekend. However, the passes that are open all year round also have periodic closures, for example due to heavy snowfall. For all mountain passes it is necessary to have snow chains in the car and you must know how to use them.

Updated: January 5, 2023 9:15CET

The upcoming days remain mild and mostly dry. This will continue throughout Saturday. However, on Sunday an active depression will set course for the Alps, resulting in potential heavy precipitation and falling freezing levels per Sunday morning. The freezing level starts to fall from Saturday evening: from 2500m to 1300 meters.

The heaviest snow fall is to be expected in France and west-Switzerland. In the afternoon, the southern part (Dolomites, Carinthia) will also receive their fair share.

Some high-elevation mountain roads might be temporarily closed.

You can find the list of current openings and closures here (Note: always follow local advice, as weather conditions can change rapidly):

Mountain pass nameAltitude (meters asl)CountryConditions
Albulapass2312SwitzerlandClosed
Berninapass2328SwitzerlandOpen
Col de la Croix1778SwitzerlandOpen
Col des Montets1461SwitzerlandOpen
Flüelapass2383SwitzerlandOpen
Col de la Forclaz1527SwitzerlandOpen
Furkapass2436SwitzerlandClosed
Glaubenbergpass1543SwitzerlandOpen
Glaubenbielenpass1611SwitzerlandOpen
Gotthardpass2108SwitzerlandClosed
Grimselpass2165SwitzerlandClosed
Grosser Sankt Bernhardpas (Grand Saint Bernard)2473SwitzerlandClosed (Tunnel is open)
Ibergegg1406SwitzerlandOpen
Julierpass2284SwitzerlandOpen
Klausenpass1940SwitzerlandClosed
Livignopass2330SwitzerlandOpen
Lukmanierpass1941SwitzerlandOpen
Malojapass1815SwitzerlandOpen
Nufenenpass2478SwitzerlandClosed
Oberalppass2045SwitzerlandClosed
Ofenpass2149SwitzerlandOpen
Pragelpass1550SwitzerlandClosed
San Bernardinopass2066SwitzerlandClosed
Simplonpass2005SwitzerlandOpen
Splügenpass2118SwitzerlandOpen
Sustenpass2224SwitzerlandClosed
Umbrailpass2503SwitzerlandClosed
Col d'Agnel2746FranceClosed
Col d'Aravis1498FranceOpen
Bataille1336FranceOpen
Cayolle2356FranceClosed
Champs2095FranceOpen
Col d'Allos2250FranceClosed
Col de la Bonette2802FranceClosed
Col de l'Iseran2770FranceClosed
Col du Galibier2645FranceClosed
Colombiere1613FranceOpen
Cormet de Roselend1968FranceClosed
Croix-de-Fer2068FranceClosed
Echelle1766 FranceOpen
Glandon1924FranceOpen
Izoard2360FranceClosed
Joux-plane1713FranceOpen
Joux-Verte1760FranceOpen
Petit Saint Bernard2188FranceClosed
Larche1991FranceOpen
Lautaret2058FranceOpen
Lombarde2350FranceClosed
Madeleine1993FranceClosed
Mont-Cenis2081FranceClosed
Col des Montets1461FranceOpen
Restefond2678France Closed
Saisies1633FranceOpen
Télégraphe1570FranceOpen
Tende1871FranceClosed
Turini1607FranceOpen
Vars2109FranceClosed
Campolongo1875ItalyOpen
Falzaregopass2105ItalyClosed
Grödnerjoch2121ItalyClosed
Gampenpass / Gampenjoch1518ItalyOpen
Jaufenpass2094ItalyClosed
Kreuzbergpass1636ItalyOpen
Karerpass1745ItalyOpen
Lavazéjoch1805ItalyOpen
Mendelpass1362ItalyOpen
Nigerpass1688ItalyOpen
Penserjoch2211ItalyClosed
Pordoijoch2239ItalyClosed
Stilfserjoch / Stelvio pass2757ItalyClosed
Staller Sattel2052ItalyClosed
Sellajoch2240ItalyClosed
Timmelsjoch2474ItalyClosed
Valparolapass2192ItalyOpen
Würzjoch1987ItalyOpen
Arlbergpass1793AustriaOpen
Brennerpass1374AustriaOpen
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse2506AustriaClosed
Hahntennjoch1894AustriaClosed
Kaunertaler Gletscherstrasse2052AustriaClosed
Kuhtai2020AustriaOpen
Maltatal Hochalmstrasse1931AustriaClosed
Nockalmstrasse2040AustriaClosed
Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse2036AustriaClosed

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