Driving Roads in Austria

Explore scenic and exciting driving roads across Austria.

Gerlos Alpine Road

Austria

90 /100

36 kmAT

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Silvretta High Alpine Road

Austria

98 /100

22 kmAT

Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road

Austria

100 /100

59 kmAT

Villacher Alpenstraße

Austria

100 /100

16 kmAT

Zillertaler Höhenstraße

Austria

100 /100

38 kmAT

Driving in Austria

Austria's most distinctive driving roads cross the Eastern Alps, where steep-sided valleys connect with high passes, engineered mountain roads, and panoramic routes above the tree line. Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia, Styria, and Vorarlberg contain much of this terrain, ranging from narrow local pass roads to major trans-Alpine corridors. The Großglockner High Alpine Road is a prominent example, climbing through Hohe Tauern scenery between Salzburg and Carinthia, while the Nockalm Road follows a more rounded high-mountain landscape in the Nockberge. Elsewhere, the Salzkammergut combines lakeshore roads with limestone mountains, and eastern Austria offers rolling routes through the Vienna Woods, Wachau, and Alpine foothills. Road character varies considerably: some routes are broad and carefully engineered, while minor mountain roads can be narrow, steep, and exposed. Local access restrictions, tolls, temporary closures, and vehicle-specific rules should be checked before using individual high-altitude or privately operated roads.

Season & conditions

Lower roads and major transport corridors generally remain available year-round, subject to weather and temporary restrictions, but many high Alpine scenic roads close for winter because of deep snow and avalanche risk. The Großglockner and Nockalm roads typically operate only from spring into autumn. Conditions can still change rapidly at altitude, even during the normal season. Longer-term construction can also affect access: in 2026 the Silvretta High Alpine Road remains closed on the Vorarlberg side, with that closure currently expected to continue until 2030. Check individual road status before travel.

Tolls & access

Passenger cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes generally require a vignette on Austria's toll motorways and expressways. Certain costly Alpine motorway sections, including the Brenner, Tauern/Katschberg, Arlberg, Karawanken, Bosruck, and Gleinalm routes, use separate section tolls instead of the vignette on the tolled segment. Scenic mountain roads such as the Großglockner High Alpine Road and Nockalm Road operate their own access charges independently of the motorway system. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes use the distance-based GO toll system.