Page 237 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

A DRIVING TOUR
THREE PASSES SWITZERLAND
CENTRAL
AND TICINO
Three Passes
Length 120 km (75 miles) Stopping-off points Andermatt
and Göschenen for small hotels and restaurants

The circular route over the Uri Alps traverses some of the most Locator Map
spectacular alpine scenery in Switzerland. On the route are three For more detail see p200
mountain passes – the Susten Pass, Grimsel Pass and Furka Pass –
each of which marks cantonal borders. A feat of 19th-century
engineering, the road twists and turns, makes tightly winding
ascents and descents, crosses bridges over dramatically plunging
valleys, and passes through tunnels cut into the rock. All along the
route are spectacular views of snow-capped mountains, majestic
glaciers and beautiful mountain lakes.
A skiing resort in
winter and hiking
centre in summer,
The Susten Pass A bridge on the Andermatt lies in
lies on the border Meienreuss Pass the heart of the St
between the spans a deep Gotthard massif.
cantons of Bern gorge in the
and Uri. Meien valley.
Amsteg
Gadmen
BERN
Fuhren Susten Meien Gurtnellen
Geissholz Pass
Hopflauenen Meienreuss
Innertkirchen Schneestock Pass Wassen
3,503 m (11,493 ft)
Steingletscher
Tierbeg
3,445 m (11,302 ft) URI
Göschenen
Guttannen Triftgletscher
Schneestock
3,608 m (11,837 ft)
Göscheneralpsee
Rhone- START Andermatt
gletscher
FINISH Hospental
Handeggfall
Hühnertal- Gotthard
gletscher Realp Tunnel
Grimsel
Pass
Grimselsee Furka
Pass
Innertkirchen Hospental lies at the
joins routes down convergence of roads
from the passes Oberwald from the north, south
with the road V AL AIS and west.
heading north.
At an altitude of 2,165 m
(7,103 ft), Grimsel Pass Did You Know?
marks the border Furka Pass lies
between the cantons of between the Built in the 1860s, At Hospental stand the
Bern and Valais. Bernese and the hairpin turns of
Pennine Alps. Furkastrasse offer ruins of the 13th-
spectacular views century castle that
once guarded the
0 kilometres 6 N round each corner. cross roads.
0 miles 6
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