Stelvio Pass by Motorcycle: Loop over the Umbrail and Val Müstair
At a glance: loop from Prad am Stilfser Joch, 70 km (44 mi), about 2.5 hours of riding. Highest point 2,757 m (9,045 ft), 48 hairpins on the South Tyrol side. Countries: Italy and Switzerland. About 108 km (67 mi) with the Bormio detour. No tolls, no vignette.
For many riders the Stelvio Pass is the pass: 48 numbered hairpins from Trafoi to the summit, built between 1820 and 1825 to link Tyrol with Lombardy. This loop climbs the famous north ramp, switches to the Umbrail Pass into Switzerland just below the top, rolls down through the quiet Val Müstair and returns to Prad via Glurns. You never ride a stretch twice and see three very different sides of the Ortler region.
Google Maps calculates the route itself, small differences are possible.
The solid line is the loop, the dashed line is the detour to Bormio. Click a number for a photo and details. Below the map you can download the GPX for your navigation device or open the loop in the route planner and adjust it.
Opening and rules in 2026
The pass road is only open in summer. Check the current status before you ride, especially in spring and autumn.
- Season: usually from late May to early November, earlier if it snows. In 2026 the road has been open since late May; by mid-October no date for the winter closure had been set.
- Bike day: once a year in late August the pass is closed to motor vehicles. In 2026 that was Saturday, 29 August, from 8 am to 4 pm, on all three approaches (Trafoi, Bormio, Umbrail).
- Organised rides: on 19 June 2026 the South Tyrol government banned organised motorsport and motorcycle events on mountain roads above 1,600 m in protected areas, including the Stelvio. Riding alone or with friends is not affected.
- Bormio side: vehicles over 3.30 m tall or 10 m long are not allowed. That does not matter for motorcycles, but it does for rigs with a large trailer.
- Costs: the road is toll-free. In Switzerland you do not need a vignette, because the route uses no motorway.
The route in numbers
| Section | Distance | Elevation | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prad to summit | 26 km / 16 mi | approx. 1,840 m up | 48 numbered hairpins from Trafoi |
| Summit to Umbrail Pass | 3 km / 2 mi | approx. 260 m down | turn-off into Switzerland, customs |
| Umbrail Pass to Santa Maria | 13 km / 8 mi | approx. 1,130 m down | many tight hairpins in larch forest |
| Santa Maria to Prad via Glurns | 28 km / 17 mi | approx. 470 m down | border at Müstair, valley ride |
| Bormio detour (one way) | 19 km / 12 mi | approx. 1,280 m down | hairpins, galleries, tunnels |
Times depend heavily on traffic. On sunny summer weekends you share the hairpins with hundreds of cyclists, cars and campervans. Plan half a day for the loop including breaks.
Stops on the loop
1. Prad am Stilfser Joch (915 m)
The starting point in the Vinschgau valley. The pass road SS38 begins here, still wide and flat on the valley floor. Fill up before you go: almost 1,850 m (6,070 ft) of climbing lie ahead. The aquaprad visitor centre in the village explains the Stelvio National Park.
2. Gomagoi (1,267 m)
A hamlet in the narrow gorge where the road to Sulden branches off. The old Hotel Post stands right by the road, and the walls of the Austrian-era Gomagoi fort recall that a border was once defended here.
3. Trafoi (1,543 m)
The last village before the big hairpins, with an open view of the Ortler and the Trafoi ice wall. Ski legend Gustav Thöni comes from here. A footpath leads in about 30 minutes to the Holy Three Springs pilgrimage site at the head of the valley.
4. Franzenshöhe (2,188 m)
The inn halfway up the hairpins, a stop since the days of the mail coaches. From here the road runs across the open slope, and you can see the bends above you all the way to the top. A good break with a view of the Ortler (3,905 m / 12,812 ft).
5. Stelvio Pass summit (2,757 m)
At 2,757 m (9,045 ft) the second-highest paved pass in the Alps after the Col de l’Iseran. At the top you will find snack stands, souvenir shops and plenty of other riders. With time to spare, walk 20 to 30 minutes up to the Dreisprachenspitze, where German, Italian and Romansh once met.
6. Umbrail Pass (2,501 m)
Just below the summit on the Bormio side, the Umbrail Pass branches off: at 2,501 m (8,205 ft) the highest pass road in Switzerland. Customs are at the top, so keep your ID ready. You do not need a Swiss motorway vignette, as the route uses no motorway.
7. Santa Maria Val Müstair (1,375 m)
After many tight hairpins through larch forest you reach the first village in the Val Müstair. The valley is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and the houses are in typical Engadine style with sgraffito decoration.
8. Müstair, St. John’s Convent (1,247 m)
Right before the Italian border stands the Benedictine Convent of St. John, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The church has wall paintings from the time of Charlemagne. A short stop that many pass loops miss.
9. Glurns (907 m)
One of the smallest towns in the Alps, with its town walls fully intact and an arcaded main street. Back in the Vinschgau, only ten kilometres to Prad. A good place for a coffee to round off the loop.
10. Bormio (detour) (1,225 m)
If you want to ride the whole pass road, take the detour at the Umbrail junction down to Bormio: about 19 km (12 mi) with many hairpins, galleries and short tunnels, past the Bagni Vecchi thermal baths. Then ride back up the same way to the junction.
A little history
Emperor Francis I had the road built to connect Tyrol with Milan, which was Austrian at the time. Engineer Carlo Donegani laid it out so that horse-drawn carts could manage the gradient, which is where all the tight hairpins come from. Around 1900 the summit looked like the Photochrom pictures below: mail coaches, a few inns, glaciers almost down to the road.
Riding tips
- Start early: before 9 am you have the hairpins almost to yourself. From midday it gets busy.
- Expect cyclists in the hairpins, uphill and downhill. They are often slower than you think and need room.
- The hairpins on the South Tyrol side are tight and steep. If you feel unsure, ride the loop the other way: up via the Umbrail, down the 48 hairpins.
- Fill up in Prad or Bormio. It is cold at the top: even in July it is often only a few degrees at 2,700 m, so pack rain gear and a warm layer.
- Speeding fines in Switzerland are very high. In the Val Müstair villages the 50 km/h limit or lower is strictly enforced.
- Bring ID. You cross the Swiss border at the Umbrail Pass and near Müstair.
Plan your own loop
In the RideAnimator route planner you choose the road type for every section: country roads without highways, Curvy or Extra curvy. With “Avoid town centres” you skip villages and traffic lights, and the loop feature builds a matching ride of 50 to 300 km from any starting point. The GPX goes straight to your navigation device or into Calimoto and Kurviger.
Frequently asked questions
How many hairpins does the Stelvio Pass have?
There are 48 numbered hairpins on the South Tyrol side from Trafoi to the summit, and 40 on the Bormio side. The stones by the road count down towards the top.
When is the Stelvio Pass open?
Usually from late May to early November. Fresh snow can close the road briefly even in summer. Once a year in late August there is a bike day, when the pass is closed to motor vehicles during the day.
Is there a toll on the Stelvio Pass?
No. The pass road is toll-free, and the Swiss section over the Umbrail Pass does not need a vignette either.
Is the Stelvio Pass suitable for beginners?
With some experience of hairpins, yes. The north ramp is narrow, steep and often busy. If you feel unsure, ride up via the Umbrail first and take the 48 hairpins downhill early in the morning when traffic is light.
Sources
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Information as of October 2026.