Como to Lucerne I'm not in-the-know on the Alpine passes but anything I should know about to take in? Even if it means splitting the day into 2 (We are Slowwwww)
Como to Lucerne
- Thread starter vRSG60
- Start date
When are you planning on going?
It's 2.5 hours if you go direct down the motorway... Go as slow as you like.
It's 2.5 hours if you go direct down the motorway... Go as slow as you like.
1st 2 weeks in July.
We avoid motorways, I was thinking of something rather more scenic.
We avoid motorways, I was thinking of something rather more scenic.
Gonzo
Registered user
If my memory serves me correctly, isn't the Lugano to Lucerne part of the journey using the St Gotthard road tunnel? On the way to Garda one year in the car we came across a monster queue for the tunnel so turned off and took the pass over the top. Lovely drive and well worth it. Can't remember the road number but it definitely wasn't a main road - more like the "little white road" you can see on Google Maps. It was August so if you're going any later than now you might want to check road conditions.
And if you've got the time, between Como and Lugano, try to cross as many lakes as you can by ferry. It's rather pleasant.
And if you've got the time, between Como and Lugano, try to cross as many lakes as you can by ferry. It's rather pleasant.
Looking again yes it does use the tunnel. The small road looks like road #2 then turn left onto #11 (Sustenpass) and right onto #4
Furkapass is close by too.
Deleted account Cooperman
Registered user
Not a route but a nice place to stay - Weggis.
On the north side, nice boat into Lucerne and a nearby cable car for a mountain top view.
Note: I did hear a rumour it is getting over-run with uncivilised Chinese tourists!
On the north side, nice boat into Lucerne and a nearby cable car for a mountain top view.
Note: I did hear a rumour it is getting over-run with uncivilised Chinese tourists!
mcinlb
Registered user
Could start off going west over the Simplon pass to Brig then on the 19 over the Grimsel(easy road and scenic) to Innertkirchen. North to Lucerne on the 11 then 4.
The Gothardstrasse runs adjacent to the E35 autoroute and is a much nicer road. If you do get fed-up with too much scenery or cornering, there are numerous options to join the motorway for part of the journey.
Check out www.alpineroads.com to give you an idea, the Spluegen pass north from Lake Como is worth doing
Simon W
Registered user
Even putting in "avoid tolls" on Google maps gives you one easy option.
If you want to avoid St Gottard, you can loop out over the very pretty Neufenen Pass and then the Grimsel Pass - still quite simple for a day
As also suggested, if you like tight but madly scenic roads the Splugen Pass is another good option
But if you actually wanted to spend two days doing the journey, something like this might work for you. Takes in Val Taleggio, Passo San Margo, Splugen, the really scenic San Bernardino – you'd probably overnight somewhere around Biasca – then take in St Gottard (north to south), Neufenen, Grimsel and Susten passes... a lot of good riding
If you want to avoid St Gottard, you can loop out over the very pretty Neufenen Pass and then the Grimsel Pass - still quite simple for a day
As also suggested, if you like tight but madly scenic roads the Splugen Pass is another good option
But if you actually wanted to spend two days doing the journey, something like this might work for you. Takes in Val Taleggio, Passo San Margo, Splugen, the really scenic San Bernardino – you'd probably overnight somewhere around Biasca – then take in St Gottard (north to south), Neufenen, Grimsel and Susten passes... a lot of good riding
Thanks all, certainly food for thought there. 
Good tips from Simon W, for sure.
If you want to plan anything more yourself (you've got an entire winter and spring before you go) I'd recommend arming yourself with:
(A) The bible of Alpine motorcycling, John Hermann's 'Motorcycling through the Alps'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROUGH-THE-ALPS/dp/1884313388
Which will last you through a lifetime of jaunts, well beyond next July
(B) A decent map or two
Here's some ideas:
As you've got lots of time, have a bit of a play in Google; it's free, it's fun, you really cannot break it and they can't touch you for it. For instance, there are lots of very good French and German websites, giving suggestions on hotels to stay in and routes to ride. OK, they are often 'in foreign' but a map is a map, a route is a route and a hotel is a hotel, no matter what language the proprietor speaks. You'll very quickly get the hang of it, I promise. Find something you like? Make a note or bookmark it on your browser. There are some really good German books (often published by Bruckmann) with some excellent ideas in them. I don't speak a word of German beyond ordering a beer and warning the natives of Spitfires but managed to order several via German Amazon and use the books' suggested ideas.
Build a library of GPS routes, storing them away on BaseCamp or Mapsource; play around with them until you are happy. In fact, build a small library of everything to do with your trip. It'll help you plan not just next year's jaunt but ones in the future, too; the skills learnt being transferable whether you are going to the Italian lakes, northern Norway or the bottom of Spain.
You could do worse than simply buying the Marco Polo (the popular European map company) book / folder of laminated motorcycle maps 'Motorradkarten Alpen' ISBN 978 3 8297 1993 3 It maps out the whole of the Alps in 45 individual tankbag sized maps, highlighting all the most popular routes in a reasonably good 1:300,000 scale. Here's a link to the German Amazon page:
http://www.amazon.de/MARCO-POLO-Motorrad-Karten-Alpen-Reisekarten/dp/3829719930
While you are there, slide down to where Amazon makes other recommendations on books and maps that (based on your enquiry) you might like.... That"s how to find other things.... Surf away.... It's an incredible invention.
PS Without realising you have maybe now just learnt the German for motorbike (Motorrad) and map (Karten). Use the two words in a Google search, maybe adding the word of a town, city or area, for instance Bavaria. See what happens. Use Google translate, play about, have fun!
If you want to plan anything more yourself (you've got an entire winter and spring before you go) I'd recommend arming yourself with:
(A) The bible of Alpine motorcycling, John Hermann's 'Motorcycling through the Alps'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROUGH-THE-ALPS/dp/1884313388
Which will last you through a lifetime of jaunts, well beyond next July
(B) A decent map or two
Here's some ideas:
As you've got lots of time, have a bit of a play in Google; it's free, it's fun, you really cannot break it and they can't touch you for it. For instance, there are lots of very good French and German websites, giving suggestions on hotels to stay in and routes to ride. OK, they are often 'in foreign' but a map is a map, a route is a route and a hotel is a hotel, no matter what language the proprietor speaks. You'll very quickly get the hang of it, I promise. Find something you like? Make a note or bookmark it on your browser. There are some really good German books (often published by Bruckmann) with some excellent ideas in them. I don't speak a word of German beyond ordering a beer and warning the natives of Spitfires but managed to order several via German Amazon and use the books' suggested ideas.
Build a library of GPS routes, storing them away on BaseCamp or Mapsource; play around with them until you are happy. In fact, build a small library of everything to do with your trip. It'll help you plan not just next year's jaunt but ones in the future, too; the skills learnt being transferable whether you are going to the Italian lakes, northern Norway or the bottom of Spain.
You could do worse than simply buying the Marco Polo (the popular European map company) book / folder of laminated motorcycle maps 'Motorradkarten Alpen' ISBN 978 3 8297 1993 3 It maps out the whole of the Alps in 45 individual tankbag sized maps, highlighting all the most popular routes in a reasonably good 1:300,000 scale. Here's a link to the German Amazon page:
http://www.amazon.de/MARCO-POLO-Motorrad-Karten-Alpen-Reisekarten/dp/3829719930
While you are there, slide down to where Amazon makes other recommendations on books and maps that (based on your enquiry) you might like.... That"s how to find other things.... Surf away.... It's an incredible invention.
PS Without realising you have maybe now just learnt the German for motorbike (Motorrad) and map (Karten). Use the two words in a Google search, maybe adding the word of a town, city or area, for instance Bavaria. See what happens. Use Google translate, play about, have fun!
Thanks.
I've planned trips & routes before just that I'm not knowledgeable about the location of the passes. Good advice though.
A friend suggested - "Gavia Pass into Bormeo, cut out Como and after the Stelvio take the Fluella Pass to Oberalp Pass into Andermat. You then have the Furka Pass - Grimsel Pass"
I've planned trips & routes before just that I'm not knowledgeable about the location of the passes. Good advice though.
A friend suggested - "Gavia Pass into Bormeo, cut out Como and after the Stelvio take the Fluella Pass to Oberalp Pass into Andermat. You then have the Furka Pass - Grimsel Pass"
Location of passes:
Somewhere on UKGSer I posted up a Mapsource file with all the passes marked, built into a big load of routes, cut, borrowed and stolen from umpteen sources. I think it was called 'All the routes you'll ever need' or summat like that. It's a BIG file, be patient while it downloads. Failing that:
As usual, Google is your friend. An enquiry of 'map of all the alpine passes' brings you near enough straight to:
http://www.alpentourer.com/alpine_passes/
And
http://www.alpineroads.com/alpmap.php
And, not least:
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/249796-Map-of-all-Alpine-Passes
Somewhere on UKGSer I posted up a Mapsource file with all the passes marked, built into a big load of routes, cut, borrowed and stolen from umpteen sources. I think it was called 'All the routes you'll ever need' or summat like that. It's a BIG file, be patient while it downloads. Failing that:
As usual, Google is your friend. An enquiry of 'map of all the alpine passes' brings you near enough straight to:
http://www.alpentourer.com/alpine_passes/
And
http://www.alpineroads.com/alpmap.php
And, not least:
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/249796-Map-of-all-Alpine-Passes
iand46
Registered user
I'm just back from a 4800 mile round trip of alpine passes to, and from, the Misano MotoGP race! I went from Interlaken (lovely campsite at the east shore) over the Susten (also did the the Furka, rough and bumpy) to Andermatt [beautiful place]. From there it's a lovely ride over the Oberalp and Flim passes via Chur and Davos to Livigno. Stayed at lovely Livigno and left at 0ºC to head for Bormio (via another couple of passes) to do the Stelvio. Every route is beautiful but some are twistier than others! Go wherever and enjoy, I certainly did. I also ended up in Como one night, lovely but very expensive! I've had my 2013 (air head) GSA TB for three months now and felt we needed to bond on a tour - it worked!
Sorry, TC
The Splugen is awesome - as long as you do not mind very tight turns, without doubt one of the most stunning roads in the Alps.
The Grimsel is a fantastic ride, and the Nufenen not bad either - half decent restaurant at the top if it is lunchtime as you pass, if not lots of places to eat at the top of the Grimsel - but if you have time run up the one way at a time (traffic light controlled) road at the top to the lake, awesome views and a good little restaurant overlooking the lake. This is the view of the Grimsel from this little dead end road
The main St Gothard is a little boring IMO, the older road (Tremola) is much better - if you are OK riding a fair way on cobbles, great on an ADV bike but I turned around half way up the first time I tried it (Two Up on a ZZR) last year a load of us rode up it on everything from a ZX9R to a Norton (A proper old one)
This is the old road (picture taken from new road)
The Grimsel is a fantastic ride, and the Nufenen not bad either - half decent restaurant at the top if it is lunchtime as you pass, if not lots of places to eat at the top of the Grimsel - but if you have time run up the one way at a time (traffic light controlled) road at the top to the lake, awesome views and a good little restaurant overlooking the lake. This is the view of the Grimsel from this little dead end road
The main St Gothard is a little boring IMO, the older road (Tremola) is much better - if you are OK riding a fair way on cobbles, great on an ADV bike but I turned around half way up the first time I tried it (Two Up on a ZZR) last year a load of us rode up it on everything from a ZX9R to a Norton (A proper old one)
This is the old road (picture taken from new road)
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