Switzerland - how many passes in one day?

NeilF

NeilF

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In planning a tour to Swizzera in early September, with SWMBO and another two bikes, I seem to have identified one particular day when we'll be travelling from Interlaken to Andermatt, doing Susten, Furka, Grimsel, Novena, and St. Gotthard Passes in the one day.

Mapsource tells me it's just 130 miles total distance, done in 4 hours 30 minutes.

But I'm wondering if that's way optimistic - can anyone advise the likely time to do these passes, in "touring mode" stopping to admire the views, etc?


Many thanks,

Neil.
 
Bus pass, train pass, under pass, pass wind, pass the parcel that's 5 that should fill your day . :p How many days have you got ?
 
NeilF said:
In planning a tour to Swizzera in early September, with SWMBO and another two bikes, I seem to have identified one particular day when we'll be travelling from Interlaken to Andermatt, doing Susten, Furka, Grimsel, Novena, and St. Gotthard Passes in the one day.

Mapsource tells me it's just 130 miles total distance, done in 4 hours 30 minutes.

But I'm wondering if that's way optimistic - can anyone advise the likely time to do these passes, in "touring mode" stopping to admire the views, etc?


Many thanks,

Neil.
Click to expand...

Seems fine by me
The maximum I did was 250 miles in a day but solo
 
I was doing 200 miles a day round the passes of Switzerland last year, based in Andermatt. 200 miles was a good days riding, stopping for lunch and a couple of brews.
 
Yep , you can do those in one day ....
But you won't be stopping much, and you may just want to ....
Also make sure you ride down or up the old cobbled St Gotthard at least once ...

Give youself two days if you want to enjoy it ...

Interlaken to Andermatt ... presumably taking in all these passes on the way, and not going to Andermatt first !

Andermatt is a dumpy garrison town ...
 
Last time I was pass busting in the Alps my average speed (as shown by the GPS) over several days was not much more than 40mph. In the Dolomites, GPS said 20 miles distance (as the crow flies) between two towns but nearly 50 miles traversing the mountain roads. Those 50 miles took 1.5 hours; a superb ride that I would happily do again.

By the time you navigate challenging roads, take in the scenery, stop for photo's, get stuck behind the odd lorry / bus, etc, have lunch, tea and pee it fairly knocks down the daily average speed. Getting to the Alps on autobahn, my average speed was considerably higher.
 
The Phantom Pieman said:
Yep , you can do those in one day ....
But you won't be stopping much, and you may just want to ....
Also make sure you ride down or up the old cobbled St Gotthard at least once ...

Give youself two days if you want to enjoy it ...
Click to expand...
I agree, but we were running short of time :(
 
Andermatt is a one horse expensive dumpy garrison town ...
Click to expand...

Fixed. There are nicer places to stop.
 
Passes in one day

Made the mistake last year of doing the following in one day - starting with Stelvio, Bernina, Julier, Oberalp, Furka and Grimsel - had a great time in brilliant weather but was glad to reach Interlaken. Next time, would take it slower and have more stops
 
I did these passes last June - my first trip to the Alps. In one day, I rode from Andermatt (leaving at about 7.30) over the Furka, stopped at Gletsch for a smoke, then headed up the Grimsel, stopping at the top for another fag and photos. After a quick detour over the other side of the Grimsel, I carried on down the other side ( a great run), and headed to Interlaken. At Interlaken I went to Grindelwald to admire the Eiger, then backtracked and went down to..forget the name Tummelbach or something, where the big waterfalls drain from the Jungfrau. Parked up and went in the falls, did the tour there, then rode further down that valley a mile or so to admire the view. Then headed back to Interlaken for a sandwich and rest. From there, back to do the Susten pass, which was a great run, and stopped at the top and headed down the little road to look at the glaciers (and have a couple of fags). Then it was back down the Susten which was a super run down, and over another little road into Andermatt - forget the name. By that time it was about 7.00pm.

The next day I did the cobbled St Gotthard and then the Nufenen. This was one of my favourites - a super view from the top and a great run down to the valley, ending up not too far from Gletsch. From Andermatt, that probably took me a couple of hours (though I then went along the valley and up to Zermatt).

What I am not sure of from your route is how you intend to do susten, furka, and grimsel, from Interlaken? You'll need to double back on one of them to get back and do the St Gothard. Unless you plan to end up back in Interlaken, but I still think you'll have to do one of the passes twice. There isn't a one way run. I may be wrong though.
 
Bateman said:
What I am not sure of from your route is how you intend to do susten, furka, and grimsel, from Interlaken?
Click to expand...

I'd thought to do like a reversed 'S' - start from Interlaken heading East to Brunig, over Susten to Wassen, South past Andermatt then West over Furka and Grimsel, South towards Geschinen then East over Novena, St. Gotthard and then North to Andermatt.

Cheers for the suggestions.

Neil.
 
NeilF said:
In planning a tour to Swizzera in early September, with SWMBO and another two bikes, I seem to have identified one particular day when we'll be travelling from Interlaken to Andermatt, doing Susten, Furka, Grimsel, Novena, and St. Gotthard Passes in the one day.
But I'm wondering if that's way optimistic.
Click to expand...

You'll manage that no bother :thumb

Last summer I stayed the night in Briancon and was to meet my parents in Andermatt the following evening; Briancon, Col Montgenevre, Susa, Col Mt Cenis, Col l'Iseran, Col Pt St Bernard, Aosta, Col Gd St Bernard, Martigny, Brig, Furka Pass, Andermatt ... 350 miles.

I think the most passes I've done in a day was when staying in Austria in 2003 and went to the Dolomites for the day; Pfunds, Reschen Pass, Merano, Bolzano, Karer Pass, Fedaia Pass, Giau Pass, Falzarego Pass, Valparola Pass, Grodner Pass, Sella Pass, Karer Pass, Bolzano, Reschen Pass, Pfunds ... 315 miles.
 
Bateman said:
I did these passes last June - my first trip to the Alps. In one day, I rode from Andermatt (leaving at about 7.30) over the Furka, stopped at Gletsch for a smoke, then headed up the Grimsel, stopping at the top for another fag and photos. After a quick detour over the other side of the Grimsel, I carried on down the other side ( a great run), and headed to Interlaken. At Interlaken I went to Grindelwald to admire the Eiger, then backtracked and went down to..forget the name Tummelbach or something, where the big waterfalls drain from the Jungfrau. Parked up and went in the falls, did the tour there, then rode further down that valley a mile or so to admire the view. Then headed back to Interlaken for a sandwich and rest. From there, back to do the Susten pass, which was a great run, and stopped at the top and headed down the little road to look at the glaciers (and have a couple of fags). Then it was back down the Susten which was a super run down, and over another little road into Andermatt - forget the name. By that time it was about 7.00pm.

The next day I did the cobbled St Gotthard and then the Nufenen. This was one of my favourites - a super view from the top and a great run down to the valley, ending up not too far from Gletsch. From Andermatt, that probably took me a couple of hours (though I then went along the valley and up to Zermatt).

What I am not sure of from your route is how you intend to do susten, furka, and grimsel, from Interlaken? You'll need to double back on one of them to get back and do the St Gothard. Unless you plan to end up back in Interlaken, but I still think you'll have to do one of the passes twice. There isn't a one way run. I may be wrong though.
Click to expand...
You forgot your fag between St gotthard and Nufenen,was getting late I supose :D Some top passes there Bateman.
 
YOO

That schouldn't be a problem, last summer I did them al in one day.

Started in Innertkirchen, did the Grimsell, than the Nufenen, onto the St. Gothard (be sure to take the old one, though from the new one you've got a magnificent view halfway up, but the pass itself is boring), than the Furka, the Grimsell again, and finally the Sustenpass, took the time to eat in Gletsh (about an hour) and also time to take pic's here and there, and had time to spare :D

Just mind the cowshit on the Nufenen, slippery in the turns, and a bummer if it flyes into your helmet :eek:

Grtz, Philip!
 
Shouldn't be a problem, but why the rush? IMHO if you take a little more time you are likely to get much more enjoyment out of the trip. Also pillions can get a little bored.
 
I did three of the passes you mention in a day, which was easy enough. The plan was to do more but to be honest after three I was happy to move on somewhere else.
I'd say take your time and spread things out over a couple of days.
 
I'm doing much the same in late June - but I haven't planned out how long to spend "doing the passes" I will be staying with Swiss guys who have cycled all the passes, so no doubt know the "best" routes....

I'll let you know when I get back!
 
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