Brenner alternative?

[sidepod]

Looking for interesting alternatives to the Brenner Pass.
Essentially from Innsbruck over to the Dollies.

I can read a map and use Google/AI etc so I’m after any Intel from others who’ve found a fun route?

 

[mr pg]

Head east to Zell am See and then south over the Grossglockner. One of europes greatest roads.

 

[colintfcolintf]

Grossglockner is fantastic

 

[sidepod]

Copy that.
I have that particular T shirt

 

[Flower Power]

Looking for interesting alternatives to the Brenner Pass.
Essentially from Innsbruck over to the Dollies.

I can read a map and use Google/AI etc so I’m after any Intel from others who’ve found a fun route?

This is probably not what you are interested in but:

I live in the area and often take a small (free) road from Innsbruck to Italy. Avoids paid road in austria, avoids paid bridge in Austria and part of paid autostrada in Italy. Savings of at lest 40 euros, depending on your status with A vignette. Road is very picturesque and you can see high above you colossal bridges with road jams above on a paid highway. A great view and makes you think if you ever want to take the high road again. Slow driving but also avoids delays on the paid road. time wise you make the same progress. Then you can rejoin autostrada when you need to in Italy.

 

[sidepod]

This is probably not what you are interested in but:

I live in the area and often take a small (free) road from Innsbruck to Italy. Avoids paid road in austria, avoids paid bridge in Austria and part of paid autostrada in Italy. Savings of at lest 40 euros, depending on your status with A vignette. Road is very picturesque and you can see high above you colossal bridges with road jams above on a paid highway. A great view and makes you think if you ever want to take the high road again. Slow driving but also avoids delays on the paid road. time wise you make the same progress. Then you can rejoin autostrada when you need to in Italy.

Sounds perfect. I was going to use the Gross Glock as I’ve never used it heading south.

Can you share your route via a map?

 

[Flower Power]

Out of Innsbruck head South on route 182.... well marked in town but many turns and twists so not easy to follow. Direction Griess am Brenner. Then Brenner. In Italy this road becomes SS12. and keeps going South parallel to the autobahn/autostrada. Take a detour to Sterzing (Italy) a good stop is a BIWAK restaurant by the gondola terminal. (easy to navigate to as you can see where gondola's lines meet the ground. iDining inside/outside, good simple food and easy parking. Dogs allowed inside too. A few hotels around if you need to stay longer after overeating on Calzone.

I also stop in a large and modern SPAR grocery store on another side of town. Refreshing shopping for many Italian specialties after boring and very limited choices in the stores in Austria and in German small towns.

*** It is good to keep Biwak restaurant in mind as an official destination If Italian Police stop you and question what are you doing on a small road instead a transit road/autostrada. They try to limit local traffic. They do that in a season when people try to escape traffic jams on autostrada. you might encounter the same in Austria and Germany.

 

[Flower Power]

Sounds perfect. I was going to use the Gross Glock as I’ve never used it heading south.

Can you share your route via a map?

Oh, If might continue.... for me, the best way to get South to Italy is to find the way in Switzerland to road 13 going South via Chur and St. Bernardino pass to Italy. (Como area). Very easy to drive... sometimes 2 lanes sometimes 1 but well flowing avoids towns. Very little traffic various terrain...relaxing, very relaxing drive and good views. Problem is that you better do not stop for coffee or a meal because it costs fortune. You also need to have a vignette. Of course, you will still have a long way to Dolomites from there. A year ago... end of September Dolimities were still soooo crowded, I only drove through and said never again.