Furka Pass
Length
36km (Andermatt to Gletsch)
Elevation
2,429m
Hairpins
~18 hairpins on the western approach
James Bond drove it. The scenery hasn't changed.
The Map
The Furka Pass connects Andermatt in the canton of Uri with Gletsch in the canton of Valais. The road crests at 2,429 metres through the open tundra immediately below the Rhone Glacier — one of the last glaciers in the Alps visible from a motor road. The landscape in the upper section is lunar: bare rock, grey-green tufts of alpine grass, the glacier's retreating blue-white mass on the northern shoulder. The road was built for the mule caravans that crossed the pass before any permanent structure existed.
The Approach
Andermatt is a small Swiss military town — the Swiss Army has underground installations throughout the surrounding mountains. From the town the road climbs immediately, and the landscape changes from forested valley to open alpine in under 10km. The eastern approach from Andermatt is more open and faster than the western descent toward Gletsch; the western approach offers the best views of the glacier and the best sequence of hairpins.
The Ascent
The western descent toward Gletsch — which is to say, the ascent if approached from Gletsch upward — involves 18 hairpin bends of varying tightness. The gradient is consistent at 9–11%. The tarmac is narrow in places: wide enough for two cars to pass with care, not always wide enough for two cars to pass at speed. This demands a particular etiquette from drivers who understand the mountain and from those who do not. The Rhone Glacier appears on the right at approximately the 15km mark from Gletsch; the Furka hotel sits at the summit. Stop. Look at the glacier. Remember: it will not be there in forty years.
“A road at 2,400 metres tells you things about yourself that lower roads are too polite to mention.”
— Chris Harris, Road & Track, Furka Pass retrospective
History
The Furka appeared in James Bond's Goldfinger (1964) — the Aston Martin DB5 chase scene across the high pass. Production crews filmed at the actual location; the road shown in the film is the road you drive today. The hotel at the summit was used as a filming location. A shorter, easier tunnel route was opened in 1982, reducing commercial traffic on the historic road and preserving its character. The Furka–Oberalp–Glacier Express railway passes through the valley below, offering views up toward the pass that demonstrate its impossibility from below.
What to Drive Here
Practical Notes
The Furka closes with the first serious snowfall of autumn — typically mid-October — and reopens in late May or early June depending on conditions. Refuel in Andermatt before ascending. The summit hotel is open in season and serves reasonable food. Combine with the Oberalp and Grimsel passes for a full Swiss alpine day — the three passes form a triangle that most driving enthusiasts regard as one of the world's great single-day routes.
Best Season
June through October
Access
Closed October/November – May/June
Surface
Asphalt, narrow to moderate width
Country
Switzerland, Uri / Valais border, Central Alps