Route 17 · Switzerland

Klausen Pass

A pass road between Altdorf in Uri and Linthal in Glarus, climbing past alpine pastures to 1,948 m.

StartFinishHairpin

45.7 kmLength

377Pace-note calls

36Hairpins

63Tight corners (1–2)

↑1,620 ↓1,440Climb and drop, m

≈1,980 mHighest point

Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.

Where is the Klausen Pass?

The Klausen Pass is in Switzerland, on route 17. The route on this page: Altdorf to Linthal, over the 1,948 m pass, 45.7 km.

Why the Klausen Pass is famous

It hosted the Klausenrennen, a historic hill climb almost 14 miles long, in the 1920s and 1930s. The road is quieter than the big transit passes nearby.

Klausen Pass hairpins

Over 45.7 km Turini calls 36 hairpins and 315 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 3 crests and 3 dips. That is 377 calls in all, one every 121 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes).

HP36

254

352

464

589

647

Klausen Pass elevation profile

From 487 m at the start to 661 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 1,980 m. Red marks are the hairpins.

2,000 m400 m

0 km22.9 km45.7 km

Klausen Pass pace notes, first few km

The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.

0 mRoundabout, first exit

40 mLeft 6

450 mLeft 4 long

705 mDip

750 mLeft 6

825 mRight 4

860 mBridge

885 mLeft 3

990 mHairpin right

1.24 kmHairpin left

1.42 kmRight 4

1.50 kmRight 4 opens

1.74 kmLeft 6

1.84 kmRight 2

1.95 kmLeft 2 long opens over crest

2.13 kmRight 2 in dip

2.23 kmLeft 2

2.33 kmRight 6

2.56 kmLeft 6

2.63 kmRight 6 over crest

2.88 kmBridge

2.94 kmBridge

3.06 kmLeft 5 long in dip

3.26 kmRight 5 long

3.52 kmLeft 4 long

That takes you to 3.52 km. 352 more calls follow over the remaining 42.2 km.

Before you drive the Klausen Pass

Normally closed between October and May because of snow.

PostBuses cross the pass several times a day in summer, and cyclists are common. There are few places to stop on the steep Glarus side.

How to drive the Klausen Pass with Turini

Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It also works through Android Auto. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.

Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.

More roads like the Klausen Pass

Susten PassSwitzerland45.7 km · 336 calls · 18 hairpins

Gotthard Pass via the TremolaSwitzerland13.6 km · 109 calls · 38 hairpins

Grimsel PassSwitzerland38.2 km · 227 calls · 23 hairpins

Best driving roads in the Alps · Best driving roads in Europe · Best driving roads in Switzerland · All famous roads · How to read pace notes

Sources: Wikipedia: Klausen Pass.

Set Turini up for you

Turini is in early access on Android. Five quick questions and you’ll know which mode to start with.

Find your setup →