Bernhardinpass · Switzerland
San Bernardino Pass
Local names: Passo del San Bernardino · San-Bernardino-Pass
The old pass road between the Italian-speaking Mesolcina and the Hinterrhein valley in Graubünden, high above the San Bernardino road tunnel.
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 San Bernardino Pass?
The San Bernardino Pass is in Switzerland, on route 13. Also known as Passo del San Bernardino or Bernhardinpass. The route on this page: San Bernardino village to Hinterrhein, over the 2,066 m summit, 16.7 km.
Why the San Bernardino Pass is famous
A road for carts was opened in 1770. Since the A13 tunnel opened in 1967 almost all through traffic has gone underneath, leaving the pass road quiet, with lakes and hairpins at the top at 2,066 m.
San Bernardino Pass hairpins
Over 16.7 km Turini calls 44 hairpins, 1 square corner and 102 corners graded 1 to 6. That is 154 calls in all, one every 109 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes). On Turini’s ranking of the twistiest famous roads it comes 13th of 61.
San Bernardino Pass elevation profile
From 1,609 m at the start to 1,620 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 2,070 m. Red marks are the hairpins.
San Bernardino Pass pace notes, first few km
The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.
Left 2 long tightensBridgeRight 3Right 3 very long opensLeft 3Left 4Hairpin rightLeft 2 long tightensLeft 3Right 3Right 5Hairpin leftHairpin rightLeft 2 tightensLeft 4Right 5Right 4Left 3Right 1Right 4BridgeLeft 2Hairpin rightHairpin leftRight 1That takes you to 2.33 km. 129 more calls follow over the remaining 14.4 km.
Before you drive the San Bernardino Pass
Normally open from May or June to November, depending on snow. The A13 tunnel below stays open all year.
There is a restaurant at the top but little else. If the pass is closed, the A13 tunnel takes you through.
How to drive the San Bernardino 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 plays through the phone or the car speakers. 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.
The San Bernardino Pass: questions
When is the San Bernardino Pass open?
Normally open from May or June to November, depending on snow. The A13 tunnel below stays open all year.
Where is the San Bernardino Pass?
The San Bernardino Pass is in Switzerland, on route 13. Also known as Passo del San Bernardino or Bernhardinpass. The route on this page: San Bernardino village to Hinterrhein, over the 2,066 m summit, 16.7 km.
How long is the San Bernardino Pass?
The route on this page, San Bernardino village to Hinterrhein, over the 2,066 m summit, is 16.7 km (10.4 miles) long, with about 450 m (1,480 ft) of climbing.
How many hairpins does the San Bernardino Pass have?
On this route Turini calls 44 hairpins and 102 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 1 square corner: 154 pace-note calls in all, about 8.8 corners a kilometre. Signposted counts can differ, since Turini only calls a hairpin where the road really doubles back.
How high does the San Bernardino Pass go?
The highest point on this route is about 2,070 m (6,790 ft), from terrain data, so it can differ from the signposted height by a few tens of metres. It starts at 1,609 m and finishes at 1,620 m.
More roads like the San Bernardino Pass
Best driving roads in the Alps · Best driving roads in Europe · Best driving roads in Switzerland · The twistiest famous roads, ranked · All famous roads · How to read pace notes · How to find twisty roads near you
Sources: Wikipedia: San Bernardino Pass.
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