Russian Road · Slovenia
Vršič Pass
Local names: Vršič · Ruska cesta
Slovenia’s highest pass, crossing the Julian Alps from Kranjska Gora down into the Soča valley. This route takes the whole road, up the north side and down the south.
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 Vršič Pass?
The Vršič Pass is in Slovenia, on route 206. Also known as Vršič, Ruska cesta or Russian Road. The route on this page: Kranjska Gora to Trenta, over the 1,611 m summit, 25.2 km.
Why the Vršič Pass is famous
At 1,611 m it is the highest pass in Slovenia, and the road has 50 numbered hairpins. Turini’s count is a little higher than the signs, because it counts every bend that doubles back on itself. The road was built during the First World War by Russian prisoners of war, which is why it is called the Russian Road; their wooden Russian Chapel stands beside the north side.
Vršič Pass hairpins
Over 25.2 km Turini calls 54 hairpins, 1 square corner and 202 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 4 crests. That is 293 calls in all, one every 86 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 6th of 61.
Vršič Pass elevation profile
From 809 m at the start to 627 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 1,610 m. Red marks are the hairpins.
Vršič Pass pace notes, first few km
The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.
Left 3Hairpin rightLeft 1Right 1Left 5Square right in dipLeft 6Left 6Left 3 longBridgeLeft 5Right 2Right 3Left 5Right 2Left 4Right 6Right 4 long opensLeft 3 longRight 2BridgeLeft 2Right 5Left 3 longRight 4That takes you to 3.14 km. 268 more calls follow over the remaining 22.0 km.
Before you drive the Vršič Pass
The top is usually closed by snow for much of the winter. It normally opens in spring and stays open into late autumn.
Several hairpins on the north side are cobbled, and slippery when wet. The road is narrow and busy with cyclists in summer, so go early.
How to drive the Vršič 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 Vršič Pass: questions
When is the Vršič Pass open?
The top is usually closed by snow for much of the winter. It normally opens in spring and stays open into late autumn.
Where is the Vršič Pass?
The Vršič Pass is in Slovenia, on route 206. Also known as Vršič, Ruska cesta or Russian Road. The route on this page: Kranjska Gora to Trenta, over the 1,611 m summit, 25.2 km.
How long is the Vršič Pass?
The route on this page, Kranjska Gora to Trenta, over the 1,611 m summit, is 25.2 km (15.6 miles) long, with about 810 m (2,660 ft) of climbing.
How many hairpins does the Vršič Pass have?
On this route Turini calls 54 hairpins and 202 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 1 square corner: 293 pace-note calls in all, about 10.2 corners a kilometre. Signposted counts can differ, since Turini only calls a hairpin where the road really doubles back.
How high does the Vršič Pass go?
The highest point on this route is about 1,610 m (5,280 ft), from terrain data, so it can differ from the signposted height by a few tens of metres. It starts at 809 m and finishes at 627 m.
More roads like the Vršič Pass
Best driving roads in the Alps · Best driving roads in Europe · The twistiest famous roads, ranked · All famous roads · How to read pace notes · How to find twisty roads near you
Sources: Wikipedia: Vršič Pass.
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