Furka Pass vs Grimsel Pass: Which Drive Is More Scenic?

The Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass are two of Switzerland's most celebrated mountain drives, and they share a common junction at Gletsch, a tiny settlement in the upper Rhone Valley at 1,757 meters. From Andermatt, you reach Gletsch via the Furka's western approach. From Innertkirchen (near Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland), you climb the Grimsel. The two passes form a natural loop that many road trippers drive as a single day circuit.

But if you only have time for one, or if you want to understand how they differ before you go, this comparison breaks down every dimension that matters for planning. For the full route guide with driving directions, stop-by-stop itinerary, and timing advice, see our dedicated Furka-Grimsel Pass Loop guide.

The Furka Pass is the more famous of the two, largely thanks to a scene from a 1964 James Bond film shot on its eastern descent. But the real draw is the raw, high-altitude drama. At 2,429 meters, it is one of the highest paved passes in Switzerland, and the landscape near the summit feels genuinely remote: bare rock, patches of snow well into July, and the retreating Rhone Glacier visible from the Belvedere viewpoint just below the summit on the Gletsch side.

The eastern approach from Andermatt climbs through green alpine meadows before entering a series of tight, exposed switchbacks near the tree line. The summit area is stark and windswept. The western descent toward Gletsch is the section from the Bond film: a narrow ribbon of tarmac threading down through relentless hairpins with the glacier valley laid out below you.

The road narrows significantly on the eastern descent. In places, two standard-width cars can pass each other, but a car and a tour bus cannot. You will need to use pull-off points when oncoming traffic includes coaches. This is not difficult, but it requires patience and awareness.

For photographers, the Furka's east side offers the most dramatic compositions in the Swiss pass road portfolio. The Belvedere viewpoint, the glacier tongue (now visible only as a grey mass below the road), and the long-range views down the Rhone Valley are all accessible without leaving the road corridor.

For the complete stop-by-stop route guide, see our Furka-Grimsel Pass Loop guide, which covers the Furka in detail as part of the full circuit.

The Grimsel Pass sits lower at 2,164 meters but packs a completely different kind of visual punch. Where the Furka is about exposed rock and glacier drama, the Grimsel is about water: deep blue-green reservoirs, massive hydroelectric dams, and a moonscape of granite smoothed by ancient glaciers.

The approach from Innertkirchen (Bernese Oberland side) is a steady climb through a narrow gorge before opening into a broader valley dotted with reservoirs. The Raterichsbodensee and the larger Grimselsee are striking in their artificial intensity, an almost impossibly vivid turquoise against dark granite walls. The Grimsel Hospiz, a historic mountain inn perched between two lakes near the summit, is one of the most atmospheric rest stops on any Swiss pass.

The road itself is wider and gentler than the Furka. Gradients are less severe, corners are broader, and the surface is excellent throughout. This makes the Grimsel more relaxing to drive, particularly for less experienced mountain drivers or those with passengers who are nervous about tight switchbacks.

Traffic is noticeably lighter than on the Furka. Fewer tour buses use the Grimsel, partly because it is less photogenic for postcard-style shots but arguably more interesting for those who appreciate geological and engineering landscapes. The summit area has a stark, lunar quality that feels unlike anything else in the Swiss Alps.

The Grimsel connects to the Bernese Oberland via Meiringen, making it a natural link in itineraries that include Interlaken. If you are staying in Interlaken, the Grimsel is reachable in about 75 minutes from your hotel. Combined with the Susten Pass on the return, it makes for a spectacular day drive without needing to go all the way to Andermatt.

If you want the most visually dramatic, bucket-list pass drive, choose the Furka. The glacier views, the Bond-road switchbacks, and the sheer altitude make it the more memorable single experience for most visitors. It is the pass that makes people stop mid-corner to reach for their camera.

If you want a more relaxed, contemplative drive with fewer other vehicles and unique reservoir scenery, choose the Grimsel. It is also the better choice if you are driving with nervous passengers, since the wider road and gentler curves are less intimidating.

If you are based in Interlaken or the Bernese Oberland, the Grimsel is logistically easier to reach. If you are based in Andermatt or Lucerne, the Furka is more convenient.

Furka Pass Photo Spots

• Belvedere viewpoint: Just below the summit on the Gletsch side. Overlooks the Rhone Glacier tongue and the Gletsch valley. The most photographed location on the pass.
• Summit marker area: Bare rock and snowfields with long views in both directions. Best in early morning when mist lingers in the valleys below.
• Eastern switchbacks above Realp: Looking back at the road you have just climbed gives a dramatic serpentine composition. Pull off at designated viewpoints only.
• James Bond curve: On the Gletsch descent, identifiable by the sharp left hairpin with a retaining wall. Best shot with a wide-angle lens looking down-valley.

Grimsel Pass Photo Spots

• Grimselsee overlook: A pull-off near the summit gives a wide view of the reservoir with its vivid color and granite surroundings. Afternoon light is best.
• Totensee (Dead Lake): A small, dark lake at the summit with a haunting, desolate atmosphere. Excellent in overcast conditions.
• Grimsel Hospiz: The historic inn between two reservoirs. The building against the dam wall creates a strong compositional frame.
• Raterichsbodensee dam road: The road crosses the top of the dam, offering views straight down the concrete face and across the reservoir to granite cliffs.

Both passes are free to drive and do not require a vignette (they are cantonal roads, not motorways). Any standard rental car can handle either pass in summer conditions. For details on Swiss driving rules, speed limits, and vignette requirements for the motorway sections of your trip, see our driving in Switzerland guide.

The loop starting and ending in Andermatt covers approximately 120 kilometers and takes 3 to 4 hours of driving time. Add 60 to 90 minutes for photo stops, and budget a full morning or afternoon for the experience. Start before 8 AM in peak season (July and August) to avoid tour bus traffic on the Furka.

If you are planning the loop as part of a larger Swiss itinerary, it fits naturally on a day traveling between Andermatt and the Bernese Oberland. Our 7-day Switzerland road trip itinerary includes the loop as a highlight drive day. The 10-day Swiss Grand Tour also features both passes as part of the central Switzerland segment.

For accommodation near the loop, Andermatt is the natural base. It sits at the intersection of four pass roads (Furka, Gotthard, Oberalp, and Susten via a short link), making it the most versatile hub for pass driving in Switzerland.

If you are already driving the Furka-Grimsel loop, adding the Susten Pass turns a great day into a legendary one. The three-pass circuit runs approximately 170 kilometers and can be completed in a full day (6 to 8 hours including stops).

The standard three-pass route from Andermatt: drive the Furka east to Gletsch, continue over the Grimsel south to Innertkirchen, then turn east on the Susten Pass back to Wassen, and return to Andermatt via the valley road. The Susten is arguably the most beautiful of the three: a sweeping, well-engineered road through a gentler landscape of waterfalls and alpine meadows, with a stunning final descent past the Steingletscher viewpoint.

This three-pass day is the single best day drive we recommend on PlanTheAlps. For full route details, see the Furka-Grimsel Pass Loop guide.