An 11-day self-guided motorcycle tour of the Austrian and Swiss Alps on dates you choose. Ride the B500, Grossglockner and Andermatt loop, with hotels, Eurotunnel and GPS routes all arranged.
An 11-day self-guided motorcycle tour of the Austrian and Swiss Alps on dates you choose. Ride the B500, Grossglockner and Andermatt loop, with hotels, Eurotunnel and GPS routes all arranged.
This self-guided Austrian and Swiss Alps motorcycle tour packs three bucket-list rides into 11 days: the B500 through the Black Forest, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and the famous Andermatt pass loop in Switzerland. Add the Vosges Mountains, the Route des Crêtes and a string of lesser-known Alpine passes, and you have one of the best-value Alpine adventures in Europe. You choose the dates, we plan the route and book every hotel and crossing, and you ride it at your own pace.
Everything is paid for in advance, so there are no vouchers to juggle and nothing to sort out on the road. Before you leave, we email GPS files for every day and post you a printed daily guide that matches them, complete with coffee stops, lunch suggestions and the sights worth stopping for. With two-night stops in the Austrian Tirol and the Swiss Alps, and two optional rest days, you can ride every day or take time off the bike whenever you like.
How Your Self-Guided Tour Works
1
Choose your dates Pick any start date between June and September and complete the booking form.
2
We book everything Your Eurotunnel crossing and all 10 nights of hotels are booked and paid for in advance.
3
Receive your tour pack GPS files are emailed and your printed daily guide and packing list are posted before departure.
4
Ride with backup Call us or message your tour WhatsApp group if you need advice while you’re away.
TOUR DATES
Choose Your Own Dates – June to September
Tours start from June, when the Grossglockner and the high Swiss passes are reliably open. Tell us your preferred start date on the booking form and we’ll confirm availability and book your hotels and crossing.
Your tour starts as you roll off the Eurotunnel at Calais and ride south-east across France, stopping at the historic Circuit de Reims-Gueux before your first night in Châlons-en-Champagne. Next day you cross the Moselle and the Lorraine National Park and ride the bends of the Vosges Mountains, before crossing the Rhine to your hotel near Baden-Baden on the edge of the Black Forest.
Stunning views across the Grossglockner
Start day three on the smooth tarmac and sweeping bends of the B500 Black Forest High Road, then ride across Bavaria, past lakes such as the Walchensee, to your hotel near the Austrian border. On day four you ride into the Austrian Tirol for two nights in a traditional Alpine hotel.
Day five is yours to plan. Ride the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, climbing to 2,504m with hairpins, glaciers and the views from the Edelweißspitze, or head to the Eagle’s Nest above Berchtesgaden. Or simply take the day off the bike and enjoy the mountains.
Next you head west into Switzerland over a series of lesser-known passes, to two nights in a typical Swiss Alpine hotel. Along the way you ride the San Bernardino, Oberalp and Furka passes, and pass famous 007 film locations.
Day eight is possibly the highlight of the tour: the famous five passes of the Andermatt loop, including the Furka, Grimsel, Susten and Gotthard via the cobbled Tremola, plus the Nufenen. It’s actually six passes in total, but who’s counting! Ride it all, part of it, or take a second rest day.
Leaving the Alps, you ride through Switzerland’s rolling Emmental region and back into France to the Vosges Mountains. Then ride the Route des Crêtes and cross the open French countryside, with a stop at the WWI memorial at Verdun, to your final night beside the Semois River in Belgium.
Your last day takes you through the Ardennes, with a stop at the Chimay Classic Road Circuit, still raced to this day, and on through the Avesnois Natural Park to Calais and the tunnel home.
Tour Highlights Summary
Five Countries: France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium Bucket-List Roads: B500 Black Forest, Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Andermatt pass loop Mountain Passes: Grossglockner (2,504m), Furka, Grimsel, Susten, Nufenen, Gotthard, the cobbled Tremola, Oberalp, San Bernardino Historic Sites: Circuit de Reims-Gueux, Verdun WWI Memorial, Chimay Classic Circuit, 007 film locations Two-Night Stops: Austrian Tirol, Swiss Alps Flexibility: Choose your own dates, ride at your own pace, two optional rest days Perfect For: Riders, couples and small groups of friends who want the best of the Alps in less than two weeks
Guided or Self-Guided?
Prefer to ride with a tour leader, enjoy group evening meals and have someone else handle the navigation? The same route is also available as a guided Austrian and Swiss Alps motorcycle tour on set dates. Choose self-guided if you’d rather pick your own dates and travel independently.
Choose your dates and ride this unforgettable 11-day self-guided Austrian and Swiss Alps motorcycle tour.
TOUR MAP / ITINERARY
11-Day Self-Guided Austrian & Swiss Alps Motorcycle Tour Itinerary
From the Black Forest to the Grossglockner and the Swiss Alps, this self-guided tour links three bucket-list rides in 11 days, with two-night stops in the Austrian Tirol and the Swiss Alps. Every day has its own GPS file and a matching page in your printed daily guide, with coffee stops, lunch suggestions and the sights worth stopping for.
Day 1: UK to Champagne via Eurotunnel & Circuit de Reims-Gueux
Roll off the Eurotunnel at Calais and ride south-east across France. Your route passes the historic Circuit de Reims-Gueux, where the old pit buildings still line the road, before you reach your first night in Châlons-en-Champagne.
Distance: 230 miles (370 km)
Highlights: Eurotunnel crossing, Circuit de Reims-Gueux, Champagne region
Day 2: Champagne to Baden-Baden via the Northern Vosges
Head east through the Lorraine National Park, cross the Moselle River and ride through the Moselle wine country. Stop for an afternoon coffee in the Northern Vosges, then cross the Rhine into Germany to your hotel in Baden-Baden, on the edge of the Black Forest.
Distance: 200 miles (320 km)
Highlights: Lorraine National Park, Moselle wine region, Northern Vosges, Rhine crossing, Baden-Baden
Day 3: The B500 & Bavaria to the Austrian Border
Start the day on the sweeping bends and immaculate tarmac of the B500 Schwarzwaldhochstraße, then ride on through Bavaria towards the Alps and your hotel close to the Austrian border.
Distance: 210 miles (340 km)
Highlights: B500 Black Forest High Road, Bavaria, Bavarian lakes
Day 5: Free Day – Grossglockner or Eagle’s Nest Ride-Out
Choose your ride-out today. Take on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, climbing to 2,504m with epic hairpins, glacier views and the panorama from the Edelweißspitze, or ride to the Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) above Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s former mountain retreat. Or simply take the day off the bike.
Distance: 0 miles (rest day) or up to 130 miles (210 km) ride-out
Highlights: Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Edelweißspitze, Eagle’s Nest
Back into the curves, with four mountain passes on today’s route, including the San Bernardino, the Oberalp and the Furka, and famous 007 film locations along the way. You’ll ride the Furka again tomorrow, from the other direction, on the Andermatt loop. You’ll arrive at your Swiss Alpine hotel for the next two nights.
Distance: 165 miles (265 km)
Highlights: San Bernardino Pass, Oberalp Pass, Furka Pass, 007 film locations, two-night stop
Day 8: Free Day – Obergoms & the Andermatt Pass Loop
Possibly the highlight of the tour, today’s ride-out takes you around the famous Andermatt loop, including the Furka Pass, Grimsel Pass, Susten Pass and Gotthard Pass via the cobbled Tremola, plus the Nufenen Pass, through the beautiful Obergoms valley. It’s known as the five-pass loop, but it’s actually six passes in total, though who’s counting! Ride all of it, part of it, or take a second rest day.
Distance: 0 miles (rest day) or up to 155 miles (250 km) ride-out
With the high Alps behind you, there are still a couple of great passes to ride before you cross Switzerland’s rolling Emmental region and head back into France to your overnight stop in the Vosges Mountains.
Day 10: Route des Crêtes & Verdun to the Semois River
Ride the Route des Crêtes through the Vosges, then head north across the open French countryside. Your daily guide includes an afternoon stop at the Douaumont Ossuary and Memorial at Verdun, one of the most moving WWI sites in Europe, before your final night on the banks of the Semois River in Belgium.
Distance: 215 miles (345 km)
Highlights: Route des Crêtes, Verdun WWI Memorial, Semois River
Day 11: Belgium to the UK via Chimay Circuit & Eurotunnel
Your final day takes you through the Ardennes, with a stop at the Chimay Classic Road Circuit, still raced to this day, for some final photos. Then ride through the Avesnois Natural Park to Calais for the Eurotunnel crossing home.
Return Eurotunnel Crossing: Return trip Folkestone-Calais on Eurotunnel (if the train and/or Folkestone isn’t convenient for you, please get in touch as we can arrange other crossings).
10 Nights Accommodation: Premium motorcycle-friendly hotels throughout the Tour
Daily Breakfast: Full breakfast each morning at all hotels to fuel your riding day
Motorcycle Parking: Some hotels charge for parking but this is included in your package
Hotel Leisure Facilities: Full access to swimming pools, spas, and fitness facilities at all hotels
Detailed Route Maps: Comprehensive route plans covering all Alpine passes and scenic roads
GPS Navigation Files: Pre-loaded GPS routes compatible with Garmin, TomTom, and smartphone apps
Daily Itinerary Guide: Detailed daily plans with sightseeing highlights, coffee stops, and lunch recommendations
What’s Not Included in Your Motorcycle Tour
Motorcycle Fuel Costs:
Road Tolls & Pass Charges:
Attraction Entry Fees:
Meals & Drinks not specified as included:
Travel Insurance & Breakdown Cover: Comprehensive motorcycle travel insurance including breakdown recovery and UK repatriation is mandatory but not included. We strongly recommend European breakdown cover from providers like RAC, AA, or specialist motorcycle insurers.
You choose your dates and we do the planning. We book and pay for your Eurotunnel crossing and all 10 nights of hotels in advance, so there are no vouchers to carry and nothing to arrange on the road. Before you leave, we email your GPS route files for every day, and a printed daily guide that matches them is posted to you, which includes a suggested packing list. Then you ride the route at your own pace, stopping wherever you like.
Why do tours start from June?
This route crosses some of the highest passes in the Alps, including the Grossglockner and the Swiss passes of the Andermatt loop. From June these passes are reliably open and the mountain weather is more settled, so you can start the tour on any date from June to September. Add your preferred start date to the booking form and we’ll confirm availability and book your hotels and crossing. Booking early gives the best chance of getting your preferred dates, especially in July and August.
What standard are the hotels?
You’ll stay in the same carefully selected motorcycle-friendly hotels used on our guided tour, including traditional Alpine hotels in the Austrian Tirol and the Swiss Alps. Breakfast is included every morning, and hotel parking is included throughout the tour.
What’s in the tour pack?
Your tour pack is the same one our guided riders receive. It includes GPS files for each day’s route, a printed daily guide that corresponds to those files with coffee stops, lunch suggestions and sights along the way, and a suggested packing list. It’s sent to you before departure so you have time to load the routes and get familiar with them.
Do I need to be good with a sat nav?
You’ll need to be comfortable loading routes and following them. The GPS files work with Garmin and TomTom devices and with smartphone navigation apps. If you’re new to route files, our sat nav set up guide walks you through the process, and we’re happy to help before you leave. The daily guide also describes each day’s route, so you’re never relying on the screen alone.
What happens if I have a problem while I’m away?
You can call us, and every tour has its own WhatsApp group so you can get advice quickly while you’re on the road. We don’t run a dedicated 24-hour helpline, so you must have your own European breakdown cover and motorcycle travel insurance. This is a requirement of our terms and conditions, and our insurance and breakdown guide explains what to look for.
What is the Andermatt pass loop?
The Andermatt loop is one of the most famous rides in the Alps, linking the Furka, Grimsel, Susten and Gotthard passes around the Swiss town of Andermatt, with the Nufenen added on our route. It’s known as the five-pass loop, but it’s actually six passes in total, though who’s counting! Highlights include the cobbled hairpins of the Tremola on the old Gotthard road and the views from the Furka, which featured in the James Bond film Goldfinger. You’ll ride it on Day 8 from your two-night base in the Swiss Alps.
How hard is the Tremola?
The Tremola is the old cobbled road up the Gotthard Pass, with tight hairpins stacked one above the other. The cobbles are well laid and perfectly rideable at a steady pace, but they can be slippery in the wet. If the weather’s against you, or you’d rather avoid cobbles, the modern Gotthard road runs alongside, and your daily guide shows you how to take it instead.
What happens if a pass is closed?
Closures in summer are rare, but mountain weather can occasionally close a high pass for a few hours. Check the conditions before you set off each morning. If a pass is closed, call us or message your tour WhatsApp group and we’ll help you with an alternative route.
Do I need vignettes or toll passes?
Our routes avoid motorways, so you shouldn’t need an Austrian or Swiss motorway vignette. Some riders still buy one as a backup, as it lets you take the motorway if you need to cut a day short because of bad weather or a closed pass. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road has its own toll for motorcycles, payable at the toll booth. These charges aren’t included in the tour price.
Are speed limits strictly enforced?
Yes. Speed enforcement is strict in Switzerland, Austria and France, and Swiss fines in particular can be very high. Watch out for the lower limits, often 20 or 30 km/h, when you pass through small towns and villages.
Do I need a Green Card for Switzerland?
No. Switzerland is one of the countries where UK riders don’t need an insurance Green Card. You do still need valid motorcycle insurance, so check with your insurer and breakdown provider that your full cover applies abroad. Carry your passport, driving licence, insurance documents and V5C logbook.
What’s the difference between this and the guided tour?
The route and hotels are the same, but on the guided Austrian and Swiss Alps tour you ride with a tour leader on set dates and three evening meals are included. The self-guided tour costs less, lets you pick your own dates and gives you complete freedom over when you set off.
Are meals included?
Breakfast is included every morning at all hotels. Lunches and evening meals aren’t included on the self-guided tour, which leaves you free to eat wherever you like. Your daily guide includes lunch suggestions along each day’s route.
How much riding is there each day?
Most riding days are between 165 and 235 miles. Days 5 and 8 are free days in the Austrian Tirol and the Swiss Alps, so you can ride the Grossglockner or the Andermatt loop, or take time off the bike. And because it’s self-guided, you can set off as early or as late as you like and take as many breaks as you want along the way.
Can I ride the tour as a couple or with friends?
Yes. The self-guided format suits couples and small groups of friends particularly well, as you can set your own pace and plans. We offer rider and pillion pricing, and pricing for two riders on separate bikes sharing a room. If you’re planning a larger group, get in touch and we’ll check availability.
Can I do the tour as a solo rider?
Absolutely. You can choose a single room or a twin room option. Riding solo on a self-guided tour means you set the pace entirely, and the WhatsApp group means help and advice are only a message away.
What type of motorcycle do I need?
Any reliable, well-maintained motorcycle is suitable. We generally suggest 500cc or above, although modern adventure scooters such as the Honda ADV350 are also capable. Your bike should be roadworthy, recently serviced and fitted with luggage for a trip of nearly two weeks, with good brakes and enough tyre tread for over 2,000 miles of mountain riding. Our bike preparation guide covers tyres, brakes, chain and fluid checks before departure.
Can I use a different crossing?
Yes. If you’d prefer a ferry or a different crossing, tell us in the comments section of the booking form and start the tour from the first night’s hotel. We’ll deduct the Eurotunnel cost from your booking.
More Questions About Self-Guided Touring in the Alps
What’s the weather like? Warm in the valleys, but cool and changeable on the high passes, so pack vented kit, waterproofs and base layers.
Is motorcycle parking included? Yes, hotel parking is included.
Do I need to carry hotel vouchers? No. Everything is booked and paid for in advance.
Do I have to ride the free-day ride-outs? No. Days 5 and 8 are completely optional.
What currency do I need? Euros for every country except Switzerland, which uses the Swiss franc. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for coffee stops.
Will I have phone signal? Generally yes, but check your mobile roaming charges for Switzerland, as it’s outside the EU.
Can I extend the tour? Yes. Contact us to discuss adding extra nights before or after the tour.
Can pillions join? Yes. With two-night stops and optional rest days, the tour is comfortable for pillions too.
