The San Bernardino Pass leads from Hinterrhein in the Hinterrhein Valley in the canton Grisons to Bellinzona in the Ticino, is after the Gotthard Pass route one of the most important transalpine connections in north-south direction and is often used as an alternative route for the Gotthard route.
background
The San Bernardino Pass connects the Graubünden Hinterrhein Valley and Ticino via a (national) road connection with a crest tunnel. The access roads are designed as four-lane separate motorways, the majority of the pass road is designed as a two-lane road with no overtaking.
Especially for travelers from Eastern Switzerland, Bavaria and Vorarlberg, the San Bernardino is an alternative route in the event of traffic jams or the Gotthard road tunnel being closed due to an accident; the time required between Zurich and Bellinzona is increased by around 30 - 45 minutes.
history
Historically, the San Bernardino Pass was used relatively late. In Roman times, a large part of north-south traffic was via the Splügen route (although here, too, as on the San Bernardino route, the difficult one to pass Viamala had to be mastered) and about the Julier Pass settled, even if the San Bernardino route was already done.
The as Mons avium or "Vogelberg" called crossing was expanded with the building of the stone bridge in the Via Mala and rapidly increasing traffic Saint Bernard of Siena a chapel was built and since that time the name "San Bernardino" has also been used for the alpine crossing.
The historic mule track ("Mulattiera") with steps carved into the rock and partly paved can still be used as a hiking trail today. The pass road was expanded around 1770, and at the top of the pass the road was now moved to the lowest point of the saddle. This street - called "Strada Romana", although it has nothing to do with Roman times - still exists today.
In 1817 the Bündner Staatsrat Pocobelli received the order from the canton of Graubünden to plan a road connection to Ticino, despite resistance from the Gotthard cantons and Lombardy, the pass road was built in 1818/23 and a hospice was also built at the top of the pass.
In 1967 the 6.7 km long top tunnel became the national road A13 opened, the largely winter-safe connection had to prove itself several times as an alternative route when the Gotthard tunnel was closed. With the increase in truck traffic across the Alps, the tunnel had to be expanded from 1991 onwards, with better ventilation systems and an escape tunnel.
Regions
The pass connects the Domleschg and the Hinterrheintal in the canton of Graubünden with the southern Graubünden valley Misox (Mesocco) and Ticino.
particularities
traffic
The driveways of the A13 and the A2 In Ticino, short stretches of four-lane, multi-directional motorways have been developed; the actual San Bernardino route is developed as a two-lane road with occasional four-lane sections for overtaking.
With relatively tight curves in the southern section, narrow tunnels and steep ramps (up to 8%), the road connection is difficult to drive for caravan teams and especially trucks, but heavy traffic has increased significantly in recent years as a result of overloading the Gotthard route.
The summit tunnel has two lanes, it is driven at 80 km / h and there is an absolute no-overtaking ban.
Route
Section Reichenau - Thusis
- after the junction of the highway
near Reichenau, the road to Flims and in the Surselva is used as the main road 19 continued, the A13 relatively flat through some tunnels, some with two lanes and four lanes in parts. It is off the main road 13 accompanied, in Thusis it goes Albula Pass as a main road 417 accompanied by the Rhaetian Railway ins Engadine from.
Thusis - Hinterrhein section
- the car road passes the Hinterrhein Gorge with the Viamala with several tunnels and viaducts
- to visit the historic gorge of the Viamala can take the Autobahn at the
23 Viamala, the main street 13 leads past the visitor center of the Viamala, here you can look down into the gorge and descend on a stairway to the bottom of the gorge. - after a flatter section between Zillis and Other a winding ascent follows Sufers with its reservoir.
- in Splügen begins the also leading to the south Splügen Passwhose 2115 m high pass is reached relatively quickly, the more the never-ending bends after the Italian state border drag themselves down Chiavenna in length.
The Hinterrhein apex tunnel - San Bernardino
- the apex tunnel with its 6.6 km length has two lanes and there is an absolute no-overtaking ban in the tunnel. For drivers with a bit of tunnel fear, the tunnel with a good third of the length of the Gotthard tunnel is relatively easy to do, an alternative is this
- San Bernardino pass roadwhich is only passable in summer. She leads on Lago Moesalo past the San Bernardino Hospice can be stopped in an inn.
San Bernardino - Bellinzona North
- at the southern tunnel portal is the San Bernardino locality, the road leads to the Lake Isola pent up Moësa.
- after a short, fairly flat stretch, the ramps that lead down to the Misox begin. The steep and relatively narrow hairpin bends are problem-free for cars, but a bit tedious for teams and trucks.
- to Mesocco is then the bottom of the valley, the road is partially expanded to four lanes. In the Bellinzona Nord junction the route comes again with the Gotthard motorway
together.
security
for road tunnel users:
- Never drive into the tunnel overtired, the monotonous driving at 80 km / h is also tiring, it threatens risk of death for yourself and others!
- Use the pass road if you are afraid of tunnels or claustrophobia
- Set ventilation in the tunnel to "RECIRCULATION", no supply of outside air
- Maintain a maximum speed of 80 km / h, do not slow down monotonously (and then fall asleep, the passenger should keep awake)
- Keep a sufficient safety distance, overtaking is taboo in the tunnel
- in the event of a breakdown, go to the nearest security niche; only try to extinguish small fires / smoke development yourself.
- in the event of a fire in the tunnel, leave the vehicle standing, use the marked exits to go to the escape tunnel that has been supplied with fresh air, under no circumstances try to turn and drive backwards!
activities
The San Bernardino Pass is mainly used as a fast connection between Graubünden and Ticino, everyone hopes to be able to pass it quickly without traffic jams. There are in the area of Hinterrhein - Misox however, there are also a number of opportunities to linger.
In the winter:
| Surname | phone | Altitude |  |  |  |  |  |  | Σ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pian Cales ski lift | 41 (0)91 832 12 14 | 1,642 - 1,770 m | — | — | 1 | — | 5 | — | 5 km |
| Confin 200 ski area0 (closed since 2012) | 1,642 - 1,958 m | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | 0 km |
Due to differences with the operating company, the Confin 2000 ski area on the western slope above San Bernardino has been closed since 2012; it comprised two chair lifts and several tow lifts. Currently, only the 500 m short (practice) ski lift on the eastern slope to Pian Cales is still in operation; the first ski lift was set up there as early as 1939.
trips
_-_WGA19760.jpg/150px-12th_century_unknown_painters_-_Wooden_ceiling_(detail)_-_WGA19760.jpg)
- to take a break, it is worth visiting places of interest near the route: ViamalaGorge between Thusis and Zillis, the visit to the church of Zillis with the painted wooden ceiling from the 12th century, numerous square panels show biblical representations; the images were shown on Swiss Pro Patria stamps for several years.
- Visit the picturesque village Splügen
- Break on Laghetto Moesola at the San Bernardino Hospice at the road pass crossing
- Hikers know the Graubünden southern valleys, which, with the southern side weather and the rough, steep slopes, offer hiking experiences similar to those of the Ticino side valleys. Next to the Misox is the primeval Calanca valley worth a visit.
- if you are in the region, you can also drive over the Splügen Pass and the visit of the Italian Chiavenna to consider.
