Ask a driving enthusiast which Swiss pass they'd drive if they could only pick one, and you'll get a surprising answer. Not the Gotthard. Not the Furka. Not the Grimsel.

The Susten.

The Susten Pass doesn't have a Bond film or a Top Gear episode. It doesn't have the name recognition of the Stelvio or the visual drama of the Grossglockner. What it has is a near-perfect driving surface, flowing corners that reward smooth inputs, consistently less traffic than its neighbours, and a rhythm that makes you want to drive it twice before going home.

This Susten Pass driving guide covers what makes it special, how to drive it, and how to fit it into the legendary Three Passes loop.

Quick Facts: Susten Pass at a Glance

Why Enthusiasts Rate It So Highly

The Susten's reputation among driving enthusiasts comes down to three things that are hard to find together on any mountain pass:

Surface Quality

The Susten's tarmac is consistently excellent. Not just "good for a mountain pass" — genuinely good by any standard. The Swiss maintain it meticulously, and the road drains well even in rain. You can trust the surface in a way you can't on the Transfagarasan or even some sections of the Stelvio.

Good surface means confidence. Confidence means you can focus on the driving rather than scanning for potholes and patches.

Corner Character

Where the Stelvio delivers 48 hairpins and the Furka delivers tight switchback clusters, the Susten delivers variety. The road mixes fast sweepers, medium-speed 3s and 4s, occasional tight hairpins, and long connecting straights. No two kilometres feel the same.

The corners are well-sighted — you can read most of them from the entry. The sight lines are generous, the road is wide enough to choose a line, and the transitions between corners are smooth. This is a road designed for flow, not survival.

That variety makes it rewarding to drive repeatedly. The hairpin-heavy passes have a rhythm that becomes repetitive — brake, turn, accelerate, brake, turn, accelerate. The Susten's rhythm constantly changes: sweep, brake, tight turn, accelerate, long straight, medium curve, tunnel, sweep. Your brain stays engaged because the road keeps changing the question.

Traffic Density

The Susten sees significantly less traffic than the Gotthard (which carries commercial traffic), the Furka (which has the Bond association), or the Grimsel (which connects major valleys). The Susten is essentially a "dead end" in network terms — it connects Innertkirchen to Wassen, and there are faster ways to travel between those points.

This means the people driving the Susten are mostly driving it because they want to drive the Susten. The tourist bus quotient is lower, the campervan factor is reduced, and you're more likely to encounter fellow driving enthusiasts than sightseers. On a weekday morning, you can easily find stretches of road with nobody else in sight.

The Route: West to East

Innertkirchen to Gadmen

The western approach begins in Innertkirchen in the Bernese Oberland. The first section follows the Gadmer valley — a narrow, tree-lined road that climbs gently through a gorge. The corners here are moderate 3s and 4s, and the road passes through several short tunnels blasted through the rock.

This lower section sets the tone. The surface is smooth, the corners flow naturally, and the tunnels add an element of transition — dark to light, enclosed to open — that keeps the drive interesting at any speed.

The village of Gadmen marks the transition from valley to mountain. From here, the road steepens and the character changes.

The Climb: Gadmen to the Summit

Above Gadmen, the Susten reveals its full character. The road climbs through a series of sweeping curves and well-spaced hairpins that gain altitude without the relentless switchback repetition of the Stelvio or Furka.

The Steingletscher (Stone Glacier) viewpoint is the highlight of the western climb. A large car park provides access to views of the glacier and the surrounding peaks. The glacier has retreated significantly — like all Alpine glaciers — but remains impressive, sitting in a cirque of dark rock walls.

Above the Steingletscher, the road enters the most dramatic section of the climb: a series of hairpins and tunnels carved through a rocky, barren landscape above the treeline. The tunnels are short and well-lit, emerging onto open mountain road with views across the Bernese Alps.

The summit at 2,224 metres is marked by a pass sign and a small car park. There's a restaurant (Sustenpass-Hospiz) at the top — a good stopping point with decent food and terrace views.

The Descent: Summit to Wassen

The eastern descent to Wassen is faster and more flowing than the western climb. The hairpin density drops and the corners open up into medium-speed sweepers and fast bends. The road surface remains excellent.

This section is where the Susten really earns its reputation. The corners flow into each other with a rhythm that rewards anticipation and smooth inputs. Each bend sets you up for the next — carry the right speed through one and you're perfectly positioned for the next. Miss your entry on one and the whole sequence feels slightly off.

It's the kind of road where having advance corner information transforms the experience. Rods calls each corner's severity through your speakers a few seconds before you reach it, so instead of discovering the road by trial and error, you're anticipating — "4 left, then 3 right tightens" — and flowing through the sequence with the kind of confidence that normally takes five or six runs to build.

Wassen sits in the Reuss valley at the foot of the descent. From here, the Gotthard Pass and the Schollenen Gorge route back toward Andermatt are both accessible — connecting the Susten to the Furka Pass for the Three Passes loop.

The Three Passes Loop

The Susten is the eastern leg of the Three Passes loop — a roughly 120 km circuit combining the Furka, Grimsel, and Susten passes. Driven counter-clockwise (Furka, Grimsel, Susten), the Susten serves as the finale — and it's a fitting one.

After the tight hairpins of the Furka and the dark reservoir roads of the Grimsel, the Susten's flowing corners and smooth surface feel like a reward. The rhythm changes entirely: where the Furka demanded caution and the Grimsel demanded attention, the Susten demands flow.

For the full breakdown of the Three Passes route, see the Furka Pass driving guide.

How to Drive the Susten Pass

Best Direction

West to east (Innertkirchen to Wassen) is the better experience for most drivers. The western climb builds through the valley, past the Steingletscher, and up to the summit. The eastern descent then delivers the flowing section as a reward. Climbing from the east works too — the flowing eastern side is engaging in both directions.

Driving Style

The Susten rewards a different approach than the tight Alpine passes. Where the Stelvio and Furka reward precision and patience on individual hairpins, the Susten rewards rhythm and anticipation. Think less about nailing individual corners and more about linking them together.

Smooth steering inputs, gradual weight transfers, and progressive braking will get you into a flow state that the road seems designed to create. It's a road that flatters good technique.

Tunnels

The Susten has nine tunnels of varying length. Most are short (under 200 metres) and well-lit. A couple are longer and darker — keep your lights on and be aware that your eyes need a moment to adjust when transitioning from bright sunlight to tunnel darkness.

The tunnel exits sometimes open directly onto corners. This is something to anticipate — you emerge from a dark tunnel into sunlight and immediately need to turn. Knowing what's ahead of the tunnel exit eliminates the surprise.

Best Time to Drive the Susten Pass

The pass typically opens mid-June and closes mid-October. The season is slightly shorter than lower passes due to the Susten's exposure to northern weather patterns.

Ideal Windows

• Late June to early July: Fresh tarmac after winter maintenance, snow lingering on surrounding peaks, minimal traffic.
• September: Stable weather, autumn colours beginning in the valleys, thinning crowds.
• Weekday mornings: The Susten's lower traffic baseline means a weekday morning can feel almost private.

What to Watch Out For

• PostBuses: Same rules as all Swiss passes — yellow PostBuses have legal priority. Pull over when you hear the horn.
• Tunnel-to-corner transitions: The Susten's tunnels occasionally exit into corners. Be prepared for light changes and immediate direction changes.
• Wet rock faces: Some tunnel sections have seeping water that creates wet patches at the tunnel entrance and exit. Approach conservatively.
• Livestock: The lower valley sections, particularly around Gadmen, occasionally have cattle crossings.

Nearby Fuel, Food, and Accommodation

Fuel: Fill up in Innertkirchen (west) or Wassen/Goschenen (east). No fuel on the pass.

Food at the summit: The Sustenpass-Hospiz restaurant at the summit serves solid Swiss fare with terrace views. The Steingletscher Hotel restaurant, slightly below the summit on the western side, is another good option.

Accommodation: Innertkirchen is a quiet base with a few hotels and guesthouses. For more options, Meiringen (the town of Sherlock Holmes fame) is a short drive west with a full range of accommodation. On the east side, Andermatt is the natural base — especially if you're doing the Three Passes loop.

For more on the best driving roads across the continent, the best driving roads in Europe guide covers the full selection.

FAQ

Is the Susten Pass the best Swiss pass for driving? Many driving enthusiasts think so. The combination of excellent surface quality, flowing corner variety, and lower traffic makes it the most rewarding pass to actually drive — even if the Furka has more drama and the Gotthard has more fame.

Is the Susten Pass free? Yes. No toll charge. It's a public road maintained by the Swiss federal road authority.

How long does the Susten Pass take to drive? The full 45 km takes roughly 45-60 minutes without stops. Add time for the Steingletscher viewpoint and the summit restaurant — budget 2 hours for a relaxed drive.

Can I combine the Susten with other passes? Absolutely. The Susten is one third of the Three Passes loop (Furka, Grimsel, Susten) — a roughly 120 km circuit that is one of the best day drives in Europe. All three passes are free and the full loop takes 4-6 hours.