The Furka Pass is a summer-only road between Gletsch in the upper Valais and Realp near Andermatt, crossing one of the highest passes in Switzerland and passing right beside the Rhône Glacier at the Belvédère bend. It is the scenic link between the Valais and central Switzerland, often combined with the Grimsel and Susten. For guests based around Geneva, AirportsTransfers.ch can organise the drive as a chauffeured day or as part of a longer journey towards Andermatt.
- Route: Oberwald – Gletsch – Belvédère – Furka summit – Realp – Andermatt
- Altitude: around 2,430 metres at the summit
- Season: summer and early autumn only
- Winter alternative: the Furka car-carrying train through the tunnel between Oberwald and Realp
- Main stop: the Rhône Glacier viewpoint and ice grotto at the Belvédère
From the Valais to Gletsch
From Geneva, the approach to the Furka follows the Rhône valley: Lausanne, Montreux, Martigny, Sion and Visp, then up through the Goms, the long, high upper valley dotted with dark timber villages. At Oberwald the valley narrows, and the road climbs to Gletsch, a tiny hamlet that was once a busy stop for horse-drawn coaches. Gletsch is the meeting point of three pass roads: the Grimsel to the north, the Furka to the east, and the road back down the Goms.
The name Gletsch is a reminder that the Rhône Glacier once reached almost to this point. Today the ice has retreated far up the valley, and the bare rock it has left behind shows its former extent.
The hairpins and the Belvédère
From Gletsch the Furka road climbs in a sequence of tight hairpins carved into the mountainside, one of the most photographed road layouts in the Alps. Halfway up, at a sharp bend, stands the Belvédère: a historic former hotel building and viewpoint right beside the remaining tongue of the Rhône Glacier. A path leads from the road to the ice, and in summer an ice grotto is cut into the glacier each year. White blankets are laid over part of the glacier to slow melting, a visible sign of how quickly it has shrunk.
This bend is also known to film fans: the Furka road features in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, and many drivers stop just to see the curves from above.
Over the summit to Realp and Andermatt
Above the Belvédère the road reaches the summit at around 2,430 metres, a bleak, rocky saddle with wide views back over the Valais Alps. The eastern descent into the Urseren valley is longer and gentler, passing the old summit tunnel and station of the Furka steam railway, a heritage line that runs over the old mountain route in summer.
The road reaches Realp and continues to Hospental and Andermatt, a village at the crossroads of the Gotthard, Oberalp and Furka routes that has developed into a year-round resort. From Andermatt, the Gotthard leads south to Ticino, the Oberalp east towards Disentis and Graubünden, and the Schöllenen gorge north towards Lucerne. This makes the Furka a practical summer shortcut between the Valais and central or eastern Switzerland.
Season, conditions and the car train
The Furka closes in winter, as snow and avalanche risk make it impossible to keep open. It typically reopens in late spring or early summer and closes again in autumn, with the exact timing dependent on each year's snowfall. Even in midsummer, fog and cold rain are possible near the summit, and the road is narrow in places with limited room for passing.
When the pass is closed, vehicles can travel between Oberwald and Realp on the car-carrying train through the Furka base tunnel. It is a reliable year-round link and is also useful in summer if the pass is temporarily shut by bad weather. Your chauffeur can drive the car onto the train while passengers stay inside.
Combining the Furka with other passes
The Furka is often driven as part of the three-pass loop with the Grimsel and Susten, or as part of a longer itinerary from the Valais to the Engadin via Andermatt and the Oberalp. It also links naturally with the Nufenen, which climbs from Ulrichen in the Goms to Ticino, allowing a circuit through Valais, Ticino and Uri over a long summer day.
Because these combinations involve many high summits, planning matters: an early start, flexible stops and a check of each pass's status before setting off.
Booking your Furka drive with AirportsTransfers.ch
For a day on the passes, a chauffeur by the hour lets you stop at the Belvédère, the summit and in Andermatt without watching the clock; the minimum is two hours. Prices are fixed and shown before you pay, and payment is made online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Guests arriving by plane are met at Geneva Airport with a name sign, with flight tracking and waiting included if the flight is delayed. Child seats are provided on request, and any sports equipment should be noted at booking. To plan the day, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77.
