Motion Sickness: Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut Drive
The Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut trip covers about 30 miles (48 km) and takes around 1.5 hours. The terrain is engineered alpine toll road, which makes it a high motion sickness risk route.
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road runs 48 km between Bruck and Heiligenblut with 36 marked bends, cresting at the Hochtor at 2,504 m. The 1930s engineering keeps the curves flowing rather than brutal, but they come continuously for well over an hour. The optional spur to the Edelweissspitze at 2,571 m adds some of the tightest hairpins on the road.
Key facts
- The Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut trip covers about 30 miles, which is 48 km.
- It takes about 1.5 hours.
- The terrain is engineered alpine toll road, which puts the route in the high band for motion sickness.
- 4 sections are flagged as motion sickness pressure points, starting with Fuscher Torl climb from the Bruck side.
- Steadiest place to sit: Front passenger seat with eyes on the horizon at each crest.
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Where Motion Sickness Hits Hardest
The sections most likely to trigger motion sickness are: Fuscher Torl climb from the Bruck side, Hochtor summit approaches, Edelweissspitze spur, Descent to Heiligenblut. It is a toll road with a per car day ticket, typically open early May to late October. Morning drives are quieter and cooler. The marked viewpoints are frequent enough to use as resets between bend sequences.
Season and closures: Private toll road, typically open early May to late October and closed outside the season. grossglockner.at
Measured bends
We counted every bend on this route from OpenStreetMap data: 48.3 km, ranked 6 of 26 road trips for bends per km.
- Bends
- 158
- Bends per km
- 3.27
- Hairpins
- 40
- Busiest 10 km
- 48 bends
Route facts, checked at the source
Each fact below was checked against the linked official or operator page.
- Length and bends: 48 kilometres with 36 twists and turns, up to the Hochtor at 2,504 m. austria.info
- Highest drivable point: Edelweissspitze at 2,571 m via an access road. austria.info
- Visitors: Approximately 900,000 visitors drive the road annually in the open months. grossglockner.at
Best Seat for Motion Sickness on This Drive
Front passenger seat with eyes on the horizon at each crest.
Going on the Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut drive? Set it up first
Set it up before you pull out, not at the first lay-by. Dizzout is a drug-free app that plays precisely calibrated audio through any headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth, with relief in about 90 seconds. Free to try.
Before you need it: find out how prone you are
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Prevention Tips for the Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut Drive
- Have Dizzout downloaded before you start, so it is ready the moment symptoms begin
- If you plan to take an over-the-counter tablet such as Bonine or Dramamine, those need 30 to 60 minutes before departure to do anything. Ask a pharmacist first
- Eat lightly before the drive; a heavy meal makes symptoms worse for most people
- Take breaks every 90 minutes minimum on long stretches
- Keep the car cool and well-ventilated
- Avoid reading or phone use in the back seat
Which of those actually hold up when they are tested is a separate question, and we keep the answers in one place: the remedy verdicts, ranked by evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How many bends does the Grossglockner High Alpine Road have?
36 twists and turns over its 48 km, per Austria's tourism office. They flow rather than stack: the 1930s engineering favours long, even curves, which is why many passengers cope better here than on hairpin ladders with twice the bends in half the distance. It still adds up to well over an hour of continuous cornering.
When is the Grossglockner road open?
Typically early May to late October, per the operator; it is a private toll road and closes for the winter. Within the season, weather at 2,500 m can still intervene. Buy the day ticket, start early, and the quietest, smoothest version of the road is yours.
What is the highest point you can drive on the Grossglockner road?
The Edelweissspitze at 2,571 m, reached by a short access spur, per Austria's tourism office; the main road itself crests the Hochtor at 2,504 m. The spur adds the road's tightest hairpins, so weigh it against how the car's stomachs are doing when you reach the junction.
Is the Grossglockner road busy?
About 900,000 visitors drive it each season, per the operator, so yes: expect coaches, motorbikes and sightseers, and slow convoys behind them at peak times. For passengers, the crawling is gentler than the overtaking. Early morning starts miss the worst of it.
Where can you stop to settle your stomach on the Grossglockner road?
Marked viewpoints recur along the whole 48 km, and the road invites using them between bend sequences; the Hochtor area and the Fuscher Torl side are natural pauses. Stop before symptoms harden; the day ticket does not hurry you.
What's the fastest way to stop car sickness mid-drive?
Once symptoms have started, pills won't work fast enough - they take 30+ minutes to kick in. The fastest options mid-drive are sound therapy via headphones (Dizzout states relief in about 90 seconds), pulling over for fresh air, and looking at the distant horizon.
Other drives we have looked at
Route facts last checked September 2026. Roads, rules and seasons change; the linked official pages are the live word.