Switzerland has forty-nine paved Alpine passes. Three of them are worth noting if you’re taking delivery of a 911 Turbo S Cabriolet next month. The rest are just postcard scenery.

You’ve long known what this car is capable of. 701 PS from the 3.6-liter T-Hybrid boxer engine, a PDK that’s always one step ahead of your right foot, and all-wheel drive that makes wet hairpin turns a nonissue. What you don’t know—and what every “Top 10 Alpine Roads” list gets wrong—is which of these passes truly does the car justice and which ones waste it on convoys of tour buses and 40-km/h photo stops.

This is the current ranking of the best Swiss routes for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, organized based on what the car demands, not on what looks good on Instagram. It’s the result of years of car hand-offs, gas stops, and the conversations our customers have at the end of their first week.

The Most Important Points at a Glance

• The Susten Pass is the best driving route in Switzerland for the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet—wide radii, freshly resurfaced asphalt, and curves that can be taken in third gear, which engage the all-wheel drive smoothly.
• The Furka Pass lives up to its reputation for its scenery, but it’s technically narrower and very busy—it’s best to drive it before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. in the summer.
• The descent down the north side of the Grimsel is a test of your braking skills—use engine braking and Sport Plus mode to control your speed down the long slope to Innertkirchen.
• The Engadin passes (Albula, Bernina, Flüela) are the right choice if you prefer fast curves to tight hairpin turns—they’re much less crowded during the week than the Central Alps.
• Speed checks are strict, and fines are based on income—expect to encounter speed cameras on every straight stretch of road outside town limits.

Contents

• 1. The Susten Pass—the route you drive twice
• 2. The Furka Pass—overrated in traffic, underrated at dawn
• 3. The Grimsel Pass – Downhill and the Reservoir Loop
• 4. The Engadin—Albula, Bernina, Flüela for lovers of winding roads
• What You Should Skip—Klausen, San Bernardino, and the Stelvio Pass Question
• The Right Timing—What Time, What Day
• Handoff, Fueling, and the Route Briefing

1. The Susten Pass—the route you drive twice

If you only have one day to drive and can choose just one mountain pass, take the Susten. Twice. In the morning from east to west, and before lunch from west to east.

The Susten Pass connects Innertkirchen in the Bernese Oberland with Wassen in the canton of Uri—a 46-kilometer stretch of road built in the 1940s for tour buses, featuring wide curves, a consistent cross-slope, and sight lines that reward the bold. The road surface was resurfaced on the western half in 2022 and again on the eastern descent in 2024. You won’t find any other pass in Switzerland with such consistently high-quality asphalt.

Exclusively for the Turbo S Cabriolet: This is a third-gear road. The PDK settles into a steady rhythm, the boxer engine operates between 4,000 and 6,500 rpm within its torque range, and the all-wheel drive system gradually builds up power in the long, sweeping curves above the Steingletscher viewpoint. Sport Plus is the right choice. The optional sport exhaust system really pays for itself here—close the roof for the upshifts in the tunnel just before the pass summit, and you’ll understand why our customers book the car for a week and then extend their rental.

Stop at the Hotel Steingletscher for ten minutes, not for an hour. The stretch below the hotel—the eastern descent toward Wassen—is where the curves open up and the Turbo S finds its rhythm. You’ll understand why every multi-day Porsche tour starting in Zurich revolves around this pass.

2. The Furka Pass—overrated in traffic, underrated at dawn

The Furka gets the best views: Goldfinger, the Belvédère, the view of the Rhône Glacier. But it also gets the processions—RV convoys, motorcycle clubs, and rental Mustangs—that have no business being there between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. in July and August.

Drive the Furka before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m., and it’s a different road. Narrower than the Susten—the west side of Gletsch up to the pass summit features a series of hairpin turns in second gear that put a heavy strain on the front axle—but more technically challenging. The Turbo S Cabriolet’s all-wheel drive masks an understeer that would throw a rear-wheel-drive 911 off balance—which is exactly why you bring this model here.

The parking lot at 2,429 meters is the perfect spot to stop: open the roof, let the engine cool down for ten minutes, then start the descent. The eastern descent toward Andermatt is the better route for the car—gravity pulls on the rear, the brakes are put to the test but not overworked, and you roll up to the forecourt of The Chedi while the V-shape of the Reuss Valley is still visible in your rearview mirror.

The Furka is a “one pass per day” experience. Don’t try to go back and forth. Drive it once, do it right, at the right time—and move on.

Plan the Three Passes Loop from Zurich

Susten, Furka, Grimsel in a single day—it’s possible. The best way to do it: two days with an overnight stay in Andermatt. The team plans the route in advance and confirms the fuel stops before handing over the vehicle.

Plan a Route

3. The Grimsel Pass – Downhill and the Reservoir Loop

The Grimsel is the third stage of the Central Alpine Triangle—and the pass that most cyclists underestimate. The climb from Gletsch to the pass summit is short and technical—no problem. The descent on the north side, from the pass summit down to Innertkirchen, consists of 26 km of nearly continuous downhill riding with tight turns through the Räterichsboden and the Grimsel reservoir area.

This is where the Turbo S Cabriolet’s ceramic brakes—and how to use them—prove to be crucial. The beginner’s mistake: constantly tapping the brakes as you descend from the summit. By the second reservoir at the latest, the brake pads will be overheated and the pedal travel will be long. The correct approach: use engine braking in third gear, apply the brakes firmly when necessary, and remain patient.

Sport Plus, manual mode, third gear—let the boxer engine do its work. The natural engine braking of the turbocharged 3.6-liter engine is enough to maintain your speed on any stretch below the pass summit. The brakes are there for the curves, not for the straight stretch leading up to them. Driven correctly, you’ll reach Innertkirchen with brake pads that still have bite and a car that won’t give you any trouble with overheating.

The detour you should take: down the Grimsel Pass Road to Lake Räterichsboden. Two kilometers off the main route, with hardly any traffic, and at the end of the dam, a turning area where the car really stands out against the concrete. Five minutes. Then back on the route.

4. The Engadin—Albula, Bernina, Flüela for lovers of winding roads

When it comes to technical precision in the Central Alps, everything in the Engadin revolves around the river. The Albula Pass between Tiefencastel and La Punt is the closest thing Switzerland has to a fast British B-road—long curves in third and fourth gear, good pavement almost the entire way, and traffic that completely dries up between Filisur and the pass summit.

The Bernina Pass, which runs from Pontresina to Tirano on the Italian side, is the highest year-round pass in the Alps at 2,328 meters. It is wider than the passes in the Central Alps and calls for a different driving style: less braking, more acceleration, and longer turns. The Turbo S Cabriolet’s all-wheel drive really comes into its own here, because the road surface is more varied than on the Susten—older patches of asphalt, occasional gravel from spring roadwork—and the all-wheel drive allows you to keep your foot on the gas where a rear-wheel-drive 911 would start to slide.

The Flüela Pass connects Davos with Susch and is the main route for anyone staying in the Lower Engadine. It’s the least spectacular of the three, but the most consistent—virtually no slow traffic during the week, the pavement was repaved in 2023, and there’s a plateau at the pass summit where the road runs flat for 800 meters before descending toward Susch. Use it as a warm-up run before tackling the Albula in the morning.

Stay at the Suvretta House in St. Moritz or the In Lain in Brail, and you’ll drive all three passes—plus a day on the Stelvio Pass before breakfast on the fourth day. If you’re considering another car for this terrain, it’s worth reading the comparison between the Turbo S and the Ferrari F8 Spider on Swiss mountain passes —on paper, the F8 is faster, but on the Bernina Pass in light rain, the Turbo S comes out on top.

What You Should Skip—Klausen, San Bernardino, and the Stelvio Pass Question

The Klausen Pass appears on every “Best Of” list, but it doesn’t belong there. The upper section is narrow, the eastern descent has patchy pavement, and the Sunday motorcycle traffic between Linthal and Altdorf turns the road into a single-lane crawl. Skip it. Ride the Susten twice instead.

The San Bernardino is a transit route. It’s beautiful from a helicopter, but of no interest to a 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. Locals take the parallel highway tunnel—do the same if you’re traveling between Zurich and Ticino. Save the convertible experience for real driving roads.

The Stelvio Pass question deserves its own paragraph. Yes, the Stelvio Pass is technically a great road to drive on. No, it’s not worth driving there from Switzerland in this car. The problem: The Italian side from Bormio onward is clogged with cyclists, motorcycles, and Top Gear pilgrims—all summer long, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Swiss route via the Umbrail Pass involves two hours of border traffic. You’ll spend more time in the photo line at Cima Coppi than behind the wheel. If you absolutely must do it, leave Suvretta at 4:30 a.m., drive over the Umbrail Pass to the summit of the Stelvio Pass by sunrise, take a photo of the car at 2,758 meters, drive back down, and be back in St. Moritz in time for breakfast. Otherwise, take the Bernina route to Livigno and consider the matter settled.

The Right Timing—What Time of Day, What Day of the Week

Driving through the Alps in Switzerland is a matter of timing, not route choice. The right pass at the wrong time is worse than the second-best pass at the right time.

Give Way to the PostBus

The yellow PostAuto has the right of way on every Alpine pass. If you hear the three-note horn before a blind hairpin turn, pull over to the right and stop. The PostAuto driver is counting on it. The Turbo S is faster, but not more important.

Speed checks

Fines in Switzerland are based on income and can be quite steep at the higher end. Expect speed cameras on any straight stretch of road outside city limits. The car is traveling at 330 km/h. The country imposes four-digit fines for every kilometer driven over the speed limit by more than 25 kilometers per hour.

Fuel Filler Door

If you drive carefully on mountain passes, the Turbo S gets about 13–15 l/100 km. Fill up in Andermatt, Airolo, and St. Moritz. There are no gas stations at the Susten and Grimsel passes—plan accordingly.

Temperature Change

On summer days at 2,400 meters, the temperature can drop from 22 °C to 6 °C within an hour as soon as clouds roll in. Be sure to bring a jacket. The convertible top closes in under 12 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

The tried-and-true itinerary: Furka at daybreak (5:30–7:30 a.m.), Susten in the late morning (9:00–11:30 a.m.), lunch in Engelberg or Andermatt, descent from Grimsel in the early afternoon, and a second run through Susten before dinner if you’re staying nearby. Weekdays, from May through early July or in September, are the best time to drive all three passes with virtually no traffic. Weekends in August are a whole different story.

Pickup at Your Location

We deliver the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet anywhere in Switzerland—to your hotel, your residence, or the airport—in Zurich, Bern, St. Moritz, Andermatt, or the Engadin. We provide a briefing, a route overview, and hand over the keys.

Request a Quote

Handoff, Fueling, and the Route Briefing

The car will be delivered to you. Park Hyatt Zurich, Dolder, Suvretta in St. Moritz, The Chedi in Andermatt—or directly to a private terminal at Zurich Airport. The team will provide on-site instruction—driving modes, how to operate the convertible top, the specifics of the PCM navigation system, fuel quality, and the brake break-in protocol, in case you’re heading straight for a mountain pass.

Rates vary depending on the season, duration, and country—once you have your details and a rough itinerary in mind, send us both, and we’ll get back to you with a customized quote and a recommended route that incorporates your hotels. If you’re considering swapping the Turbo S for a car with a different character on the same trip—such as the open-air thrill of a Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder on the same mountain passes —the team will walk you through both options before you make your decision.

For most customers, the choice is clear: the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet is the car that excels at everything. It crosses the Susten Pass at 9 a.m. and the Brenner Pass at 2 p.m. without batting an eye. It returns to the hotel with ease. It’s the car you rent for a week and end up wanting to keep for a month. The rest of our Swiss fleet is at your disposal if you’d like to experience that same week in a different way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Swiss Alpine Pass is best suited for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet?

The Susten Pass between Innertkirchen and Wassen is the best Swiss mountain pass for the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. Wide radii, consistent banking, and the recently resurfaced road surface harmonize perfectly with the all-wheel-drive traction and the high-torque boxer engine in third gear. The Furka and Grimsel are more technically challenging, but they’re narrower and busier—they’re better suited for a single drive at the right time of day. The Albula and Bernina in the Engadin reward fast cornering and are quieter during the week. If you have a day and a pass to choose from, drive the Susten twice—from east to west, then from west to east.

Can the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet handle the Susten and Furka Passes?

Yes, with ease. The 911 Turbo S Cabriolet was developed with precisely this terrain in mind—Porsche test drivers use Swiss Alpine passes to fine-tune the suspension. All-wheel drive ensures traction on cold or wet hairpin turns, the PDK transmission handles the rapid upshifts and downshifts required by the tight turns on the Furka Pass, and the ceramic brakes handle the long descent down the Grimsel Pass—provided they’re used correctly. The ground clearance is sufficient for any paved mountain pass in Switzerland. The only things to watch out for are approach angles at hotel driveways and steep ramps—that’s where the front-axle lift system comes in, which responds in seconds.

What is the best time of day to drive over the Furka, Susten, or Grimsel passes?

In the summer, the best times are between 5:30 and 8:00 a.m. and between 6:00 and 8:30 p.m. The Furka Pass is empty before 7:00 a.m.—start your ride there, and the road is all yours. On the Susten Pass, even late morning is fine, because its width can handle traffic better than the Furka. Avoid the hours between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in July and August, when tour buses, motorcycle groups, and convoys of rental cars flood every pass. Weekdays in May, June, and September are the best time to tackle all the passes. Sunday afternoons on the Klausen and Furka are the absolute worst choice—even the locals avoid them.

Are speed limits strictly enforced on Swiss Alpine passes?

Yes, without compromise. Switzerland uses fixed radar units, mobile checks by the cantonal police, and section-by-section checks on Alpine roads. Fines in the higher brackets are based on the driver’s income and start at several hundred francs for minor violations. Penalties for speeds 25 km/h over the limit quickly climb into the four-digit range, and exceeding the limit by 50 km/h can result in the vehicle being impounded. The standard speed limits on mountain passes are 80 km/h on open stretches and 50 km/h in built-up areas—both are enforced. The Turbo S is capable of much more, but Switzerland isn’t the place to test its limits. Drive briskly within the limits; the car remains a joy to drive even then.

Is it worth driving the Stelvio Pass from Switzerland in a Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet?

But only if you time it right. Technically, the Stelvio Pass is a great road to drive, but the Italian side from Bormio onward is congested daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer with cyclists, motorcycles, and tourists. You’ll spend more time in the photo line at the pass summit than behind the wheel. If you absolutely must do it, leave St. Moritz at 4:30 a.m., take the Umbrail Pass to the Stelvio Pass summit for sunrise, drive back down, and be back in time for breakfast. Otherwise, the Bernina from Pontresina to Tirano will give you 90% of the experience without the traffic. You’ll make better use of your week on the Susten and Furka passes.

Benedikt Lüchinger

Chief Executive Officer, Edel & Stark Group

Founder and CEO of Edel & Stark, which specializes in luxury transportation and customized travel experiences in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and the UAE. He leads the brand’s strategic development with a consistent focus on service quality and exclusive customer experiences.