The Forno Pass near the Swiss National Park connects the Upper Val Venosta in South Tyrol with the Swiss Engadin
Image gallery: Bike tour to the Engadine via the Forno Pass
Even the Romans crossed the Passo del Forno (Ofenpass) on a mule track. Today, a pass road leads up to 2,149 metres, linking the South Tyrolean Upper Val Venosta valley with the Swiss Engadin, a high Alpine valley. In the 1774 Atlas Tyrolensis, the pass was recorded as the Tschirfser Jöchl. On this August day, it is the reason we are on two wheels: We want to climb it using pure muscle power. A four-hour cycle tour lies ahead of us, starting in the morning in Malles village.
We follow the country road to Laudes and continue from there to Tubre in the Val Monastero. The signposted cycle path runs along the Rio Ram stream as a gravel track, ending just before the border. Here, we have to rejoin the main road. Right after the border crossing, we reach Müstair, the village home to the famous and magnificent Saint John Abbey.
Its foundation dates back to Charlemagne. After cycling past the villages of Santa Maria, Valchava, Fuldera, and Tschierv - where the locals speak Jauer, a Romansh dialect - the steep climb up the 2,149-metre-high Forno Pass begins. We reach the summit just in time for lunch. We stop at the mountain inn, where we enjoy hearty Swiss cooking made with fresh regional ingredients.
Known as the Hotel Süsom-Givè, this family-run business is now in its third generation and also features a kiosk for a quick pit stop. Further down the road, at an altitude of 1,986 metres, lies the Buffalora mountain inn. From the summit, the route heads downhill. After a few kilometres, at the junction for Livigno, there is a second, much shorter climb to the Ova Spin hill.
From there, we enjoy a long descent all the way to Zernez, a centrally located village in the Engadin. As our various stops and lunch break mean it has grown late, we take the Swiss PostBus service, which carries bicycles, and return to Malles in the evening. Good fitness is essential for this pass ride - starting early is highly recommended.
Author: AT
Experienced: August 2012
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- village centre of Malles Venosta (1,051 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:50 h
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- Total route length:
- 54,6 km
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- Altitude:
- from 945 m to 2.149 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +1401 m | -952 m
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- Route:
- Malles - Laudes - Tubre in Val Monastero - Müstair (CH) - Santa Maria - Valchava - Fuldera - Tschierv - Passo del Forno - Ova Spin hill - Zernez (CH)
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- Destination:
- Passo del Forno (2,149 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- Hotel Süsom-Givè and Buffalora mountain inn at the Passo del Forno
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- Track surface:
- asphalt, gravel on the cycle route section at Tubre, alternative for road racing cyclists: asphalted SS41
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Bike tour to the Engadine via the Forno Pass
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the cycling time only, not including breaks or stops. The information relates to the bike tour from Malles Venosta to Zernez - the return journey is by PostBus (route no. 811, one and a half hours - please check in advance the bike transport). Don't forget your ID - there may be checks at the EU-Switzerland border crossing.
We highly recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this tour.
