Driving the Vršič Pass: Slovenia's Highest Road Pass

The Vršič Pass is the dramatic way into the Soča Valley — at 1,611 m, the highest road pass in Slovenia, climbed by a relentless ladder of 50 hairpin bends: 24 on the Kranjska Gora side, 26 dropping down into Trenta.

Driving it

The cobbled and asphalt switchbacks are narrow and busy in summer with cars, motorbikes and cyclists. Drive it unhurried, use low gears, and pull into the marked viewpoints rather than stopping on bends. The whole crossing is short in distance but slow — budget an hour-plus with stops.

What to stop for

• The Russian Chapel (Ruska kapelica): a wooden memorial built by Russian prisoners of war who constructed the road during WWI. Many died in a 1916 avalanche; the route is also known as the Russian Road.
• Summit viewpoints: sweeping faces of the Julian Alps, with Mt Prisojnik and the rock face known as the Ajdovska deklica (Pagan Girl) visible from the south side.
• Tičarjev dom and the mountain huts near the top for a coffee with a view.

When it’s open

Vršič closes in winter under snow and reopens in late spring — exact dates vary year to year. In shoulder season, check live road conditions before committing; the north side holds snow late.

Pair it with

Vršič is the scenic gateway from Kranjska Gora into Trenta and the upper valley — link it with the source of the Soča, Velika korita, or continue to the Mangart road for back-to-back high alpine driving.