Lake Garda Arrival by car

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Hallo, ich bin Andy. Seit unserem ersten Besuch im Jahr 2003 haben wir uns in die malerische Landschaft, das reiche kulturelle Erbe und die einzigartige Atmosphäre dieses italienischen Juwels verliebt. Zusammen betreiben wir unseren Blog über den Gardasee, in dem wir unsere Erfahrungen, Reisetipps und persönlichen Geschichten über den Gardasee teilen. Meine Leidenschaften sind das Mountainbiken und das Wandern.

From the Palatinate to the Lago

Lake Garda Arrival by Car – From door to door, our route is pretty much 700 km via the Fernpass route. Our driving time is usually 7-8 hours with normal traffic and no major breaks.

Unfortunately, there have been many highway construction sites all along the route for several years. The A8 in Germany has been a bottleneck near Pforzheim for years. From 2025, the Lueg Bridge near Innsbruck will also be renovated and will be single-lane for two years. It remains to be seen to what extent the journey via the Brenner freeway will then still make sense.

In any case, the two most common routes are the Fernpass route through Austria and over the Brenner Pass or the Gotthard route through Switzerland. Tolls are payable on both routes, and the same applies to the use of the freeways in Italy.

Route to Lake Garda via the Brenner Pass (long-distance pass route)

Coming from the A7, you cross the border into Austria at Füssen. On the B179 we head in the direction of the Fernpass. After crossing it, follow the B189 to Mötz (take the 1st exit at the Fronhausen traffic circle 😉), there take the A12 freeway towards Innsbruck. From here on the route toll is due, i.e. a vignette is required.

Passing Innsbruck, we take the Brennerbahn A13 and then continue towards Italy on the A22. If the vacation destination is on the northern part of Lake Garda, the exit is Rovereto South. In case of heavy traffic, the alternative exit is Trento. If you are on vacation in the southern parts of the lake, you have no choice but to follow the A22 and exit at Affi.

Via Munich to Lake Garda

An alternative to the Fernpass is the route via Munich and Salzburg. For us, the route is unfortunately also about 70 km longer than over the Fernpass. Bypassing Munich is also not necessarily the best solution in terms of traffic…

New construction of the Lueg Bridge

The Lueg Bridge on the Brenner highway (A13) in Austria has been undergoing extensive renovation since January 1, 2025. This work is necessary because the bridge, which is over 55 years old, has reached the end of its service life. The renovation is expected to last until the end of 2030.

Traffic restrictions during the construction period:

Single-lane traffic routing: Since the start of the renovation, traffic has been routed in one lane in both directions over the Lueg Bridge. This serves to relieve the structural load on the existing bridge.
Temporary dual carriageway: On around 180 busy days a year, a temporary dual carriageway is set up to minimize congestion. Vehicles over 3.5 tons will be directed to the left-hand lane to relieve congestion in the middle of the bridge. Cars can use both lanes.
Speed limit: A maximum speed limit of 60 km/h applies in the roadworks area.

Effects on the journey to Lake Garda

Due to the renovation work on the Luegbrücke bridge, considerable traffic delays are to be expected, especially during vacation periods and at weekends. Travelers should therefore allow for longer travel times.

Recommendations for travelers:

Plan your travel time carefully: If possible, avoid busy travel days such as Saturdays during vacation periods. Departing on weekdays or at less busy times can help to avoid traffic jams.
Obtain the latest traffic information: Before setting off, check the latest traffic reports and the ASFINAG driving calendar to find out about temporary driving bans or changes to traffic routing.
Consider alternative routes: Depending on the starting point, traveling via Switzerland (e.g. Gotthard or San Bernardino route) or via the Tauern freeway in Austria may be an option. However, it should be noted that even on these routes there is likely to be increased traffic during the vacation periods.