Oberalp, at 2046m above sea level, is the Alpine pass connecting Andermatt in the southern part of the canton of Uri with Disentis in Graubünden.

Like all high mountain passes, it is only open during the summer months, from April or May until September or October, depending on the snow conditions. The railway line, on the other hand, operates all year round.

The former Furka-Oberalp Railway, now Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway, also provides a limited car transport service, but only by reservation.

One of the sources of the Rhine is near Oberalp and can be reached by a signposted path, but it is of course less spectacular than that of the Rhone, which rises from the glacier of the same name beside the Furka Pass.

During the summer, the summit of the pass is a rather busy place, both for motorcyclists looking for adrenaline rushes, for campers looking for peace and quiet and for hikers looking for beautiful alpine scenery.

The Oberalp is the only pass that allows access to Graubünden from the west, either from central Switzerland (via the Gotthard route between Altdorf and Andermatt), from the Valais (via the Furka Pass) or from the Bernese Oberland (via the Susten Pass or the Grimsel Pass and the Furka).

It also offers an alternative to the Gotthard Pass for crossing into Ticino, as the Lukmanier Pass from Disentis leads to the Val Blenio, north of Biasca, where the Gotthard Pass ends.

Useful links

Swiss Cantons of Uri and Graubünden (iSwitzerland Guide) - Wikipedia