Timmelsjoch, at 2,474 metres, is a border pass between Austria and Italy, linking the Ötztal valley with the Passeier valley, and it is one of the great high Alpine roads. The Italians call it Passo del Rombo. It opened in 1968 as a toll road, built partly to connect the two sides of the old Tyrol, which had been divided after the First World War, and it remains a toll road today, with a charge for motorbikes collected on the Austrian side.
The ride from the Austrian side begins at Sölden, a big ski resort, and climbs through Hochgurgl and Obergurgl, among the highest villages in the Alps, then above the tree line into bare rock and scree. Hairpins and long, open bends lead to the pass, where a modern museum and a viewing platform stand. The air is thin and cold, and snow can lie on the verges well into June. The pass is usually open from late spring or early summer until October, but it closes in winter and can shut at short notice in bad weather.
The Italian side drops into South Tyrol through a series of tight hairpins and narrow tunnels cut into the rock, with sheer drops and views down into the Passeier valley. The surface is generally good, but the narrow bends and sudden fog call for care. The valley below, with its apple orchards and stone farmhouses, is the homeland of Andreas Hofer, the innkeeper who led the Tyrolean uprising against Napoleon's forces in 1809 and was executed in Mantua in 1810, becoming a folk hero.
The pass is popular with riders, and on a fine summer weekend it can be crowded, with long queues of bikes and cars. Early weekdays are better. Dress for cold, with a windproof layer and warm gloves, because even in August the summit can be near freezing, and a descent into wet cloud is chilly.
Fuel is available in Sölden on the Austrian side and in St. Leonhard in Passeier or at the bigger town of Vipiteno, about twenty-six kilometres away, on the Italian side. There is nothing at the pass itself, so fill the tank before the climb. Bring your passport or ID card, since the border is open but may be checked. The restaurants near the summit serve South Tyrolean dishes such as dumplings, speck and strudel.