Simplon Pass from Brig

20 km road cycling route1,395 m climbing1 h 24 minGPX

Brig, Switzerland · Road

A mountainous 20 km road cycling route from Brig through Ried-Brig, Schallberg and Rosswald, with 1,395 m of climbing over the Brig climb. Most of it (11.2 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 2.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more.

Routed from the map This classic road was traced on OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for: Short, climbing-heavy rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance: 19.6 km; Point to point
Elevation gain: 1,395 m; 71 m per km
Riding time: 1 h 24 min; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Moderate
Bike: Road bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Mostly paved; 95% paved · 5% unpaved
Traffic: Mostly main roads; 11.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 2.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water: Regular; 44 cafés and restaurants · 10 shops · 13 water points · 6 public toilets · 3 bike shops
Best months: Jun to Oct; Brig climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start → finish: Brig

Simplon Pass, from Chalti Wasser — Photo: Zacharie Grossen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 1,395 m
Distance: 20 km

Route description

Brig
Brig climb
Ried-Brigkm 3
Schallbergkm 7
Rosswaldkm 9
Berisalkm 11
Rothwaldkm 14

The route starts in Brig and immediately begins climbing, covering 18.2 km and gaining 1362 m to reach an elevation of 2049 m at the top. The average gradient is 7.5% with a maximum of 20.2%. The first half of the climb accounts for 42% of the elevation gain, with a total of 90% climbing, 6% descending and 4% flat. The road surface is predominantly paved (96%) with 4% gravel or unpaved, and 1% unmapped.

The 19.6 km route runs on a mix of road types: 10.9 km on main roads (all without a cycle lane), 4.7 km on minor roads, 2.9 km on quiet streets, and 0.7 km on paths. The longest named roads are the 9S (10.9 km) and Simplonstrasse (3.9 km). There is a 5.1 km stretch without cafés, shops, or water between 14.1 and 19.2 km. Starting in Brig, there are several refreshment and resupply options including cafés, fast food, and a bike shop. A bailout station is at Brig Bahnhofplatz. Along the climb are places such as Naters, Ried-Brig, Schallberg, Rosswald, Berisal, Rothwald, and Kulm at the finish.

Water points are available at 2.5, 5.8, 10.7, and near the finish at 19.5 km. Toilets are located near the start and at 19.1 km. Notable stops include the café Kaffee Klatsch near the start, and restaurants Schutzhaus at 14.1 km and Simplonblick at the finish. A viewpoint is near Kreuz at 2 km and the Ganterbrücke attraction near 9.4 km.

Why ride this route?

Climbs the Brig climb (18.2 km at 7.5 %).
Tops out at 2,049 m, 18.2 km in.

Highlights

Climb of 18.2 km with 1362 m gain
Views at Kreuz viewpoint (2 km)
Restaurants at 14.1 km and finish

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

Ried-Brig 2.5 km
Schallberg 7.2 km
Rosswald 8.8 km
Berisal 10.8 km
Rothwald 14.1 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
Climb	Starts at	On this ride	Full ascent	Top on this ride
Brig climb	0 km	18.2 km · 1362 m · 7.5 %	18.2 km · 1362 m · 7.5 %	2049 m

High point 2049 m at 18.2 km; low point 686 m.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

A point maximum far steeper than the climb’s average is usually an elevation-data spike, so the steepest 500 m of the profile is shown instead (or nothing, where the profile is too coarse).

Brig climb · full ascent, starts at 0 km

18.2 km at 7.5% · 1362 m

< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 57% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 2.8 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads: 58% main road · 23% minor road · 13% quiet street · 4% path · 2% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 11.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads: 2.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used: 9S (11 km), Simplonstrasse (4 km)
Surface: Predominantly paved: 95% is mapped as paved, 5% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient: 90% climbing · 6% descending · 4% flat
Steep sections: 15.1 km over 5% · 7.5 km over 8% · 3.9 km over 10%

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 44 cafés and restaurants, 10 shops, 13 water points, 6 public toilets and 3 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

0 kmHenzen · bike shop · 120 m off route
0 kmApotheke F. Marty · pharmacy · on the route
0.1 kmKaffee Klatsch · café · on the route
0.1 kmz'Bioradiesli · convenience store · 40 m off route
0.3 kmToilets · on the route
2.5 kmBrunnen · drinking water · 70 m off route
5.8 kmDrinking water log · drinking water · on the route
10.7 kmDrinking water · 160 m off route
14.1 kmRestaurant Schutzhaus · restaurant · on the route
19.1 kmToilets · 70 m off route
19.2 kmSimplonblick · restaurant · 120 m off route
19.5 kmDrinking water · 150 m off route

Need to bail out?

0 km — Brig Bahnhofplatz (station), 290 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

2 km — Kreuz (viewpoint)
9.4 km — Ganterbrücke (attraction)

Stay after this ride

Simplon Hospiz · hotel · 650 m from the finish
Monte Leone · hotel · 920 m from the finish
Hotel Post · hotel · 3.1 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Brig. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee: Kaffee Klatsch (80 m), Ganter Café (50 m), Commerce (10 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee: Simplonblick (230 m)

Know before you go

10.9 km on main roads without cycle lanes
2.7 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or higher
5.1 km without café, shop or water from 14.1 to 19.2 km

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Zacharie Grossen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Antontn · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Rolf Nagel · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

About this route

Route line: Routed on OpenStreetMap roads with bicycle routing, then measured like a recorded ride.
Elevation: Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services: Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months: Ten years of ERA5 weather for Brig (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Saturday 29th August 2026
Page last updated: Friday 4th September 2026

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Simplon Pass from Brig