Which routes are affected by the South Tyrol motorsport ban?

Around 100 sections individually listed in Annex A of the resolution are affected, on state and provincial roads, including the Stelvio Pass, Timmelsjoch, Jaufen Pass, Gardena Pass, Sella Pass, and Karer Pass, as well as numerous smaller provincial roads. The ban also applies generally to areas above 1,600 meters in altitude.

Are private rides and guided tours banned equally?

No. What's banned are organized motorsport events, which includes guided tours, club rides, and association outings with a recognizable organizational framework. Private solo rides and spontaneous rides on vacation or with friends remain allowed as individual traffic.

What does a violation of the ban cost?

The violation consists of holding an event without the required permit. Under provincial law 13/1992, the fine ranges from 144 to 1,410 euros (about 165 to 1,614 US dollars) and can rise up to five times that amount in certain cases.

When does the South Tyrol motorsport ban take effect?

Resolution No. 495/2026 was passed on June 19, 2026, and has applied since then. It also applies to approval procedures that had not yet been concluded at that point.

How can I tell from the official map which road is affected?

What matters alone is the thick blue line over the road network. The colors green, red, and yellow only indicate the road type (motorway, state road, provincial road) and say nothing about the ban.

South Tyrol Motorsport Ban: Routes, Rules, Penalties

South Tyrol has banned organized motorsport events on around 100 road sections and generally above 1,600 meters in altitude. With the official list of routes and details on fines and enforcement, it’s now possible to pinpoint exactly where the ban applies and what touring riders are still allowed to do.

Resolution No. 495/2026 of June 19, 2026, applicable on state and provincial roads under provincial jurisdiction
Around 100 road sections individually listed in Annex A are affected, as well as areas above 1,600 meters in altitude generally; individual and vacation traffic remains permitted
Violations carry a fine of 144 to 1,410 euros (about 165 to 1,614 US dollars) under provincial law 13/1992, in some cases up to five times that amount

That South Tyrol is restricting organized rides on its mountain pass roads has been known since the provincial government’s resolution of June 19, 2026. At first, however, it remained unclear exactly where the rule applies and what a violation costs. The key documents are now available: the resolution with the full list of routes in Annex A, an official map, and a Q&A section from the province. This makes it possible, for the first time, to say in detail which roads are affected, when a ride counts as organized, and what consequences riders face. This article breaks down the new rules and lists all affected sections at the end.

What exactly did South Tyrol decide?

The provincial government’s Resolution No. 495/2026 bans organized motorsport events on certain state and provincial roads that fall under the province’s jurisdiction. Affected are roads in protected areas as well as areas generally above 1,600 meters in altitude.

The resolution was passed on June 19, 2026, and has applied since then. According to the provincial announcement, the province is implementing a concrete measure from the South Tyrol 2030 sustainability strategy and the South Tyrol 2040 climate plan. The legal basis for the altitude limit comes from the provincial law on spatial planning and landscape (No. 9/2018), under which areas above 1,600 meters are subject to enhanced protection. According to the province, individual traffic is explicitly not restricted. What’s new — and decisive in practice — is that Annex A to the resolution now provides a named list of the affected road sections, which had previously been missing. The resolution also applies to approval procedures that had not yet been concluded at the time it took effect, provided they concern the areas named in Annex A.

What is allowed on the routes, and what is banned?

Organized motorsport events are banned; private solo rides remain allowed. The line is drawn not between vehicle types, but between an organized event and an ordinary ride.

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The ban is broader than the term motorsport might initially suggest. It covers two forms. The first is the competition-oriented event — anything involving scoring, timing, or rankings, from hill climbs to rallies. According to the resolution, this explicitly includes regularity rallies, where the goal isn’t top speed but hitting exact times. The second form is the organized ride without any competitive element — the guided tour, the club ride, or the association outing. The resolution makes clear that it doesn’t matter for the ban whether money is made from the ride. What matters alone is the organizational framework.

Every type of vehicle is covered. The resolution explicitly names motorcycles, mopeds, cars, and agricultural machinery, including vintage vehicles and vehicles of historic interest, regardless of drivetrain. An electric motorcycle therefore falls under the same rule as a combustion-engine machine. What remains allowed, by contrast, is a genuine private ride: alone, on vacation, or as a spontaneous outing with friends without a fixed plan. The same ride only becomes a banned event once it is fully organized.

When does a ride count as organized?

A ride counts as organized if it is planned in advance, advertised, coordinated, or carried out by a group following a fixed schedule with a shared route. The resolution does not sharply define the term organized event, which means it comes down to recognizable indicators.

Such indicators include an invitation or advertisement online, a fixed meeting point, a predetermined route, a timetable, registration, or terms of participation. Even a meeting point arranged in advance can point in this direction. So it doesn’t take a large organizer for a ride to move into the critical zone. In practice, however, the question remains whether and how organization can be proven. A spontaneous ride with no public trace is credibly individual traffic. The more visible signs of organization there are — such as a public announcement, unified registration, or an organizer behind the scenes — the more likely it is that a covered event exists. The provincial government is also inviting mayors to apply the ban to those approvals that fall under their own jurisdiction, so that the rule takes effect uniformly across the province.

What penalties are at risk for a violation?

The actual violation consists of carrying out a motorsport event without the required permit. The underlying provincial law on public events, from 1992, sets a fine of 144 to 1,410 euros (about 165 to 1,614 US dollars) for this, which can rise up to five times that amount in certain cases.

It’s important to note the distinction: motorsport events are not banned for all time. Anyone wanting to hold such an event must apply for and obtain a permit. On the closed routes and above 1,600 meters, however, such a permit is unlikely to be granted going forward. The fivefold increase provided for in the law, which can theoretically reach up to 7,050 euros (about 8,070 US dollars), targets primarily serious, illegally conducted events. For a smaller organized tour, the base fine range is the realistic expectation. The provincial announcement itself only states that an administrative penalty will be imposed for non-compliance, without specifying an amount; the concrete figures come from provincial law 13/1992 in its current form.

How does an inspection work?

An inspection doesn’t necessarily lead to an on-the-spot fine. If law enforcement officers find something to object to, they first draw up a report, which goes to the responsible authority.

Only afterward is it reviewed whether a violation actually occurred, and only then does a possible penalty follow. So a notice can reach those involved later by mail. For the road, this means: anyone riding spontaneously in a pair or a trio realistically has little to worry about. In an inspection, though, the circumstances matter. Anyone who states that it’s a registered, fully planned club tour is providing the hallmark of organization themselves. In larger groups, this impression is hard to dispel, which is why increased enforcement is to be expected, with larger groups being the first to be pulled over.

Why is South Tyrol banning organized motorsport events?

The province justifies the ban with nature and climate protection as well as safety on the heavily traveled passes. According to the provincial government, organized motorsport events run counter to the goals of the sustainability strategy and the climate plan, because they cause additional noise, additional emissions, and additional traffic.

There is also the protection of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, explicitly named in the resolution. Legally, the province relies, among other things, on the road traffic code, which allows the road owner to impose restrictions on roads running through UNESCO World Heritage sites. Provincial Governor Arno Kompatscher acknowledges at the same time that the rule alone isn’t enough: “We are aware that this rule alone does not solve the challenges on the pass roads. The high traffic volume and the widespread speeding there require additional, targeted measures, which we are already working on.” Further steps have thus been announced. The resolution fits into a trend observed in several Alpine regions and can be read as part of the ongoing dispute over traffic, noise, and resident protection in the Alps.

Official overview map of the Province of Bolzano at a scale of 1:150,000 shows the roads in South Tyrol affected by the 2026 motorsport ban highlighted in thick blue, mostly the pass routes such as Stelvio Pass, Timmelsjoch, Jaufen Pass, Gardena Pass, Sella and Karer Pass; green marks the Brenner motorway A22 (not affected), red the state roads, yellow the provincial roads, plus the legend in the bottom right and the neighboring provinces of Sondrio, Trento and Belluno as well as Tyrol and Graubünden. — Map of the road sections in South Tyrol affected by the 2026 motorsport ban – only the routes highlighted in blue are affected (source: Technical Road Office of the Province of Bolzano, scale 1:150,000)

How should the official map be read?

The official map is easy to misread, because the colors of the roads say nothing about the ban. Only the thick blue line laid over the road network is affected.

Green, red, and yellow on the map only indicate the road type: green is the motorway, red is the state road, and yellow is the provincial road. Only where the blue line runs does the ban on organized events apply. That explains why a road shown entirely in red, like the Val Pusteria state road, is actually only covered on a short stretch marked in blue. For orientation, then: what matters is not the colors of the road types, but solely the blue marking and the kilometer-precise details in Annex A.

How are associations, organizers, and the Alpine Club reacting?

Reactions are mixed. While the motorcycle association, tour organizers, and the vintage vehicle scene sharply criticize the ban, the South Tyrol Alpine Club welcomes the measure and is calling for further steps.

The Italian motorcycle association FMI considers the resolution an unjustified restriction on freedom of movement. President Giovanni Copioli said: “Rimango stupito e perplesso da questa delibera.” In English: “I am surprised and puzzled by this resolution.” He points to the economic value of motorcycle tourism and says he has been in contact with the automobile club ACI and with political forces to have the decision corrected through institutional channels. Tour operators report that guided rides make up 30 to 40 percent of their revenue during the summer season, and argue that their offerings are not sporting events with regulations and timing, but guided rides conducted under road traffic rules. The vintage vehicle scene is also pushing back: the Veteran Club Bolzano, together with the umbrella organization ASI, has announced legal action and points out that it concerns only a few events per year at very low speeds. The South Tyrol Alpine Club, by contrast, views the resolution as an overdue first step and is pressing for consistent enforcement. So far there has been no court ruling against the ban. As a further signal, it is already set that the Gardena Pass will be completely closed to motorized traffic from September 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 as a trial period.

Which routes are specifically affected?

Affected are the sections listed by name and precise kilometer marker in Annex A of the resolution, on state roads (SS) and provincial roads (LS/SP). The overview below organizes all sections by region and valley; the kilometer figures are given in the official notation of road-kilometer plus meters (for example, 124+400 means kilometer 124 plus 400 meters).

Stilfserjoch, Vinschgau and Side Valleys

Stilfserjoch state road (SS.38): from km 124+400 to 150+250; from km 159+000 to 162+280; from km 166+090 to 166+750
Sulden (SS.622): from km 000+000 to 011+630
Münstertal (SS.41): from km 002+620 to 012+030
Stilfs (LS/SP.6): from km 000+000 to 002+450
Praemajur (LS/SP.34): from km 000+000 to 001+370
Prad – Glurns (LS/SP.50): from km 000+000 to 006+820
Langtaufers (LS/SP.49): from km 002+440 to 010+200
Schlinig (LS/SP.22): from km 005+580 to 008+300
Tschengls (LS/SP.108): from km 000+880 to 002+300
Schluderns – Lichtenberg (LS/SP.106): from km 001+470 to 002+500
Laatsch (LS/SP.104): from km 001+380 to 003+350
Rojental (LS/SP.102): from km 002+640 to 008+131
Tarsch (LS/SP.110): from km 000+180 to 002+230
Martelltal (LS/SP.2): from km 000+500 to 022+760
Schnalstal (LS/SP.3): from km 004+200 to 004+800; from km 007+100 to 023+800
Katharinaberg (LS/SP.53): from km 000+000 to 001+310
Karthaus (LS/SP.1): from km 000+000 to 000+750
Gand – Tal (LS/SP.78): from km 000+000 to 001+620

Passeiertal: Timmelsjoch and Jaufenpass

Timmelsjoch (SS.44Bis): from km 005+430 to 005+770; from km 006+730 to 014+166; from km 014+199 to 029+540
Jaufenpass (SS.44): from km 013+910 to 015+680; from km 033+460 to 046+770
Pfelders (LS/SP.114): from km 000+000 to 011+230
Stuls (LS/SP.113): from km 000+000 to 000+530
Rabenstein (LS/SP.112): from km 000+000 to 004+180

Burggrafenamt and Merano Area

Vellau (LS/SP.119): from km 000+340 to 004+190
Kuens (LS/SP.118): from km 001+440 to 002+380
St. Moritz (LS/SP.122): from km 004+160 to 005+350
Larchenberg (LS/SP.120): from km 005+050 to 006+500
Breiteben (LS/SP.115): from km 005+610 to 006+590
Falzeben (LS/SP.167): from km 004+030 to 004+870

Sarntal and Pfitscherjoch

Sarntaler and Pfitscherjoch road (SS.508): from km 042+480 to 057+180
Ruhmwald (LS/SP.107): from km 000+240 to 003+000

Eisacktal, Schlern and Eggental

Eggental and Karerpass (SS.241): from km 023+640 to 026+140
Dolomites road (SS.48): from km 003+230 to 016+410
Dolomites road (SS.48Bis): from km 007+770 to 008+800
Lavazejoch (SS.620): from km 009+020 to 011+570
Obereggen (LS/SP.76): from km 003+960 to 006+850
Aldein – Deutschnofen (LS/SP.72): from km 000+000 to 001+520
Tiers (LS/SP.65): from km 008+130 to 029+670
Seiser Alm (LS/SP.25): from km 003+170 to 009+130
Blumau – Waidbruck (LS/SP.24): from km 005+570 to 007+270; from km 007+780 to 015+040

South Tyrolean Lowlands and Überetsch

S. Lugano – Altrei (LS/SP.79): from km 000+000 to 000+030; from km 004+680 to 006+670
Montan – Truden im Naturpark (LS/SP.59): from km 001+050 to 006+720; from km 008+500 to 010+375
Montiggl (LS/SP.55): from km 001+690 to 003+920
Aichholz (LS/SP.21): from km 000+410 to 000+540; from km 000+680 to 001+590
Margreid (LS/SP.20): from km 000+000 to 001+380
Montan (LS/SP.17): from km 000+180 to 001+550; from km 001+780 to 002+850
Kurtatsch Handwerkerzone (LS/SP.166): from km 001+820 to 002+520
Klughammer (LS/SP.162): from km 002+530 to 004+630
Radein (LS/SP.130): from km 000+000 to 001+590; from km 006+080 to 007+330
Salurn – Buchholz (LS/SP.129): from km 002+140 to 012+690

Gröden: Grödner Joch and Sellajoch

Grödnerjoch (SS.243): from km 000+000 to 013+440; from km 013+930 to 015+160
Grödental und Sellajoch (SS.242): from km 019+500 to 021+170; from km 022+210 to 030+880

Gadertal and Würzjoch

Gadertal (SS.244): from km 029+240 to 033+090; from km 033+970 to 038+130
Furkelpass (LS/SP.43): from km 007+130 to 013+500; from km 019+360 to 019+860
St. Kassian (LS/SP.37): from km 001+110 to 010+280
Afers – St. Martin in Thurn (LS/SP.29): from km 013+830 to 017+450; from km 018+380 to 033+110
St. Peter – Würzjoch (LS/SP.163): from km 005+120 to 008+660
Villnöss (LS/SP.27): from km 012+360 to 017+150

Pustertal, Tauferer Ahrntal, Antholz and Pragser Tal

Ahrntal (SS.621): from km 017+460 to 019+060; from km 026+910 to 039+250; from km 039+650 to 043+010
Pustertal state road (SS.49): from km 058+720 to 063+120
Uttenheim – Tesselberg (LS/SP.81): from km 001+000 to 011+460
Altprags (LS/SP.80): from km 000+000 to 002+490
Rein (LS/SP.48): from km 000+680 to 002+920; from km 003+480 to 014+030
Prags (LS/SP.47): from km 002+070 to 008+260
Antholz (LS/SP.44): from km 000+720 to 023+190
Ahornach (LS/SP.155): from km 000+000 to 002+081; from km 002+590 to 003+410; from km 004+190 to 005+840
Weißenbach (LS/SP.154): from km 000+000 to 000+080
Oberwielenbach (LS/SP.148): from km 003+190 to 004+070

Alta Pusteria Toward Cortina and Sexten

Alemagna road (SS.51): from km 118+150 to 134+290
Carnica road (SS.52): from km 110+090 to 114+531; from km 114+920 to 124+160; from km 125+130 to 126+090

Wipptal: Brenner Road

Brenner state road (SS.12): from km 401+320 to 404+900; from km 407+100 to 414+710

Ultental

Ultental (LS/SP.9): from km 030+550 to 032+150
Ultental – Proveis (LS/SP.88): from km 007+490 to 008+020; from km 008+990 to 010+280

Additionally, the ban applies generally to areas above 1,600 meters in altitude, even where the road in question is not explicitly listed in Annex A. The resolution also provides that the ban can be extended to further roads or sections during the approval process if a road’s characteristics appear unsuitable or there are concerns regarding traffic safety and local traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which routes are affected by the South Tyrol motorsport ban?

Around 100 sections individually listed in Annex A of the resolution are affected, on state and provincial roads, including the Stelvio Pass, Timmelsjoch, Jaufen Pass, Gardena Pass, Sella Pass, and Karer Pass, as well as numerous smaller provincial roads. The ban also applies generally to areas above 1,600 meters in altitude.
Are private rides and guided tours banned equally?

No. What’s banned are organized motorsport events, which includes guided tours, club rides, and association outings with a recognizable organizational framework. Private solo rides and spontaneous rides on vacation or with friends remain allowed as individual traffic.
What does a violation of the ban cost?

The violation consists of holding an event without the required permit. Under provincial law 13/1992, the fine ranges from 144 to 1,410 euros (about 165 to 1,614 US dollars) and can rise up to five times that amount in certain cases.
When does the South Tyrol motorsport ban take effect?

Resolution No. 495/2026 was passed on June 19, 2026, and has applied since then. It also applies to approval procedures that had not yet been concluded at that point.
How can I tell from the official map which road is affected?

What matters alone is the thick blue line over the road network. The colors green, red, and yellow only indicate the road type (motorway, state road, provincial road) and say nothing about the ban.