Waze - Swiss Alp seasonal road closures

[A900ss]

Hi, I’m off to Switzerland at the end of the month and I generally use Google Maps when I do my CH winter road trip. Google Maps are excellent at knowing which passes are closed for the winter.

If you’ve been to the Alps recently, is Waze as good at knowing the road closures? (I know Waze is owned bun google so they should but...)

TIA

Edited by A900ss on Wednesday 13th February 13:09

[AW10]

You might have better luck asking on the Switzerland subsection. But I'll venture a guess that as Waze is owned by google they share much of the same information.

[3sixty]

Can't reply for your specific scenario, but I do find it depends on that country's use of Waze.

Here in Malaysia everyone uses Waze and the fact you as a user can notify others of potholes, road closures, broken down cars etc. means most people will post it up and you can see it 1km before you approach. But I know when I come back to UK and use it when on holiday, I find its not as full of info - I am assuming because the takeup and use in UK is far less

[chandrew]

Where are you going in Switzerland?

I don't use Waze but Google Maps usually has the pass closures on and is pretty decent at avoiding the issues - certainly better that the navigation on my BMW which is supposed to have traffic avoidance.

The TCS (the Swiss equivalent of the AA) has a good tool:

https://www.tcs.ch/fr/tools/inforoute-situation-tr...

Here in Graubunden the Canton has the most reliable information:

http://www.strassen.gr.ch/sites/strassenzustand/ka...

Personally I rely on the Cantonal site for local information and Google Maps for everything else.

[A900ss]

Thanks. This is my 4th Winter Alpine trip and I’ve always used Google Maps and they’ve been great. Just considering Waze as Google Maps doesn’t show a speed limit in CarPlay or warn you of any hazards ahead. I think I’ll probably just stick with Google Maps.

Trip incorporates: Lausanne, Simplon Pass, Chur, Ofen Pass, Munt la Schera Pass, Livigno, Bernina Pass, St Moritz, Maloja Pass, Julier Pass then onto the B500 through the Black Forest.

[AW10]

Given those roads this time of the year I trust you're running winter tyres?

[Whitean3]

A900ss said:

Thanks. This is my 4th Winter Alpine trip and I’ve always used Google Maps and they’ve been great. Just considering Waze as Google Maps doesn’t show a speed limit in CarPlay or warn you of any hazards ahead. I think I’ll probably just stick with Google Maps.

Trip incorporates: Lausanne, Simplon Pass, Chur, Ofen Pass, Munt la Schera Pass, Livigno, Bernina Pass, St Moritz, Maloja Pass, Julier Pass then onto the B500 through the Black Forest.

I would expect most of the passes to be closed at this time of year. I've been over the Julier pass in February however. Rely on chandrew's info- he's usually spot on!

[A900ss]

Whitean3 said:

A900ss said:

Thanks. This is my 4th Winter Alpine trip and I’ve always used Google Maps and they’ve been great. Just considering Waze as Google Maps doesn’t show a speed limit in CarPlay or warn you of any hazards ahead. I think I’ll probably just stick with Google Maps.

Trip incorporates: Lausanne, Simplon Pass, Chur, Ofen Pass, Munt la Schera Pass, Livigno, Bernina Pass, St Moritz, Maloja Pass, Julier Pass then onto the B500 through the Black Forest.

I would expect most of the passes to be closed at this time of year. I've been over the Julier pass in February however. Rely on chandrew's info- he's usually spot on!

All of the above passes are open all year round, I’ve driven them all several times in winter. Of course, full winters on my car.

Looking forward to going back to CH. The best country in Europe I’ve ever visited.

[Teddy Lop]

The blissfull ignorance of short term road closures is wazes single biggest flaw in my experience; my use is restricted to London but I'd be somewhat careful, another poster mentions "its all Google" but waze and Google maps do work differently - Google's road closure seems more dependable.

[chandrew]

A900ss said:

Thanks. This is my 4th Winter Alpine trip and I’ve always used Google Maps and they’ve been great. Just considering Waze as Google Maps doesn’t show a speed limit in CarPlay or warn you of any hazards ahead. I think I’ll probably just stick with Google Maps.

Trip incorporates: Lausanne, Simplon Pass, Chur, Ofen Pass, Munt la Schera Pass, Livigno, Bernina Pass, St Moritz, Maloja Pass, Julier Pass then onto the B500 through the Black Forest.

Well given I live in St. Moritz I can certainly give you a view on the local passes.

I would use the Cantonal site that I linked to above. They get it changed within minutes of when a road is closed / open.

At this time of the year all the passes you mention (I can't remember about the Simplon as it's ages since I lived in Suisse Romande) they try and keep open. The times when we have issues are after a big snow fall and they're mostly closed because of avalanche risk, not because of too much snow on the ground. Hence there are also blackspots where roads get closed even off a pass. There is one between Zernez and here and another between Sils and Maloja. It's usually most likely in January given the type of snow we get then.

You will need (or should have) winter tyres. If you've got a 2WD car it would be good to have snow chains as well. Often after snow or wind (snowdrifts) the road will require AWD or chains. However at the moment the next 10 days is fabulous weather. It's probably -15 at night with temperatures about 5 degrees in the day. However in the sun it feels much warmer - I sat on a terrace having lunch yesterday with the missus in shirt-sleeves.

The only time this weather will become an issue is the morning. The melt-water from the afternoon can freeze into sheets of black ice over night. You'll also need good sunglasses as in the afternoon the sun reflects on this meltwater and with the altitude, white snow and reflection it can be really problematic.

You should assume that there are speed cameras on all the passes. They tend to place them in villages and on the long straights. As you know they are often hidden and it's illegal for Google etc. to say where they are.

To whet your appetite have a look at this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&amp... It was filmed this week last year a couple of days after the horse racing finished on the lake just outside my office window.

[A900ss]

Thanks Andrew, appreciate it.

Car is FWD with winters and I also carry chains.

That link to the map is excellent and I’ll be using that to confirm what google maps says.

I remember last year when I left St Moritz heading towards the Ofen Pass that although the road was open, the snow was blowing a blizzard and I couldn’t see anything. I lost my nerve, turned around and stayed overnight in St Moritz until the next day. The locals didn’t seem too bothered and they carried on in the blizzard but I ‘think’ I know my limits.

Thanks again and i look forward to being there from the 24th.