The Vršič Pass, the Russian Road over the Julian Alps

50 hairpins and a prisoners’ story

The pass is at 1,611 metres. For the Slovenian Tourist Board no road pass in the eastern Julian Alps climbs higher, and Tourism Kranjska Gora goes further, calling it the highest in Slovenia. The road climbs from Kranjska Gora, crosses the saddle and drops to Log in Trenta, linking Gorenjska with Primorska. There are 50 hairpins, 24 on the Kranjska Gora side and 26 on the Trenta side. The surface is tarmac and cobbled in places, but the road is narrow and fairly steep near the top.

Russian prisoners of war built it during the First World War, hence its other name, the Russian Road. Most of those who died during the works are buried in Trenta.

The Russian Chapel and the views on the way

Climbing from Kranjska Gora, the first stop is Lake Jasna at the foot of the first bends. Higher up is the Russian Chapel, a wooden church dedicated to St Vladimir, built by the prisoners themselves. Tourism Kranjska Gora dates it to 1915 and the tourist board to 1917, so the safe thing is to say it’s from the war years. Since 2015 it has been a monument of national importance, and next to it stands a pyramid-shaped communal stone tomb.

Near the top, on the north face of Prisank, there are two curiosities. One is the natural window, about 80 metres high and 40 wide, which you can make out from the road. The other is the stone face of the Heathen Maiden, who, legend says, foretold that a hunter’s son would kill the Zlatorog, the beast with golden horns.

At the top, huts and peaks

At the summit is the Tičarjev dom hut and, up a gravel track, the slightly higher Poštarski dom. On the Kranjska Gora side there are three more for a meal on the way. Vršič is also the starting point for many summits in the Julian Alps, from Slemenova špica, a family favourite for its golden larches in autumn, to Mala Mojstrovka, Prisojnik and Razor. Heights are in the table.

There are few parking spaces at the top and the summit fills up in summer mornings. If you plan a walk, get there early.

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When is the Vršič Pass open?

The road may be closed for part of the year by snow and ice. During that time you can drive only as far as the Koča na Gozdu hut, although Vršič remains popular with ski tourers and winter walkers. Triglav National Park posts one-off closures on its website, and the winter closure dates were not in the official sources on 17-10-2026, so check before you set off.

In summer a bus runs from Kranjska Gora to Bovec over the pass, saving you the drive. If you’re cycling, it’s one of the hardest climbs in the country, so start early to beat the traffic. On the other side, the descent drops you in Trenta, close to the source of the Soča.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Vršič Pass and pick one that fits your day.

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