How long does it take to drive from Milan to Bormio?

Around three and a half hours in normal conditions, over roughly two hundred kilometres of the SS38. With the Tirano bypass open you avoid crossing the town, which was the most frequent point of delay.

Can Livigno be reached by car in winter?

Yes, from two directions: the Foscagno pass from Bormio, open year-round, and the Munt la Schera tunnel from the Swiss side, tolled and single-lane with alternating traffic. The Forcola pass towards the Bernina is closed in winter.

Are winter tyres or chains required?

Yes. From 15 November to 15 April the requirement covers most of the network and at altitude the rules can start earlier. Winter equipment is agreed at proposal stage and verified before delivery.

Can I drive a car hired in Italy into Switzerland?

Yes, but the border crossing must be authorised and agreed before departure. Tell the concierge your itinerary when you request the proposal so everything is arranged in advance.

When should I book for the winter season?

For Christmas, New Year and the peak ski weeks, September and October are the right time. For the rest of the season four to six weeks ahead is generally enough.

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Travel

Valtellina after the Games: Bormio and Livigno on the new road

2 Sep 2026 · 9 min read

What the Games leave behind in Upper Valtellina

Milano Cortina 2026 brought two Olympic venues to Valtellina: Bormio, which hosted the men's alpine skiing events and the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering, and Livigno, which hosted freestyle and snowboard. Eleven of the Games' thirteen competition venues were existing or temporary, which shifted most of the spending from sports construction to transport links.

That is the part that remains. Accelerated investment in connections towards Valtellina, upgrades to the electricity network and medical services in Livigno, and a model that will be reused for the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Winter 2026-2027 is therefore the first with the full legacy available and without the Olympic calendar occupying the venues. For anyone driving up, it is the most interesting season in years.

The Tirano bypass: 6.6 kilometres that change the drive

The most significant piece is the Tirano bypass on the SS38 Stelvio road, fully opened to traffic on 4 August 2026 after the first 3.3 kilometres entered service in January, days before the Games began. The project is worth 221 million euros and runs for roughly 6.6 kilometres.

It includes a bored tunnel, a cut-and-cover tunnel, two viaducts over the Adda, four roundabouts and a series of underpasses. Its purpose is simple: take through-traffic out of the town of Tirano, historically the bottleneck on the road into Upper Valtellina.

The SS38 is the gateway to Bormio, Livigno and the Stelvio. Some works remain, including the emergency tunnel, due by December 2026 and without disruption to traffic. In parallel, the southern Sondrio bypass continues, funded by Anas with over 52 million euros.

The two winter gateways to Livigno

In winter Livigno can be reached from two directions only, and it is worth knowing before you set off. From the Italian side you climb from Bormio over the Foscagno pass, at 2,291 metres, open year-round.

From the Swiss side you enter through the Munt la Schera tunnel, roughly three and a half kilometres, single-lane with alternating traffic and a toll, open year-round: it links the Ofen pass area in the Engadine with the Livigno lake.

The third route, the Forcola di Livigno pass towards the Bernina, is a summer crossing and stays closed in winter. The Stelvio and the Gavia are closed in the cold season too. An itinerary built for summer cannot simply be repeated in January.

Livigno, Bormio and the Swiss border

Livigno has a long-standing extra-customs status with VAT exemption: you pass a customs point on the way in and out, and limits apply to goods carried. It surprises first-time visitors and is worth knowing in advance.

Proximity to the Engadine makes it natural to combine Livigno and St. Moritz in one trip, but crossing the border with a hire car is not automatic: it must be authorised and agreed before departure, and we have a dedicated guide on driving between Italy, France and Switzerland.

Bormio adds historic thermal baths and a medieval centre to the skiing, which hold up well on days without snow. It is the most convenient base for anyone alternating skiing, spa time and short drives without tackling a mountain pass every day.

Which car to choose for Upper Valtellina

You need an all-wheel-drive SUV with genuine winter tyres. From 15 November to 15 April the winter tyre or chains requirement covers most of the network, and on the passes the rules can start earlier and be stricter.

Range Rover Sport, Defender 110, Audi Q8, Mercedes GLE and GLS work best: ground clearance, room for ski equipment and predictable behaviour on the Foscagno hairpins. Rear-wheel-drive sports cars, in this season and on these roads, are the wrong choice.

Delivery can be arranged in Milan, at the airport or directly in Valtellina. The concierge checks winter equipment, ski racks and any authorisation for crossing into Switzerland before confirmation. Write to us with your dates and location for a proposal with the price settled.

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