Passo delle Erbe, Würzjoch in German and Ju de Börz in Ladin, lies at the foot of the Sass de Putia. It links the Val Badia, on the San Martino in Badia side, with Luson, Val di Funes and Bressanone in the Eisack valley (Valle Isarco). The official sources don't agree on the elevation: 1,987 m according to the Italian Ministry of Tourism's website, 1,982 m according to South Tyrol's tourism website (IDM).
The road is provincial road 29. From the Val Badia it climbs from San Martino through Antermoia and is open all year; from the Funes side it is open only from May to November, and from Luson you get there on provincial road 30 and then road 29. It is a narrow mountain road, single-lane in places, especially between Funes and the pass, and at times you have to give way to oncoming traffic. Between Eores and the pass, buses are banned, and so are vehicles over 24 tonnes and 12 m long; from San Martino buses can get through, up to 12 m long. The San Vigilio and San Martino tourist office gives the eastern climb, from San Martino, as 15 km with 1,070 m of elevation gain; from Bressanone it is 30 km and 1,750 m.
On 17 September 2026 the traffic centre of the Province of Bolzano listed the municipal Passo delle Erbe road in the municipality of Luson as closed to traffic until further notice, because of storm damage: if you are coming from that side, check the bulletin first. Parking at the pass is limited, and anyone who leaves the car on the side of the road gets fined. In summer queues can build up at any time, and IDM recommends avoiding the hours between 9 am and noon. There are no public toilets: you can use the ones in the places to eat on the pass and along the trails if you buy something.
Without a car you can get here by bus. From mid-June to early October, line 464 leaves every hour from the Piccolino gondola, where line 460 from Brunico and Corvara stops, and climbs to the pass from Antermoia; from early September you change at Antermoia onto line 339. Line 339 runs from May to November between San Pietro di Funes, the pass and Antermoia, with minibuses only because the road is narrow. You reach San Pietro from Bressanone on line 330, and from Plancios, above Eores, line 323 goes up to the pass.
The pass marks the northern edge of the Puez-Odle Nature Park, set up in 1978 and enlarged in 1999: 10,729 hectares reaching as far as the Passo Gardena, with the Sass de Putia and the Odle di Eores and Odle di Funes in the northern part. From the pass, trail 8A crosses the pastures to the foot of the north face of the Sass de Putia, and at the fork trail 4 climbs to the Forcella di Putia: 3.8 km, 415 m of ascent and an hour and a half of walking, according to the tourist office. The loop around the Sass de Putia is trail 8B. The park visitor centre is in Santa Maddalena, in the Val di Funes.
Passo delle Erbe alongside the other passes, with restrictions and opening periods: The Dolomite passes: driving the loop by car, motorbike and bike.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Passo delle Erbe (Würzjoch) open in winter?
From the Val Badia side, yes: the road from San Martino in Badia is open all year. From Funes it is open only from May to November. On 17 September 2026 the municipal pass road in the municipality of Luson was also closed until further notice because of storm damage: before you set off, check the bulletin of the Province of Bolzano's traffic centre.
How high is the Passo delle Erbe?
The official sources give two figures: 1,987 m on the Italian Ministry of Tourism's website, 1,982 m on South Tyrol's tourism website (IDM). On this page we use 1,987 m.
How do you get to the Passo delle Erbe without a car?
By bus. From mid-June to early October, line 464 climbs every hour from Piccolino in the Val Badia, where line 460 from Brunico and Corvara stops; from early September you change at Antermoia onto line 339. From May to November line 339 links the pass with San Pietro di Funes, which you reach from Bressanone on line 330. From Plancios, above Eores, there is line 323.
Where can you park at the Passo delle Erbe?
There are few spaces at the pass, and parking on the side of the road gets you a fine. IDM recommends coming up by bus and, because of the summer crowds, avoiding the hours between 9 am and noon.
What can you do from the Passo delle Erbe?
Walk in the Puez-Odle Nature Park and on the Alpe di Luson. From the pass, trails 8A and 4 take you to the Forcella di Putia in 3.8 km and 415 m of ascent; trail 8B goes all the way round the Sass de Putia. There are also easy trails nearby, some of them suitable for pushchairs.
Can you take a camper van to the Passo delle Erbe?
The road is narrow and single-lane in places, and between Eores and the pass vehicles over 24 tonnes and 12 m long are banned. Wild camping is not allowed on the pass, as in the rest of Italy: South Tyrol has camper stopover areas where you can stay for up to 72 hours.