Driving the Vršič Pass: Bled to Bovec, Best Stops & What to Expect
The Vršič Pass is a vertigo-inducing, snake-like road through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Julian Alps. With 50 hairpin bends climbing to 1,611 m, I’ll admit I was slightly nervous about driving the Vršič Pass with our three children.
In reality, the hairpins were far less intimidating than expected. The difficult part was deciding where to stop – and finding somewhere to park in peak August.
We drove from Bled to Bovec over Vršič Pass with our children (aged 8, 11 and 14) in August 2026. What could have been simply a transfer between destinations became a seven-hour road trip, swimming at Lake Jasna, stopping at panoramic mountain viewpoints and eventually following the astonishingly turquoise Soča towards Bovec.
This guide covers what it’s really like to drive Vršič Pass, the stops we thought were worth making, the reality of parking in summer and what we’d do differently next time.
Vršič Pass was just one part of our longer road-and-rail journey through Europe. If you’re planning something similar, our guide to how to plan a multi-stop family adventure covers how we organise routes, accommodation and transport without making the trip feel completely overwhelming.
We hired our car through Discover Cars, which made it easy to compare rental companies and prices for our Slovenia road trip.
Check car hire prices for your dates here.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Bled, we’d highly recommend the castle-view apartment we stayed in. It was quiet, had plenty of space for our family of five and was just a few minutes’ walk from the lake.
Check prices and availability here.
After the pass, Bovec makes a great base for exploring the Soča Valley. We stayed in this three-bedroom Bovec apartment, which had plenty of space for five, free parking and ever-changing mountain views.
Check prices and availability here.
Is Vršič Pass Worth Driving?
In a nutshell yes! If you need to travel quickly, Predel Pass is another option. We chose Vršič because we wanted the scenic mountain-road experience. We haven’t driven Predel, so I can’t compare them from experience.
If you’re looking for panoramic mountain views and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Alps, it’s hard to beat the Vršič Pass. This isn’t a quick option, so treat it as a sightseeing day in its own right, stopping along the way to soak in the scenery, rather than a transfer between towns.
Driving along the Vršič pass resulted in plenty of ‘wow’ moments as we marvelled at the scenery, and we loved transitioning from the lakes to the mountains this way.
If your family loves mountain scenery, you might also like our guide to visiting Zermatt on a budget with kids — another Alpine destination we’ve loved exploring as a family. Alternatively, try our Northern Italy road and rail trip for a wonderful mix of landscapes and cities.
Is Vršič Pass Scary to Drive?
Surprisingly, although I’m usually a nervous passenger, I really enjoyed the journey across the pass and didn’t find it as scary as other mountain roads we’ve been on. My husband drove and had a great time slowly traversing the numerous hairpin bends.
The road surface is generally smooth and in great condition. Roadside barriers on the sections where the road drops off added a sense of safety.
I would still only recommend driving this route to confident drivers, as in a few places the road is cobbled and one or two of the hairpins are fairly tight. Drivers must also be constantly alert for cyclists training on the route.
One of our children is prone to travel sickness, but with medication 2 hours before we hit the road he was fine.
Whilst the road itself wasn’t stressful, parking was. Fortunately, the new summit parking options opened on 1 September 2026, which were under construction during our August 2026 visit.
Vršič Pass at a Glance
Distance: Around 24km
Altitude: 1611m
Number of hairpin bends: 50
Start/ End: Kranjska Gora and Trenta (Soča side)
Popular stops: Lake Jasna, Russian Chapel, summit, Soča source (Izvir Soče),
Food and drink: Mountain huts including Poštarski dom and Erjavčeva koča
Driving the pass: Free
Don’t forget to pack: Plenty of water, snacks, travel sickness medication and a picnic lunch if you are not stopping at a mountain hut.
How Long Does Bled to Bovec via Vršič Take?
Theoretically you could drive the pass in a couple of hours, however that would be missing the point.
We took seven hours to travel from Bled to Bovec via the pass, with several stops to enjoy the scenery along the way which made for an unforgettable journey through some of the best mountain scenery we’ve encountered on our travels.
Our Bled to Bovec route over Vršič Pass. I’ve marked the places we stopped, along with a few useful stops we missed or would consider next time.
Our Bled to Bovec Route Over Vršič Pass
We travelled in the middle of August, which affected our stops a little due to it being fairly busy as the day went on. This is the route we actually took, including what we loved and what we’d do differently next time.
Lake Jasna – The Stop We’d Allow Most Time For
Time needed: 30 minutes – 2 hours
Don’t miss: The bronze Zlatorog statue with a perfect mountain backdrop
We arrived at Lake Jasna (Jezero Jasna) at 10:30, about an hour’s easy drive from Bled, and parked in the large car park just beyond the lake.
We paid around €3.60 for two hours. The car park is large, however by the time we left it was full.
We only intended a quick coffee stop, however Lake Jasna surprised us with its pristine, accessible beauty. The two manmade lakes are surrounded by lushly wooded mountains. It’s a short easy walk around the two lakes, with coffee shops and toilets available.
We were so entranced by the location we ended up spending two hours here. The water is shallow (although cold) to enter and there are stepping stones and wooden platforms to add to the fun. The centre is deeper, which was great for our older kids to jump into, whilst our 8-year-old stuck to the shallower water.
We had great coffee at Kosobrin Jezero Jasna (cash only) while the kids played and we enjoyed the views. There are shaded areas nearby which were perfect for a picnic before we continued the journey.
It’s free to swim, the only costs are parking and any refreshments. There were kayaks and SUPs available to rent too at the time of our visit. There’s a handy changing cubicle near the toilets.
Our entire family loved this stop and although it meant we left driving the Vršič Pass until later, we didn’t regret the time we spent here. In fact on a return visit, we would strongly consider staying in nearby Kranjska Gora, a lovely alpine town right next to the lake.
Russian Chapel – Why We Didn’t Stop
The road over Vršič was built during the First World War using the forced labour of thousands of prisoners of war, most from the Russian Empire. The wooden Russian Chapel dates from 1916 and stands as an important reminder of their suffering.
There is a small car park on the opposite side of the road. Unfortunately this was full and it would not have been safe to wait, so we were unable to stop. However if you start earlier than we did you may have a better chance of stopping.
Driving the Hairpins Towards Vršič
The road continues, climbing steeply as it twists and turns towards the summit. The scenery becomes increasingly awe-inspiring as you climb, opening out into expansive views of dramatic mountain peaks. There are several small laybys along the route, however we found it hard to stop due to other road users. We still enjoyed driving the road itself and admiring the epic views.
Vršič Summit and Near-Summit Viewpoints
During our August 2026 visit, there was significant work underway to increase car parking at the summit. This meant that we were unable to stop at the summit. The new car park opened on September 1st.
Fortunately, we were able to stop slightly before the summit at Prisank Window Viewpoint (Hairpin 16), which has large gravel laybys on either side of the road. From here you get great views of the Prisank Window, a large natural hole in the mountainside, and are surrounded by wildflower meadows.
Alternatively, there is also a great view from Hairpin 17.
We saw penalty notices on cars parked along the road, so I wouldn’t risk parking outside designated areas.
On a return visit, I would definitely leave time to stop at the summit for 360 views, or visit Poštarski dom na Vršiču (Postman’s Lodge) hut which serves food. We intend to stop here for a long hike and lunch on our next visit.
Descending into the Trenta Valley
After the summit, the views become even prettier as you descend into the Soča Valley. We drove slowly and thoroughly enjoyed the descent.
Our Attempt to Find the Soča Source
Time needed: 45 – 90 minutes
At around Hairpin 49, we took a right turn towards the Koča pri izviru Soče mountain hut where we found free parking. Our intent was to walk to the source of the Soča, a short but reportedly demanding hike.
Unfortunately we misread the trail sign in the car park. Although we did not actually make it to the source, we did have a wonderful walk through tranquil forests and reached the river a little further down. Here the river wound around huge boulders, and we were able to play beside the water.
This turned into a happy accident. We had a lovely time relaxing and playing next to the river, and experiencing the icy waters, before walking back through the forest.
To avoid our mistake, make sure to walk as far as the hut itself and find the signs for the walk (we did make it to the hut, which serves cold drinks and ice creams) and download a walking map beforehand.
After our walk and refreshments, we continued along the road to Bovec. We had intended to stop at Velika Korita to see the river. The car park here is small and incredibly busy. If you see a space in a layby as you descend, around Kamp Korita or beyond, make sure to stop and walk along to get a glimpse of the astonishingly coloured river.
Parking on Vršič Pass
Parking was our biggest headache whilst driving the Vršič Pass, partially due to it being peak tourist season, and partly due to construction work.
The good news is that since our visit, the new summit parking has opened.
The plans provide for a two-lane barrier system and displays showing the number of available spaces. There are due to be 80 car parking spaces, 24 motorcycle spaces, 8 15-minute spaces, 3 disabled spaces and 2 bus spaces. The changes are intended to improve traffic flow and reduce pressure on the sensitive environment.
Driving Vršič Pass With Kids
Our children enjoyed the drive and didn’t find it frightening at all. Some things to consider:
- If anyone is prone to travel sickness, bring medication or alternatives. It is VERY winding!
- Lake Jasna is a fantastic family stop, where they can jump in and swim rather than passively observing the scenery.
- The official Soča source trail becomes very demanding near the top, so check the route carefully before attempting it with children. We accidentally followed an easier section of the Soča Trail instead and still enjoyed seeing the river.
- Bring plenty of water, swimwear, sturdy/grippy footwear, snacks and/or a picnic and downloaded maps.
- Choose your preferred stops ahead of time, but have a back-up plan if the area is too busy to stop.
What We’d Do Differently
The Stops We’d Choose If We Drove Vršič Again
If we drove this route again, I’d choose two or three stops, spend a decent amount of time at each and really enjoy them. It would also be hugely beneficial to leave earlier before parking fills up.
With the benefit of hindsight and speaking to other travellers, my ideal Vršič Pass day would look something like this (timings are very approximate):
- 7:30am – Depart accommodation
- 8:30am – Lake Jasna for a short walk/coffee/swim
- 9:30 am – drive the pass, stopping briefly at the Russian Church
- Around 10:30 am – Summit hut/viewpoint and hike. Picnic or hut for lunch
- Around 2:30 pm – The correct Soča source walk
- Around 4:00 pm – Stop around Mala Korita and the suspension bridges
- Continue on to Bovec for dinner
We learnt that it’s not possible to do everything in a single day, so targeting either hiking or swimming or scenic stops makes sense. From our experience, here are our top tips for enjoying your Vršič day:
- Leave earlier. Our 9:30am departure meant we were encountering popular stops well into a busy August day.
- Choose only 2–3 major stops. Trying to consider every viewpoint, chapel, gorge and walk made parking more frustrating.
- Plan the hikes beforehand – We saw so many inviting hiking trails we wished we’d done. Use a good hiking app and plan one in.
- Download maps before starting the walks.
- Decide in advance whether to prioritise Lake Jasna and swimming or more hiking around the pass or Soča. Another option would be to do Lake Jasna the day before.
Vršič Pass FAQs
How Many Hairpin Bends Are There on Vršič Pass?
There are 50 hairpin bends on Vršič Pass, so this is definitely a winding mountain drive! Despite being a nervous passenger, I found them much less intimidating than expected. My husband actually really enjoyed driving them, although I’d still recommend this route for confident drivers.
How Long Should You Allow to Drive Vršič Pass?
You could drive across Vršič Pass without stopping, but you’d miss much of what makes this route so special. We took around seven hours to travel from Bled to Bovec, including swimming at Lake Jasna, several viewpoints and a walk near the Soča.
If you’re making a day of it, I’d allow most of the day and choose two or three stops you really want to experience rather than trying to see everything.
Can You Drive Through Vršič Pass Without Parking at the Summit?
Yes. We couldn’t park at the summit during our August 2026 visit because construction work was underway, so we simply continued across the pass. We found somewhere to stop shortly before the summit instead and still enjoyed fantastic mountain views.
Is Vršič Pass Open All Year?
No. Vršič Pass is a high mountain road and can close because of snow and winter conditions, so don’t assume it will be open year-round. If you’re travelling outside summer, check the current road conditions before setting off.
