It lies south-west of Bolzano and is a known tourist destination, famous for its wines, castles and lakes (Kalterer See, Montiggler Seen).
The pass is accessed by the pass road, which begins in the town of Fondo in the Non Valley and ends southwest of the city of Bolzano, and the Mendel Funicular, which connects the Überetsch plateau with the pass.
The line crossed the Talfer river and after two small stations (Ponte Roma and Ponte Resia) the line became split: one track proceeded to Meran and further to the Vinschgerbahn and one track branched away leftwards toward the low mountain range plateau of Überetsch.