The road is built along steep cliffs on the east side of the Urnersee (first part of the Lake Lucerne) weaving through many rock fall galleries and tunnels along its route.

Between Brunnen and Flüelen, there are no major junctions, although about halfway through, just south of the border between the cantons of Uri and Schwyz, there is one small settlement, Sisikon.

The plan to build the Axenstrasse was developed since the inauguration of the road over the Gotthard pass as a continuation towards the Cantons Uri and Schwyz.

[4] In 1860, the Military Department (tasked with the development of the roads over the Oberalp and Furka pass) inquired in the two cantons about a feasibility study about an Axenstrasse also from a strategic point of view.

[5] In Mai 1861, the Landamman (cantonal council's president) of Uri Karl Emanuel Müller (1804–1869) presented plans for three different roads on different levels, which were all approved by the Parliament.