Swiss Way of St James (ViaJacobi)

In short: Swiss Way of St James (ViaJacobi): from Rorschach on Lake Constance to Geneva. Length: around 430 km, duration: about 3 weeks. Best time: May to October.

Overview

The ViaJacobi crosses Switzerland from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva and links the routes from southern Germany and Austria with France. It runs via Einsiedeln Abbey and Fribourg to Lausanne and Geneva.

The route is part of the Swiss hiking network and, as National Route 4, is very well marked. The section from Einsiedeln over the Haggenegg Pass is particularly demanding.

Expect much higher costs than in Spain. Pilgrim hostels and monasteries are the cheapest option, but book ahead.

Main stops: Rorschach or Constance, Einsiedeln, Flüeli-Ranft, Interlaken, Fribourg, Lausanne, Geneva.

From Lake Constance to Lake Geneva

In Switzerland the route is signposted as ViaJacobi and national hiking route 4. It starts at Lake Constance and soon reaches Einsiedeln Abbey, one of the country's most important places of pilgrimage. It continues over the Brünig to Lake Thun, through the Fribourg region and along Lake Geneva.

Costs and getting there

Switzerland is the most expensive stage on the way to Santiago. Hostels are rarer than in Spain, so you will often stay in guesthouses or group accommodation. On the other hand, you can reach almost every stage town by train or PostBus and can easily spread the route over several holidays.

Planning your stages

How long you need depends on your daily distance. The table works this out for 430 kilometres, with one rest day a week.

Who is this route for?

With some hiking experience this route is very manageable. Expect climbs and keep your days from getting too long.

What does the route cost?

With an albergue or simple guesthouse and one hot meal, 90 to 120 euros a day is usually enough. Over about 25 days that comes to roughly 2,250 to 3,000 euros, plus travel and gear. This is a guide figure.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Europe, Pilgrimage in Switzerland, sorted by religion under Christian pilgrimage routes.