Jakobsweg Österreich

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Wolfsthal (Slovak border) → Rankweil (Vorarlberg)
• Length: 853.0 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 18,673 m / ↘ 18,353 m
• Duration: 30–39 days
• Highest point: Maiensee near St. Christoph am Arlberg, approx. 1,865 m — you won't get any higher than this until you reach Santiago
• Signposts: Yellow scallop on a blue background — not consistently marked everywhere; GPS recommended
• Character: A complete east-west route through Austria: starting with the flat Danube region, becoming increasingly alpine from Salzburg onward, ending at the Arlberg

Overview

The The Way of St. James in Austria is the great cross-country trek: 853 kilometers from Wolfsthal from the Slovak border through Vienna, the Danube region, Salzburg, and Innsbruck all the way to Rankweil in Vorarlberg — from the Pannonian Plain to beyond the Arlberg.

The trail is not a modern invention: Between Wolfsthal and Vienna, you follow the route of the Roman Limes Road along the south bank of the Danube, and later along ancient trade and salt routes through the Alpine foothills and the Inn Valley. This route was reconstructed by the Innsbruck-based author Peter Lindenthal, who first published it in 1999 as a 28-day journey—since May 1, 2008, the trail has been fully marked and officially opened.

Unlike in Spain, you’ll often be on your own here. But in return, you’ll get to visit three state capitals, experience the Wachau atmosphere along the Danube, explore Salzburg’s Old Town, see the Tyrolean Cathedral of St. Jakob—and, to top it all off, a real Alpine pass that pilgrims have both feared and loved since the Middle Ages.

Other Names

Common examples include The Austrian Way of St. James and The Way of St. James in Austria; the Tyrolean section is also known as Via Tyrolensis. Internationally, it is known as the Austrian Way of St. James or the Camino Austriaco. It always refers to the same east-west route across the country, which is made up of sections in the various federal states.

Who It's Ideal For — and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This is ideal for you if you’re looking for a long, independent pilgrimage that combines culture and mountains, and if you’re comfortable with solitude: no crowds of pilgrims, no hustle and bustle at the hostels—just silence, monasteries, and three magnificent cities. The route also works wonderfully as a “one-state” project—many people walk it in stages over the course of several years.

This probably isn't for you if you're expecting that Spanish Camino vibe: affordable hostels on every corner, a pilgrim community, and stops at bars. Austria is more expensive, traditional pilgrim hostels are rare, and the trail markings aren't consistent everywhere—you'll need to be willing to put some effort into planning. The Arlberg also requires mountain experience and a snow-free window of time.

Route & Landscape

The journey begins in Wolfsthal, just a few kilometers from Bratislava. Through the Hainburg Gate and past the Roman town Carnuntum follow the Danube Vienna, across the city, past St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and out into the Vienna Woods. The route continues south of the Danube through the rolling hills of Lower Austria, past Maria Langegg and the Dunkelsteinerwald with views of the Wachau, then through the Mostviertel to Linz and to the Salzburg region.

From Salzburg the route changes character: through the Pinzgau region to Lofer, then into Tyrol—St. Johann, along the Inn Valley via Wörgl and Schwaz to Innsbruck with its St. Jakob Cathedral. The Upper Inn Valley takes you steadily higher through Stams and Landeck until you reach the Arlberg the highest point awaits. On the Vorarlberg side, the route winds through the Klostertal and down through the Walgau until the Rankweil Pilgrimage Basilica comes into view perched on its rock.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Expect 30 to 39 daily stages, depending on your fitness level and the number of rest days. The elevation profile rises from east to west—roughly divided into six sections:

1. Wolfsthal → Vienna (approx. 65 km) — a gentle start along the route of the Roman Limes Road, through Carnuntum and the Danube Floodplains National Park.
2. Vienna → Enns/Linz (approx. 220 km) — the Vienna Woods, the Dunkelsteinerwald, and the Mostviertel: constant ups and downs between 200 and 500 meters in elevation per day.
3. Linz → Salzburg (approx. 130 km) — gentle Alpine foothills along ancient Roman and trade routes, with the first real view of the mountains.
4. Salzburg → Lofer (approx. 80 km) — into the mountains: the Pinzgau turns the hiking trail into an Alpine trail.
5. Lofer → Innsbruck → Landeck (approx. 250 km) — the Via Tirolensis: St. Johann, Inntal, Innsbruck, Stams — long but easily manageable sections through the valley.
6. Landeck → St. Christoph → Rankweil (approx. 110 km) — the final stretch over the Arlberg: the highest point is at Maiensee (1,865 m), followed by the long descent through the Klostertal and the Walgau to Rankweil.

There are few technical challenges, but the mountain sections in Tyrol and on the Arlberg require sure-footedness and good physical conditioning—some days involve more than 1,000 meters of elevation gain. The Arlberg Pass is snow-free only from about June through October.

Across the Arlberg: A Pig Herder, a Brotherhood, and the Highest Point on the Way to Santiago

For medieval travelers, the Arlberg was one of the most dreaded mountain passes in the Alps. In 1386, the swineherd founded Heinrich Findelkind At the top of the pass stood a shelter: the St. Christoph Hospice. He searched the snow for accident victims and carried them to the shelter—and founded the St. Christopher Brotherhood, which still stands today. In 1397, Pope Boniface IX approved the construction of a chapel, and it was consecrated in 1398.

So when you arrive in St. Christoph today, you’re following in the footsteps of over 600 years of pilgrimage history. Just before that, you’ll pass by the Maiensee At about 1,865 meters, this is the highest point on all the Camino de Santiago routes leading from Germany, Austria, Hungary, and northern Italy to Santiago. From here on—over 2,400 kilometers to Galicia—the route never climbs this high again.

Plan this leg of the trip carefully: start early, check the weather forecast, and if in doubt, there are also buses and trains between St. Anton and St. Christoph as an alternative in case of bad weather.

Highlights Along the Way

• Carnuntum — the excavated Roman town with its Heidentor, located right on the old Limes Road, which traces your route.
• Vienna — St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, and the city’s St. James’s churches: four stops in the city that feel like a mini-pilgrimage of their own.
• Maria Langegg and the Dunkelsteinerwald — A pilgrimage church perched high above the Danube Valley, overlooking the Wachau.
• Salzburg — The cathedral, fortress, and Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage Site) — the Baroque highlight of the first half of the route.
• Innsbruck — St. Jakob’s Cathedral, home to the Mariahilf image of grace by Lucas Cranach the Elder; in the Middle Ages, pilgrims would gather here in large groups.
• Stift Stams — the magnificent Cistercian abbey in the Upper Inn Valley, a stop on the Santiago pilgrimage route for centuries.
• St. Christoph am Arlberg — A hospice dating from 1386 and the highest point along the trail at Maiensee (1,865 m).
• Rankweil Basilica — the pilgrimage church on Liebfrauenberg: the destination of the trail, including a pilgrim’s stamp, with a view across the Rhine Valley toward Switzerland.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The most natural feeder comes from the east: The Camino Slovakia It leads from Košice through Bratislava straight to Wolfsthal—the Slovak, Hungarian, and Austrian routes converge at the ruins of St. James’s Chapel in Bratislava. Those coming from Hungary also join the trail here.

Most people, however, start right in Wolfsthal or Vienna—both are less than an hour away from Vienna. It’s also easy to start in Linz, Salzburg, or Innsbruck if you only want to hike part of the trail: All three cities have long-distance train stations right along the route.

Continue the pilgrimage?

There's still plenty more to see in Rankweil. The classic route heading west is the Appenzeller Weg, which runs from Rankweil across the Rhine into Switzerland to St. Peterzell, where it joins the Via Jacobi— the Swiss Way of St. James, which runs through Einsiedeln and Flüeli-Ranft to Geneva.

From Geneva onward, the Via Gebennensis to Le Puy-en-Velay, then the Via Podiensis to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port — and from there, the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela. Wolfsthal to Santiago in one go: about 3,400 kilometers.

Preparation & Practical Information

Best time: May through October for the eastern region—for Tyrol and the Arlberg, realistically June through early October, as long as the pass is free of snow. In midsummer, the Danube stages are hot, but the mountain stages are safest then.

The trail marker—a yellow seashell on a blue background—is well-marked in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, but in some places in the east, the markings are sparse. Bring GPS tracks with you and plan your stages in advance—the easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

As on all routes along the Way of St. James, you'll need a Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial), to get pilgrim rates at monasteries and guesthouses and to collect your stamps. It’s best to order it online in advance so that you’ll have it in time for the start of your journey. In Austria, it is issued by, among others, the Association of St. James’ Ways in Austria, which has been managing the route since 2008.

What the journey will cost you

Austria isn't Spain: Affordable pilgrim hostels are the exception; most people stay at inns, guesthouses, private rooms, or monasteries. Expect to pay 40–70 € per night for a basic room; factoring in meals and provisions, you'll realistically spend 60–90 € per day (As of August 2026). Some parishes and monasteries offer affordable lodging for pilgrims—it’s worth inquiring early.

You can save money by staying in shared rooms at city youth hostels, at occasional pilgrim lodgings that accept donations, and in Tyrol at guesthouses that offer pilgrim discounts. Plus, there’s no travel stress: The entire route is within the eurozone and is well-served by public transportation.

Getting There

To get started: You can reach Wolfsthal from Vienna by S-Bahn or regional train heading toward Bratislava in about an hour—or you can start right in Bratislava and walk the few kilometers across the border as a prologue. Vienna itself is accessible from all over Europe by night train, long-distance train, and plane.

Returning from Rankweil: The Rankweil train station is located on the Feldkirch–Bregenz line; there are direct trains via Feldkirch to Zurich, Innsbruck, and Vienna. If you’re only traveling part of the way, you can get on and off at Linz, Salzburg, Wörgl, or Innsbruck along the route.

• Austrian Railways: Connections and tickets via ÖBB (oebb.at), Nightjet for travel from Germany and Switzerland.
• Start in Wolfsthal: Take the S-Bahn or regional train from Vienna Central Station toward Bratislava-Petržalka; get off at the Wolfsthal stop.
• Return trip to Rankweil: Rankweil Station; transfer in Feldkirch toward Zurich or Vienna.