Straight across Saxony: about 308 kilometers from Bautzen via Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau to Hof – the Saxon Way of St. James on the historic Frankenstraße, waymarked throughout with the shell.
The Saxon Way of St. James links Upper Lusatia with Hof in Upper Franconia over about 308 kilometers. It begins in Bautzen and runs straight across Saxony – via Dresden, Freiberg, Chemnitz and Zwickau – to Hof on the Bavarian border.
The route follows the historic Frankenstraße, an old east–west connection, and is waymarked throughout with the international Way of St. James logo (the shell). It is maintained by the association "Sächsischer Jakobsweg an der Frankenstraße e.V.", which publishes a pilgrim guide, a pilgrim credential and an accommodation directory.
It's a medium-length route through Saxon cultivated landscape – with big cities like Dresden and Chemnitz, smaller towns on the edge of the Ore Mountains, and quiet hill country in the Vogtland.
The maintaining association adds "an der Frankenstraße" – after the historic road the route follows for long stretches.
Ideal if you want a well-waymarked, easily reached pilgrim route in Germany that links big cities like Dresden and Chemnitz with quiet hill country – doable in about two weeks and backed by a dedicated pilgrim association.
Less suitable if you seek high mountains and deep solitude: the route runs through cultivated landscape, past towns and villages, with only moderate elevation changes. A few stages include sections along roads.
The route starts in Bautzen and runs west via Göda, Demitz-Thumitz and Bischofswerda to Dresden. From there it continues via Pesterwitz and Grumbach to Freiberg, then via Oederan and Flöha to Chemnitz.
Beyond Chemnitz the route crosses Stollberg and Oelsnitz (Ore Mountains) into the foreland of the Ore Mountains and reaches Zwickau. The final section runs via Treuen, Oelsnitz (Vogtland) and Triebel through the Vogtland to Hof on the Bavarian border.
At about 308 kilometers with some 3,661 meters of climb (highest point about 627 m), the Saxon Way of St. James is mostly gently rolling – comfortably done in about 14–15 days. The maintaining association divides it into many short daily sections, mostly 6 to 16 kilometers.
The route is waymarked throughout with the shell logo; the center of the shell points the walking direction. Accommodation is in pilgrim hostels, pilgrim-friendly lodgings, guesthouses and quarters along the way.
The Saxon Way of St. James follows the historic Frankenstraße, an old long-distance route through Saxony. Its supporting association is therefore named "Sächsischer Jakobsweg an der Frankenstraße e.V." and has researched, waymarked and equipped the route over many years. The pilgrim credential is, according to the association, also valid for all other Ways in Germany; in Bautzen the Via Regia and the Saxon Way share a joint pilgrim office at the Hammermühle.
The Saxon Way of St. James ends in Hof. There the Way of St. James through Upper Franconia (Hof → Nuremberg) connects, allowing the route to continue into the southern German network. Already from Zwickau, the Via Imperii Way of St. James also runs via Reichenbach and Plauen to Hof.
The best time is spring to autumn. Accommodation is in pilgrim hostels, pilgrim-friendly lodgings and guesthouses along the way. A pilgrim credential is useful and at times required to gain entry to private pilgrim hostels; it is available from the association and at issuing points for a donation.
Germany is more expensive than Spain. Budget roughly €45–75 per day (guesthouses and pilgrim-friendly lodgings), plus food (as of June 2026); simple pilgrim quarters and self-catering lower the cost.
The starting point is Bautzen, the finish is Hof – both are on the rail network.
Route and infrastructure maintained by the association Sächsischer Jakobsweg an der Frankenstraße e.V.: saechsischer-jakobsweg.de.
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