From Lake Constance into the Swiss pilgrim network: about 107 kilometers from Bregenz over Rorschach and the Appenzell region to Rapperswil-Jona, where the route meets the Via Jacobi.
The Via Jacobi Bregenz – traditionally called the "Rorschach branch" – is one of Switzerland's historic Ways of St. James and dates back before the year 1500. It has always been the most important link for pilgrims arriving from the east and northeast via the Lake Constance region.
From Bregenz on Lake Constance the route runs over Rorschach into the Appenzell region, on over Herisau and Wattwil, until it reaches Rapperswil-Jona on Lake Zurich. There it meets the Via Jacobi, the central Swiss pilgrim axis.
Ideal if you come from the German-speaking east and want a near, history-rich entry into the Swiss pilgrim network – with Lake Constance as the opening and the gentle Appenzell hill country. A good choice, too, for a long weekend or a short week.
Less suitable if you expect high mountains and large climbs: the route stays mostly in hill country, with its highest point at around 1,084 meters.
From Bregenz the way follows Lake Constance to Rorschach. Along the route lies St. Gallen, whose settlement grew up around the abbey founded around 720 – pilgrims to Santiago were cared for here from the very beginnings of the pilgrimage.
The route then leads into the green, rolling Appenzell country over Herisau and Wattwil, finally reaching Rapperswil-Jona on the upper Lake Zurich.
At about 107 kilometers with some 2,744 meters of climb, the route is comfortably done in 5–6 days. The terrain shifts from the flat lakeshore into the wavier Appenzell hills – steady ups and downs, but no high-alpine passages. The highest point is around 1,084 meters.
At Rapperswil-Jona the Via Jacobi Bregenz meets the Via Jacobi, Switzerland's main axis from Constance to Geneva. From here, via Rapperswil and the pilgrim hub of Einsiedeln, you can walk on toward western Switzerland and ultimately, through France, to Santiago.
The best time is spring to autumn. Accommodation is in guesthouses and pilgrim lodgings along the route; a pilgrim credential is useful for stamps and lodgings. The route is waymarked as a Swiss Way of St. James – where it diverges, always follow the official signs on the ground.
Switzerland is expensive. Budget roughly €60–100 per day for lodging, plus food; simple lodgings and self-catering lower the cost.
The starting point is Bregenz on Lake Constance, easily reached by train via the Austrian and Swiss rail networks.
The Swiss Ways of St. James are maintained by the association Jakobsweg Schweiz – Compostelle Suisse (formerly "jakobsweg.ch", renamed after its 2026 merger with "Les Amis"). The association waymarks and maintains the routes, trains pilgrim guides and publishes route booklets and the pilgrim credential.
4-Länder-Hotel Deutschmann
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Apartment Deluxe with Garden Rapperswil-Jona
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Apartment Denk
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