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On the Bonifatius Route from Mainz to Fulda
Hiking Collection by Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund
9
days
4-6 h
/ day
115 mi
7,350 ft
6,800 ft
On a pilgrimage, you can collect your thoughts, draw new lifeforce and intensively experience different landscapes. This is certainly true on the Bonifatius Route, which connects Mainz with Fulda, in the west of Germany, over 180 kilometres (112 mi).
You’ll be following the path of the funeral procession for St. Boniface in Fulda in 754. As you hike, be sure to pause in chapels, churches, museums and other cultural sites to learn more about the life of Boniface – all while enjoying fresh air and exercise.
In this Collection, we have divided the route into nine stages. Thanks to the region's excellent l connections to the public transport network, you can also divide the route differently or hike individual stages.
Your pilgrimage begins at the Leichhof in Mainz, which you can easily reach by train or bus. After a visit to the magnificent cathedral, you’ll travel through the culturally rich Rhine-Main region with its many churches. Between the towns, you'll be treated to impressive views of the Frankfurt skyline. Next, it becomes more relaxed as you hike through the fields and orchards of the Wetterau. You’ll pass through quiet forests and past bizarre basalt rocks at the Vogelsberg. The last section takes you through the Fuldaer Land region with its typical half-timbered villages before you reach St. Salvator's Cathedral in Fulda. The main railway station is just a few minutes walk away, making the return journey straightforward.
The stages are long but easy to walk and have only a few metres of altitude. On the way, you’ll pass many refreshment stops and rest areas where you can take a break and recharge your batteries. You’ll find accommodation in the individual stage towns. More information on accommodation can be obtained from the Bonifatius Route e.V. association: bonifatiusroute.de/gastgeber (in German). Accommodation can be limited in places, so it’s best to book in advance.
Thanks to the good connections to the RMV network, you can always reach the next largest city quickly by bus and train. So that you can divide up or shorten the Bonifatius Route flexibly, we have marked those stations and bus stops in the Tours that are located along the route. It's best to download the RMVgo app to get the best possible timetable information and to buy your ticket directly: sites.rmv.de/en/rmvgo.
So, why not take the time for a pilgrimage and follow in the footsteps of St. Boniface? It’s the perfect opportunity to discover history and nature.
On The Map
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Last updated: June 13, 2023
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Tours
- 05:1612.6 mi2.4 mph400 ft350 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The official starting point of the Bonifatius route is at the Leichhof in the center of Mainz. If you are traveling by public transport, take the bus to the Höfchen/Listmann bus stop or start directly at the main train station. Past the magnificent cathedral, the Bonifatius statue and the Electoral Palace…
- 05:3213.3 mi2.4 mph450 ft350 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Weilbach you start in the direction of Weilbacher Kiesgruben, a wonderful nature reserve with several lookout towers. After a look over the species-rich biotopes you follow the Bonifatius route to Kriftel. There the Boniface Chapel, the Catholic Church of St. Vitus and many rest stops await you…
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- 05:5914.3 mi2.4 mph500 ft525 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Starting from Eschborn train station, it goes into the city center, where the local history museum and the evangelical church with its distinctive tower are located. The Gutermannsweg then leads you to Niederursel with a view of the Frankfurt skyline. You pass the RMV underground station of the same…
- 04:5411.5 mi2.4 mph550 ft575 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Karben is the starting point of the fourth stage of the Boniface Route. Passing the fragrant Karbener Rosenhang, it goes into the city forest. Here you can breathe fresh forest air before you reach Büdesheim an der Nidder. You walk through the center to the old and new castles, then make a detour and…
- 06:5415.7 mi2.3 mph1,275 ft1,250 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
You leave oaks to the north and hike over gentle vineyards into the forest. Arriving back at the edge of the forest, the enchanting Engelthal Monastery welcomes you. After it was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War, the complex was rebuilt in the late Baroque style. In the further course you will reach…
- 05:1011.6 mi2.2 mph1,225 ft850 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The sixth stage is hilly and promising and starts in Glauburg. On field and forest paths you hike initially to the so-called Steinknarre, where you are welcomed by a nice rest area with a view of Effolderbach. You enjoy the view and then follow the Bonifatius route to the wooded Bieberberg. The forest…
- 06:3914.7 mi2.2 mph1,725 ft975 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Many green passages, forests and valleys await you on the seventh stage. It starts in Hirzenhain, from where you hike over the wooded Saukopf to Glashütten. Through the wild and romantic valley meadows of the Nidder and the Hillersbach you reach the remains of the Marcellinus Chapel, also known as the…
- 04:139.90 mi2.3 mph275 ft875 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
At the beginning you will pass the impressive Teufelsmühle in Ilbeshausen, which has defied time here since 1691. Across the Black River you reach a wide meadow landscape and a conquered ridge later you are in Nösberts-Weidmoos. From there you follow the leisurely flowing Schwarza downstream to get to…
- 04:5911.2 mi2.2 mph950 ft1,050 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The last stage of the Bonifatius route is already beginning: From Hainzell, where you will find a Bonifatius statue, you follow a narrow road up to the hamlet of Ehrenstruth. Over a hill with a cross you hike down to the Hessenmühle - let yourself be pampered in the cozy inn before you continue to the…
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Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance115 mi
- Duration49:36 h
- Elevation7,350 ft6,800 ft
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