Walking is the default in the Valley of Mines, and for a long stretch of the game it is the only option. The Colony has no quest markers, no minimap, and no instant travel map waiting for you in the first hour. Fast travel exists, but it is gated behind story progress and tied to a single mechanic worth prioritizing as soon as it becomes available.
Quick answer: Fast travel in Gothic 1 Remake works through teleport runes. The first one is the Swamp Camp teleport rune, handed to you by Cor Angar at the start of Chapter 3 after you finish the Orc Cemetery mission at the end of Chapter 2.
How teleport runes unlock fast travel in Gothic 1 Remake
Teleport runes are the backbone of long-distance travel. Each rune is tied to a specific destination you have already visited, and casting it sends you straight there. You collect more of them as the main story advances, so your fast travel network grows alongside the plot rather than all at once.
The first rune you earn covers the Swamp Camp. Cor Angar gives it to you at the beginning of Chapter 3, and the only requirement is completing the main objective in the Orc Cemetery that closes out Chapter 2. From that point on, you can return to the Swamp Camp from anywhere without retracing the route on foot.
The New Camp teleport rune comes next, granted by the Water Mages under Saturas. Like the Swamp Camp rune, it is earned through story progression rather than purchased outright, so there is no shortcut around the main quests that lead to it.
How to use a teleport rune
Runes behave exactly like castable spells, so using one takes only a few inputs once you have it in your inventory.
Step 1: Open your inventory and equip the teleport rune you want to use. It sits alongside your other magic items rather than in a separate travel menu.
Step 2: Select the rune in your active spell slot. This readies it for casting the same way you would prepare any combat or utility spell.
Step 3: Cast it. Your character channels the spell and warps directly to the linked camp. The mana cost is low enough that keeping a rune ready at all times is practical, even on a melee-focused build.
You know it worked when the world reloads at the destination camp and your character appears at that location. If nothing happens, confirm the rune is actually equipped and selected in your spell slot, and check that you have enough mana to complete the cast.
Mounts and other ways to cover ground
Before the teleport runes come online, a mount is the main way to speed up overland travel. It cuts down the time spent crossing the same paths between camps, which matters in a world built around hand-walking every route. A mount does not replace teleportation, but it eases the early-game grind before Chapter 3 opens up rune-based travel.
Because the game leans on landmarks instead of a minimap, buying a map early is worth doing regardless of how you travel. It gives you a reference for the Colony's layout so you can plan routes and recognize where each teleport destination sits.
The short version is that fast travel rewards patience. You spend the opening chapters on foot, pick up a mount to take the edge off, and then the teleport runes turn the Valley of Mines into a network you can cross in seconds. Keep a rune equipped once Chapter 3 begins, and the long treks between the Old Camp, New Camp, and Swamp Camp stop being a chore.