AOK Firmenlauf Stuttgart 2027: a forest course on the Waldau

Six kilometres of forest, a start at the GAZi-Stadion in Degerloch and around 6,000 people on a Wednesday evening in July: what you need to know about the AOK Firmenlauf Stuttgart while the 2027 date is still pending.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 6 min read

AOK Firmenlauf Stuttgart 2027: a forest course on the Waldau

The AOK Firmenlauf Stuttgart (Firmenlauf = corporate run) is not a stadium event but an evening in the woods: start and finish are on the Waldau in Degerloch, and in between the course covers roughly six kilometres of forest paths towards Kleinhohenheim and back (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, course map 2026). The 19th edition on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, brought around 6,000 people to the start (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, news of 2 July 2026). The 2027 date has not been published yet (as of 3 October 2026), and registration for 2027 is "not yet possible" according to the organiser (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, registration).

How the AOK corporate runs in different cities relate to each other and who organises each one is explained in our AOK Firmenlauf overview. In Stuttgart, BW-Running runs the evening.

Don't mix them up: AOK on the Waldau, B2Run in Bad Cannstatt

Stuttgart has two large corporate runs within one week in July. In 2026 the B2Run took place on Tuesday, 7 July, around the MHP Arena in Bad Cannstatt, finishing inside the stadium after a lap of about five kilometres (source: b2run.de, Stuttgart). The AOK Firmenlauf took place six days earlier up on the Filder plateau, starting at the GAZi-Stadion on the Waldau with a course through the forest (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). For the stadium race, see our page on the B2Run Stuttgart.

What applied in 2026

Item 2026 edition
Date Wednesday, 1 July 2026, start 6:30 pm
Venue GAZi-Stadion on the Waldau, Guts-Muths-Weg 4, 70597 Stuttgart-Degerloch
Course approx. 6.0 km according to the course map (the FAQ says 5 km)
Participants around 6,000
Teams 4 people each, men's, women's and mixed categories
Special category "Wieselflinke Azubis" (fastest apprentices)
Getting there VVS public transport ticket included, U7, U8, U15 to Ruhbank or Waldau
Minimum age 16
2027 date not published yet (as of 3 October 2026)

Sources: stuttgart.bw-running.de (home page, information/FAQ, course map 2026, registration, news). The organiser does not list an entry fee on its public pages.

The course: six kilometres of forest on the Filder plateau

The 2026 course map shows a loop that runs almost entirely through woodland. From the start at the GAZi-Stadion it passes the Waldau sports grounds heading south, along the Ruhbank side to the first kilometre marker. The course then turns west via Mörikeweg and follows Schlossweg to the edge of Kleinhohenheim, where the three-kilometre marker sits. Via Lauchweg it heads back north through the Oberer Wald and Hospitalwald forests, and after kilometre five the field returns to the Waldau, where the finish is near the sports centre (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, course map 2026).

The organiser's pages disagree on the distance: the FAQ says 5 km, the 2026 course map says "approx. 6.0 km" (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information and course map 2026). Plan for six. The map also lists passing times: the leaders were expected at the finish around 6:48 pm, the back of the field around 7:40 pm (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, course map 2026). That shows how wide the range of paces is. Walking is explicitly allowed; walkers and Nordic walkers are asked to line up at the back (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information).

What this means for you: forest paths run differently from tarmac. The surface is softer, turns are tighter, and on narrower stretches a field of 6,000 bunches up faster than on a main road. If you are chasing a time, line up near the front and treat the first kilometre as a warm-up. If you just want to finish, the back of the field is more relaxed.

Teams of four and the apprentice ranking

Teams of four are ranked, split into men's, women's and mixed teams. A mixed team may include at most two people from the same category (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). Individual entries are possible, but there is explicitly no age-group ranking and no award ceremony for individuals (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). In Stuttgart it is all about the team.

One feature of the evening is the "Wieselflinke Azubis" ranking: the three fastest female, male and TIN* apprentices are honoured (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, news of 22 June 2026). For companies that train apprentices, that is a good reason to bring new starters along in their first summer. The award ceremony happens on stage after the race; the DJ programme starts at 5 pm, followed by a warm-up before the start (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information).

Registration goes through the company: first one person registers the firm as team captain; login details from previous years no longer work (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). How team registration for the AOK corporate runs works in general is covered in the overview.

After-work training in Stuttgart: six kilometres by July

A corporate run in July is the ideal first race for a team in which not everyone runs. Count back from race day: if you want to run six kilometres without stopping in July, start in April with two or three short sessions a week alternating running and walking, and extend the running parts week by week. From June, run the full distance once a week.

Stuttgart teams have an advantage here: the course is in the forest on the Filder plateau, and that is exactly where after-work training works well. If you work on the Waldau or in Degerloch, you can run the paths around the Oberer Wald straight after work and will know them on race day. Everyone else: choose forest ground over tarmac where you can, and do at least one session a week at the same time as the 6:30 pm start so your body gets used to the evening slot. If your team does not want to train alone, you will find regular Lauftreffs (group runs) and run clubs under running in Stuttgart.

A word on heat: in early July it can still be warm at 6:30 pm. In 2026 the organiser reported summer weather with perfect running conditions (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, news of 2 July 2026), but nobody can count on that. Drink throughout the day, have your last bigger meal in the early afternoon, and run in warm conditions a few times in June so race day is not your first warm session.

Getting there: take the Stadtbahn up to the Waldau

According to the organiser there are "only very few" parking spaces on the Waldau (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). Registered runners receive a VVS ticket for free travel by bus and train; Stadtbahn lines U7, U8 and U15 stop at Ruhbank or Waldau (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information and home page). Prams, baby joggers and handcarts are not allowed on the course (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information).

Every finisher receives a medal, and catering is by Rauschenberger (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information). In 2026 people celebrated in front of the stage well into the evening, with around 150 volunteers on duty (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, news of 2 July 2026). Company meeting points on site were already fully booked for 2026 (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information) – if you want a stand in 2027, ask early.

What else Stuttgart has

If the corporate run leaves you wanting more: we cover the Stuttgart-Lauf on its own page, and all other races in the region are listed in the annual overview of running events in Stuttgart. For a different corporate run in the south-west, see the BAUHAUS Firmenlauf Mannheim.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the AOK Firmenlauf Stuttgart 2027?
The 2027 date has not been published yet (as of 3 October 2026), and registration is not open. For reference: the 19th edition took place on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, at 6:30 pm (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de).
How long is the course?
The 2026 course map says approx. 6.0 km, while the organiser's FAQ page says 5 km. Plan for around six kilometres, mostly on forest paths between the Waldau and Kleinhohenheim (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, course map 2026 and information).
How is it different from the B2Run Stuttgart?
The B2Run is a separate corporate run by a different organiser. In 2026 it took place on 7 July around the MHP Arena in Bad Cannstatt, finishing inside the stadium. The AOK Firmenlauf starts on the Waldau in Degerloch and runs through the forest (sources: b2run.de, stuttgart.bw-running.de).
How do I get to the start?
By Stadtbahn: U7, U8 and U15 to Ruhbank or Waldau. Registered runners receive a VVS ticket for free travel, and there are only very few parking spaces (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information).
Can I walk?
Yes. Walkers and Nordic walkers are welcome and should line up at the back. Prams, baby joggers and handcarts are not allowed. The minimum age is 16 (source: stuttgart.bw-running.de, information).

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