The Types of Running Groups in Germany: Lauftreff, Run Club, Laufverein & parkrun

Lauftreff, run club, Laufverein or parkrun: in Germany there are many ways to run together. What sets them apart – and which one fits you.

Chris Mühlnickel · 7 July 2026 · 6 min read

The Types of Running Groups in Germany: Lauftreff, Run Club, Laufverein & parkrun

Whether along the Rhine, through a city park or right across downtown, running together is having a moment. Around 22.8 million people in Germany jog at least occasionally (AWA 2023), and more and more of them do it in a group rather than alone. But not every running group is the same. From the open Lauftreff to the social run club to the registered running club, the formats differ widely in cost, commitment and goals. This overview explains the four main types, covers the niche formats and helps you find the one that fits.

What is a running group?

"Laufgruppe" (running group) is the umbrella term for any group of people who meet regularly to run together. Behind it sit very different setups: sometimes a loose, free meetup with no sign-up, sometimes a highly structured club with coaches and a competition team. The four most common formats in Germany are the Lauftreff, the run club, the Laufverein (registered running club) and parkrun, plus a few niche formats around stores, brands and universities. The key difference almost always comes down to three questions: what does it cost, how binding is it, and how competitive is the running?

The Lauftreff – open, free, for everyone

The Lauftreff is the classic, lowest-barrier format: an open group of recreational runners who meet at fixed times, usually weekly, often organised by a club, a city, a running store or the German Athletics Association (DLV). You need no membership and no registration: you simply show up at the meeting point and run along. Taking part is almost always free; the roughly 3,600 Lauf-TREFFs registered with the DLV always are (DLV).

They typically run in several pace groups with a guide, and the pace follows the slowest runners, which makes them ideal for beginners. A session usually lasts about an hour. The idea isn't new, either: the first Lauftreffs grew out of Germany's 1970s fitness movement, founded in 1974 in cities including Dortmund, Solingen and Darmstadt (Wikipedia).

Who it's for: anyone who wants company without commitment or cost, especially beginners.

The run club – community, social, lifestyle

The run club (or "running crew") is the modern, community-first evolution of the Lauftreff. It's usually free and membership-free, but often organised via Instagram, and it appeals mainly to a younger, urban crowd. The twist: the social side is part of the deal. After the run there's often coffee, sometimes a DJ or a shared breakfast, and the run is as much about meeting people as about training (hessenschau).

The idea dates back to the early 2000s (Bridge Runners, New York 2004; Run Dem Crew, London 2006) and is booming worldwide right now: according to Strava, run-club participation grew 59 percent in 2024 (Strava). In Germany the spectrum runs from brand-led communities like adidas Runners to local crews like the Cologne Running Crew.

Who it's for: anyone after the social side – new people, a steady community, an easy pace rather than competition.

The Laufverein – structure, training, competition

The Laufverein, a registered running club (e.V.), is the most formal format: you join it for a membership fee. In return you get fixed training groups, often licensed coaches and a long-term structure. The fees fund coaches and facilities such as a track or hall (Runner's World); how high they are depends heavily on the club.

The decisive point: to enter official competitions you need a "Startrecht" (competition licence), and that normally requires club membership. Many clubs are organised through a Leichtathletik-Gemeinschaft (LG) – a merger of several clubs into a joint training and competition community. The umbrella body is the DLV, with around 7,350 clubs and over 775,000 members (2023).

Who it's for: anyone who wants to train seriously and with structure, race in competitions or stay involved for the long term.

parkrun – the free 5 km run on Saturdays

parkrun is a format of its own: not a club and not a race, but a free, volunteer-run 5-kilometre event held every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. around the world. You register once for free, get a personal barcode, and can use it to run and get timed at any parkrun on the planet (parkrun).

parkrun was founded in 2004 in Bushy Park, London, and came to Germany on 2 December 2017. Today there are around 65 locations in the country (parkrun, as of July 2025), including the Aachener Weiher and Rheinpark in Cologne and the Volksgarten in Düsseldorf.

Who it's for: all levels – ideal if you want a fixed weekly routine and an eye on your 5 km time, without committing to a club.

Niche formats: store, brand and university running groups

Alongside the four main types there are smaller variants:

Compared: which running group fits you?

Type Cost Membership Sign-up Focus Ideal for
Lauftreff usually free none just show up running together beginners, all levels
Run club / crew free none show up (often via Instagram) community & social young, urban runners
Laufverein membership fee yes (e.V.) join the club training & competition ambitious runners
parkrun free one-time registration online, then Saturdays weekly 5 km with a time timing & routine

As a rule of thumb: if you're just starting out, a Lauftreff, a run club or parkrun is your best bet – open, free and barrier-free. If you're mainly after connection and community, a run club is the way to go. And if you want to train with structure or race, the Laufverein is where you'll land.

Find your running group

In the end, one thing matters most: that you get out and run – the rest follows. With We Up you can discover Lauftreffs, run clubs and events in your city. Browse the overview of all running groups or head straight to the city pages for Cologne and Düsseldorf.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a Lauftreff and a Laufverein?
A Lauftreff is an open, usually free running meetup – you just show up, with no membership. A Laufverein is a registered running club with a membership fee, fixed training groups and a focus on competition; membership is the prerequisite for the "Startrecht", the licence you need to enter official races.
What is a run club?
A run club (or running crew) is a modern, community-focused running group – usually free, membership-free and often organised via Instagram. The social side is part of it: after the run, the group often heads for a coffee. Run clubs appeal above all to younger, urban runners.
Does a Lauftreff cost money?
Usually not. Lauftreffs – including the roughly 3,600 organised by the German Athletics Association (DLV) – are mostly free, with no registration and no membership required. You only pay once you join a club.
Which running group is best for beginners?
The easiest start is a Lauftreff, a run club or parkrun. All three are open, free and need no sign-up – and there's nearly always a slower group where you can run at your own pace.
What is parkrun?
parkrun is a free, weekly 5 km run held worldwide every Saturday morning at 9 a.m., organised by volunteers. You register once for free, get a barcode and can use it at any parkrun in the world. Germany has around 65 parkrun locations (as of July 2025), including the Aachener Weiher in Cologne and the Volksgarten in Düsseldorf.
How do I find a running group near me?
With We Up you can find Lauftreffs, run clubs and events in your city. The overview (we-up.club/explore) and the city pages for Cologne and Düsseldorf show which groups run near you.

Keep reading