New Year's Eve runs 2026 in Cologne, Düsseldorf and nearby

On 31 December 2026, the Rhineland has at least four New Year's Eve races with a confirmed date, from the 50th edition in Cologne's Merheimer Heide to a first edition on a Düsseldorf racecourse. Here are start times, fees and deadlines.

Chris Mühlnickel · 4 October 2026 · 9 min read

New Year's Eve runs 2026 in Cologne, Düsseldorf and nearby

New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday, and the Rhineland has at least four races with a confirmed date that morning: the 50th Kölner GAG-Silvesterlauf in Cologne's Merheimer Heide, the first SilvesterCrosslauf on the Grafenberg racecourse in Düsseldorf, the 12th Silvesterlauf Neuss on the Rhine at Uedesheim, and the 55th Forstwalder Silvesterlauf in Krefeld. If you don't mind a drive, Gummersbach has a cross-country race with 67 years of history. (Silvester is German for New Year's Eve, and a Silvesterlauf is a New Year's Eve run.) Below are all editions confirmed by their organizers for 2026, with start times, fees and deadlines. As of 3 October 2026.

All New Year's Eve races 2026 at a glance

Event Location Distances First start Adult fee
50th Kölner GAG-Silvesterlauf Cologne, Merheimer Heide 950 m (kids), 5 km, 10 km, 10 km relay 10:50 €15, relay €25
SilvesterCrosslauf Düsseldorf (first edition) Düsseldorf, Grafenberg racecourse 1,850 / 3,700 / 5,550 / 7,400 m, kids' race 11:00 €18 to €35
12th Silvesterlauf Neuss Neuss-Uedesheim, Rhine dyke 10 km 12:00 €20, from 1 Nov €25
55th Forstwalder Silvesterlauf Krefeld, Forstwaldschule 4.1 and 8.1 km according to a race calendar 10:30 not published
67th Gummersbacher Silvestercrosslauf Gummersbach, Lochwiese stadium 1.5 km, 5 km, 10.5 km 10:45 €12

Sources: tuskoeln.de (Silvesterlauf), silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site, silvesterlauf-neuss.de (2026 race regulations), djk-vfl-forstwald.de, laufen-in-koeln.de (December 2026 race calendar), lg-gm.de. You can also find every date on our pages for races in Cologne and races in Düsseldorf.

Cologne: the 50th GAG-Silvesterlauf in the Merheimer Heide

TuS Köln rrh.'s New Year's Eve race reaches its 50th edition in 2026 (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf). It runs through the car-free Merheimer Heide park on a course the club describes as flat and fast, DLV-certified, officially measured and eligible for ranking lists. The 10 km covers three big laps of 3.333 km, the 5 km two shorter laps of 2.5 km. Each lap passes through the stadium, where the finish is on the track (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf).

The schedule is sorted by pace: a 950 m kids' race at 10:50, the 5 km at 11:10. The 10 km starts in two waves: at 12:00 for everyone aiming to finish under 51 minutes, at 13:00 for everyone else. The relays go off with the second 10 km wave (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf). The relay is the best format for a running group: each person runs one big lap, handovers happen in the stadium, and the bib on a race belt serves as the baton.

Adults pay €15 for 5 or 10 km, youths €10, a relay team €25 and the kids' race €6. Online entry closes on 27 December at midnight; on race day you can still enter up to 45 minutes before your start for an extra €7 (kids' race €2) (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf). Note that fees are not refunded, not even with a doctor's note, but you can name a replacement runner through the change portal. Running buggies and dogs are not allowed. Every finisher gets a fresh New Year's pretzel (Neujahrsbrezel) while stocks last (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf). The course records are held by Konstanze Klosterhalfen with 31:10 (2021) and Jonathan Dahlke with 29:47 (2025).

Düsseldorf: a first edition on the racecourse

New this year is the SilvesterCrosslauf on the Düsseldorf-Grafenberg horse-racing track. The organizer, Winschermann GmbH from Düsseldorf according to the legal notice, explicitly announces it as a first edition on 31 December 2026 (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site). The loop runs through the green of the Grafenberg forest, entirely on grass and without obstacles. Depending on the weather, the ground will be more or less demanding, the organizer says.

You choose between one and four laps of 1,850 m, and each distance has its own start time (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site):

Late entries cost a flat €45 and are limited; the organizer says start times may still change. A kids' race for €9 takes place before the main races (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site). Entries go through Frielingsdorf Datenservice. Because prices rise with the number of entries rather than by date, deciding early pays off. And since it's all grass, a shoe with some grip beats a smooth road shoe on wet turf.

Neuss: ten kilometres by the Rhine

The Silvesterlauf Neuss holds its twelfth edition in 2026. Run by ID4Sports GmbH, it is a 10 km loop through the Uedesheim Rhine meadows, officially measured and eligible for ranking lists. The start is on the dyke at Deichstraße 16, the finish under the Deichtor gate, and the gun goes at 12:00 (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de, 2026 race regulations). Anyone born in 2012 or earlier can take part. The race slogan, "Ballern statt Böllern", plays on the German New Year's habit of setting off fireworks: go hard on the course instead.

Entering early pays off twice here: the fee is €20 until 31 October and €25 from 1 November. Enter by 20 December and your bib will be printed with your first name. Online entry is open until 30 December; on race day you can still enter on site from 10:30 until 15 minutes before the start for an extra €5, as long as the field isn't full (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de, 2026 race regulations). Every finisher gets a medal, and there is water and soft drinks at the finish. There are no changing rooms or showers.

Uedesheim is a village with little parking. The organizer recommends bus 851 from Neuss main station, which runs every half hour even on New Year's Eve to the Neuss Deichstr. stop, and asks drivers to share cars (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de, 2026 race regulations). For a running group from Düsseldorf, that's a good reason to travel together. The race also collects donations through its "Aktion Luftballon" balloon campaign (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de).

Krefeld: the 55th Forstwalder Silvesterlauf

DJK VfL Forstwald holds its New Year's Eve race for the 55th time on Thursday, 31 December 2026. Races start at 10:30 at the Forstwaldschule, and entry is via RaceResult only. Everyone gets a certificate, the top three in each age group are honoured, and there are hot and cold drinks and small snacks on site (source: djk-vfl-forstwald.de). The club does not list fees or distances on its website. The laufen-in-koeln.de race calendar lists 4.1 and 8.1 km (source: laufen-in-koeln.de, December 2026 race calendar). Check the entry page on RaceResult before you plan.

A little further: the Gummersbach cross-country race

If you'd rather have forest than tarmac under your feet on New Year's Eve, head to Gummersbach. LG Gummersbach invites runners to the 67th edition of its Silvestercrosslauf at the Lochwiese stadium and calls it one of the oldest and toughest New Year's Eve races in Germany (source: lg-gm.de). The 1.5 km kids' and youth race starts at 10:45, the 5 km at 11:00 and the 10.5 km at 11:10. The longer courses use forest trails with cross-country sections and short stretches of tarmac, and the organizer recommends cross-country shoes. Adults pay €12, or €15 if they enter on 30 or 31 December. Entry is online only via RaceResult, up to 15 minutes before the start; there is no cash payment on race day (source: lg-gm.de). More events from the area are listed on our page for races in the Bergisches Land.

What about Bonn?

The Bonner Silvesterlauf on the Rhine promenade has not yet announced its 2026 edition. As of 3 October 2026, the organizer's page still shows the details for 31 December 2025: 5 and 10 km, a 400 m kids' race and a cap of 1,750 places (source: laufladen-bonn.de, Silvesterlauf). If you want to race in Bonn, keep an eye on that page and on our list of races in Bonn.

New Year's Eve as a schedule

A New Year's Eve race isn't like any other. It sits in the middle of a day when you still need to shop, cook and celebrate in the evening. The Rhineland start times fit that: everything begins in the morning, and you're home by early afternoon at the latest.

For families, Cologne with its kids' race, Düsseldorf with its kids' race and Gummersbach with its 1.5 km are the best fits. In Neuss, only runners born in 2012 or earlier can start.

Three things make the day easier. First, deadlines: Neuss gets more expensive on 1 November, personalised bibs are available until 20 December, and Cologne's online entry closes on 27 December. Second, the cold: allow time for bib pick-up (in Cologne from 9:45 at the entry office, in Neuss from 10:30), but don't stand freezing in the start pen for half an hour. An old jacket you wear until just before the gun helps. Third, afterwards: pack dry clothes, especially for Neuss, where there are no changing rooms. How to dress for cold runs is covered in our article on running in winter.

And costumes? None of the organizers sets rules. A glittery hat or a party-coloured headband won't bother anyone as long as your bib is visible on your chest. If you're chasing a personal best, start with Cologne's 12:00 wave; everyone else has more room at 13:00.

Into the new year with your running group

For many running groups, a New Year's Eve race is the fixed end to the year: travel together, run together, toast afterwards. Cologne's relay with three laps of 3.333 km is made for this, and on the racecourse everyone can pick their own number of laps while still being there at the same time. You can find a group to get you through December on our pages for running groups in Cologne and running groups (Lauftreffs) in Düsseldorf.

If you want to warm up in December, see our overview of St Nicholas and Christmas runs in the Rhineland. And if you want to keep going on 1 January, the dates are in our guide to New Year's runs 2027.

New Year's Eve elsewhere

Not in the Rhineland over the holidays? Other cities have their own New Year's Eve traditions too. We cover the biggest in separate articles: the Berliner Silvesterlauf, the MRRC Silvesterlauf in Munich, the Spiridon Silvesterlauf in Frankfurt and the Silvesterlauf Hannover.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Which New Year's Eve runs are there in Cologne in 2026?
The 50th Kölner GAG-Silvesterlauf by TuS Köln rrh. takes place on 31 December 2026 in the Merheimer Heide, with a 950 m kids' race, 5 km, 10 km and a 10 km relay. The first start is at 10:50 (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf).
Is there a New Year's Eve run in Düsseldorf in 2026?
Yes, for the first time: the SilvesterCrosslauf on the Grafenberg racecourse on 31 December 2026. You run one to four laps of 1,850 m on grass, and the first wave starts at 11:00 (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site).
When does entry close?
In Cologne online until 27 December, on race day up to 45 minutes before the start for an extra €7 (source: tuskoeln.de). In Neuss online until 30 December, on site up to 15 minutes before the start for an extra €5 (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de, 2026 race regulations). In Düsseldorf, late entries cost €45 and are limited (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site).
Which New Year's Eve runs suit children?
Cologne has a 950 m kids' race at 10:50 for €6 (source: tuskoeln.de), Düsseldorf a kids' race for €9 before the main races (source: silvestercrosslauf.my.canva.site) and Gummersbach a 1.5 km kids' and youth race at 10:45 (source: lg-gm.de). In Neuss, only runners born in 2012 or earlier can start (source: silvesterlauf-neuss.de).
Can my running group enter as a relay?
Yes, at the Kölner GAG-Silvesterlauf. Each person runs one big lap of 3.333 km, handovers are in the stadium, and relays start at 13:00. A relay team costs €25 (source: tuskoeln.de, Silvesterlauf).
Will the Bonner Silvesterlauf take place in 2026?
The organizer hasn't announced it yet. As of 3 October 2026, its page only shows the 31 December 2025 edition with 5 and 10 km and a cap of 1,750 places (source: laufladen-bonn.de, Silvesterlauf).

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