Silvesterlauf Hannover 2026: Maschsee loop, times, registration

On 31 December 2026, Hanover runs around the Maschsee lake for the 23rd time. What the 2025 results say about the pace of the field, what the €15 entry fee supports and where to collect your bib early.

Daniel Gruber · 4 October 2026 · 5 min read

Silvesterlauf Hannover 2026: Maschsee loop, times, registration

Once around the Maschsee lake, about 5.8 kilometres, starting at noon on the north shore by the Fackelträger statue: the Silvesterlauf Hannover – Hanover's New Year's Eve race – takes place for the 23rd time on Thursday, 31 December 2026 (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de). The organiser calls it a cult event, and at the finish there is tea, mulled wine and Krapfen, the German filled doughnuts (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de). The question many people ask before their first fun run can be answered here with real numbers: am I fast enough?

Am I fast enough? The 2025 results

We analysed the official results of the main race on 31 December 2025 (source: my.raceresult.com, Silvesterlauf Hannover 2025 results). 2,523 people finished with a ranking – 1,237 women, 1,283 men and three in the non-binary category. This is how the times were spread over the roughly 5.8 kilometres:

Share of the field Finish time (chip) roughly
fastest 10% under 26:53 4:38 min/km
half the field under 35:23 6:06 min/km
90% of the field under 42:04 7:15 min/km
last finisher 69:00 just under 12 min/km

The pace column is our own conversion to 5.8 kilometres. 538 people finished in under 30 minutes, 120 took longer than 45 minutes (source: my.raceresult.com, our analysis). At the front, René Menzel ran 18:23 and Johanna Ewert 20:22, both from Laufteam Niedersachsen.

What that means for you: if you can run 5 kilometres comfortably in just over half an hour, you will be right in the middle of the field. And if you are slower, you won't be alone at the back – in 2025 the range went beyond an hour. The organiser does not publish a time limit.

Run or walk

Ten minutes after the main race, at 12:10, walkers and Nordic walkers set off on the same loop (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info). That makes this an event a whole family or group can do together, even if not everyone runs. Fee and registration are the same for running and walking.

€15, of which €2 goes to charity

The entry fee for running and walking is €15, including timing and a €2 donation. The kids' races cost €3, all of which goes to the HAZ-Weihnachtshilfe (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, registration). The Christmas appeal of the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper has existed since 1975 and supports people in need in the Hanover region. According to the race website, applications are checked by the city's social services department, and administrative costs are not paid from donations (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, charity).

Registration: three dates to know

You register online via RaceResult; the link is on the Silvesterlauf Hannover registration page (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, registration).

Source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, registration and info. The organiser does not publish a participant limit.

Bib pickup: in the city centre beforehand or by the lake on the day

Race packs are not only available on race day. Pickup is on the first floor of the Rossmann store at Georgstraße 10 (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info):

A tip for race day: pick up your bib while Christmas shopping in the city centre. Then on the 31st you only need to get to the north shore, instead of queuing near the start between 10:00 and 11:45.

New Year's Eve on the north shore: the schedule

Time Race
10:00–11:45 Race-pack pickup on the north shore
11:15 Kids' race 600 m
11:30 Kids' race 1,500 m
12:00 Main race, approx. 5.8 km (born 2015 or earlier)
12:10 Walking and Nordic walking

Source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info. As of 3 October 2026.

Start and finish are on the north shore by the Fackelträger. Spectators are explicitly welcome (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de). If you come with children, the order is simple: the kids' races are over before the adults start. The main race is open to everyone born in 2015 or earlier (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info).

With your club, company or Lauftreff

The club column in the 2025 results shows how many people don't come alone: 729 main-race finishers entered a club, company or team. The biggest groups include sports clubs such as Hannover 96 and SV Aegir 09 Hannover, Lauftreffs (group runs) such as Hannover Runners, and company and trade-guild teams (source: my.raceresult.com, our analysis). The organiser does not list a team ranking – this is about running together, not about a league table.

If you are looking for a group to run the Maschsee loop with a few times before New Year's Eve, running in Hanover lists Lauftreffs with weekly meet-ups. All races in the city, from spring to the end of the year, are in the overview of running events in Hanover.

After the New Year's Eve race

For many, the loop around the Maschsee closes their running year; for some, it opens the next one. If you want to go longer in 2027, the Hanover Marathon is the big spring goal. And if you are not in Hanover for New Year's Eve: we also cover the Berlin New Year's Eve race, and the dates around Cologne and Düsseldorf are in New Year's Eve races in the Rhineland.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the Silvesterlauf Hannover 2026?
On Thursday, 31 December 2026. The main race starts at 12:00, walking at 12:10 and the kids' races at 11:15 and 11:30 (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info).
How long is the course?
The main race is one loop around the Maschsee, approx. 5.8 km. The kids' races are 600 m and 1,500 m (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info).
How much does it cost?
Running and walking cost €15 including timing and a €2 donation; kids' races cost €3. Late entry adds €5 (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, registration).
Can I still enter on New Year's Eve?
Online registration closes on 26 December 2026. After that, entry is only possible at race-pack pickup while places last – on 31 December from 10:00 to 11:45 on the north shore (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info and registration).
Am I fast enough as a beginner?
In 2025, half of the 2,523 ranked runners finished within 35:23, and the slowest time was 69 minutes (source: my.raceresult.com, our analysis). The organiser does not publish a time limit.
Where do I collect my bib?
At Rossmann, Georgstraße 10 (first floor) on 17, 18 and 30 December, or on race day from 10:00 on the north shore of the Maschsee (source: silvesterlauf-hannover.de, info).

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