Kölner Silvesterlauf 2026

The Kölner Silvesterlauf is Cologne’s New Year’s Eve running event held in Merheimer Heide. It features competitive 10 km and 5 km races, a short student run, and team relays. The event is organized by TuS Köln rrh. 1874 e.V., catering to club runners aiming for fast times and recreational runners seeking a final run before the year concludes. The course is a traffic-free, officially measured loop within the park, offering flat terrain conducive to fast racing and age-group rankings. The 10 km race consists of repeated laps, while the 5 km utilizes a flat park loop. The finish directs runners onto the athletics track after commencing outside the stadium gates. Families and friends can participate via the relay format, and all finishers receive a New Year’s pretzel, a small detail characteristic of Cologne that contributes to the race’s end-of-year atmosphere.