Discover the most spectacular New Year's Eve runs in Germany and Europe! Our running calendar for 2025 will help you find the ultimate end-of-year event - save your highlights directly to your watch list.
On 31 December 2025, the last day of the year, there are traditionally numerous events that offer you the opportunity to bring the old year to a sporty close and start the new year fully motivated.
New Year's Eve runs are now so widespread and popular that running enthusiasts all over the world - even in Alaska - come out to burn off energy for the last time of the year.
All runs that take place between Christmas and the first weekend in January are known as New Year's Eve runs. Sometimes they are also called New Year's runs, but this is actually only the case for events that take place in January.
A run like this in the middle of winter has a very special charm and in Germany it can happen that you run along a snow-covered route.
A New Year's Eve run is the ideal opportunity to realise your good intentions to go running more or to get more exercise in general. You don't need to worry that you haven't trained yet and certainly can't take part in a competition. These runs are all about having fun and often offer different distances so that there is something for everyone - even beginners.
In Germany, no fewer than 100 New Year's Eve runs take place every year with a total of around 100,000 runners taking part. There are so many running events on the smallest other day of the year and there is an event like this in almost every major city.
The very first New Year's Eve run took place in Brazil. The first 70 motivated runners took to the starting line in São Paulo in 1925 at the ‘Corrida Internacional de São Silvestre’. The starting shot is always fired 10 minutes before midnight and the athletes welcome in the New Year with a breathtaking atmosphere of running and sport. The event is a real party and the atmosphere is similar to the famous carnival. There are 15 kilometres to complete in temperatures of around 30°C. Around 17,000 participants now take part every year and this New Year's Eve run is one of the most famous in the world.
The São Paulo of Europe is Bolzano in South Tyrol, northern Italy. World and European champions as well as numerous other professional runners meet there on 31 December to end the year on a sporting note. The event starts in the late afternoon and the 10 km course takes the runners through the centre of the city and the typically narrow Italian alleyways. This event is regarded as the world's best-attended run, with numerous professional athletes taking part.
But the New Year's Eve run in Madrid is also impressive. 18,000 runners take part in this 10-km race, making it the largest running event in the world on this day.
Another special New Year's Eve run is the one in Egypt. This takes place on the Sinai Peninsula and distances ranging from 5 kilometres to a marathon can be completed at the foot of Mount Moses.
The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in New York is an absolute New Year's Eve highlight - of course, such an event is a must in the Big Apple. 4,000 runners meet in Central Park to cover a distance of 4 miles (6.44 km). The start is shortly before the turn of the year at 11.59 pm and the runners are accompanied by fireworks. The race is a gigantic party, with DJs playing at the edge of the course and thousands of spectators cheering on the runners and celebrating the New Year.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland also have spectacular New Year's Eve runs on offer on 31 December 2025. We therefore take a closer look at the 5 most popular and best-known ones.
One of the biggest events in Germany is the New Year's Eve run from Werl to Soest. It has been taking place since 1982, making it one of the oldest runs. Around 15,000 participants run the 15 km route from Werl to Soest every year. The main road between the two towns is completely closed for the runners. The event is primarily aimed at recreational athletes and amateur runners. For those who are not quite so fit, a 5-km run is also offered so that everyone can take part in this event. You will be back home in time for the big party in the evening, as the race starts in the late afternoon.
Another of the oldest New Year's Eve runs is the Berlin New Year's Eve Run, which has been taking place every year since 1978. You can choose between two distances that show you the most beautiful sides of the capital. The 6.3 km route has its highest point on the Teufelsberg, while the 9.9 km route takes you up the Drachenfliegerberg. Both routes offer great views of the Berlin skyline. The start and finish are at Mommsenstadtion and the race starts at midday. Pancakes, mulled wine and sparkling wine await you at the finish to round off the run in style.
The counterpart to the New Year's Eve Run is the 4 km Berlin New Year's Run, which starts on 1 January at 12 noon at Pariser Platz at the Brandenburg Gate.
The German São Paulo of New Year's Eve runs is in Trier. The Trier New Year's Eve run offers a unique atmosphere and the runners complete a 1 km circuit through the city centre 5 times, the runners 8 times. The short circuit leads past sights such as St George's Fountain, the Constantine Basilica and the market fountain. This race has been organised for 28 years now and attracts numerous runners.
There are also great New Year's Eve runs in Switzerland, such as the New Year's Eve run in Zurich. This has been taking place for 43 years now on the 2nd and 3rd Advent. The running scenery is wonderful, as the start is in the late afternoon and the route takes you through the beautifully illuminated old town. You can choose between 5.5, 6.3 and 8.5 kilometres. Another highlight is the mother-child or father-child run, where you can run the 1.5 km course together with your little one.
A run in Austria should of course not be missing from our list of the top 5 New Year's Eve runs and the New Year's Eve run in Vienna is one of the most beautiful runs in Europe. The 5.4 km circuit on Vienna's Ringstrasse will take you past the State Opera, various museums, the Hofburg, the Parliament and the Burgtheater. Many of the participants are in costume, making the running event a particularly fun experience for runners and spectators alike. The race starts in the morning so that you have enough time to catch your breath before the big New Year's Eve party in the evening.
If you want to say goodbye to the year in a sporty way, then choose a suitable New Year's Eve run from our list now.
Start the new year fully motivated and start implementing your good resolutions such as ‘do more sport’, ‘exercise more’, ‘go running more’, ‘live healthier’ or ‘lose weight’.
If you have already taken part in a New Year's Eve run, please rate your New Year's Eve run to help other running enthusiasts choose the right New Year's Eve run to round off the running season for 2025.
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