Updated October 2026. Dates are for the 2026 season.
Short answer: The biggest Krampus runs in Austria in 2026: Igls on Sun 29 Nov, Innsbruck’s Christmas markets on 3 and 4 Dec, Seefeld on Fri 4 Dec at 18:00, Salzburg’s cathedral square on Sat 5 Dec (around 19:00), Kundl on 5 Dec, Rattenberg on 6 Dec and Linz on Mon 7 Dec at 17:30. Most are free to watch.
Living on the Tyrol border, we’re right in Krampus country. Every year in early December, the villages on both sides of the border fill with bells, fur and carved wooden masks, and it’s one of the most talked-about traditions with visitors. It can also be a lot for little kids! Here are the confirmed dates for 2026, what actually happens at a Krampus run, and how to enjoy one with children.
Main dates
29 Nov – 7 Dec 2026
Krampus Day
Sat 5 Dec
St. Nikolaus Day
Sun 6 Dec
Salzburg run
Sat 5 Dec, about 19:00
Seefeld
Fri 4 Dec, 18:00
Entry
usually free (some have paid areas)
What is a Krampus run?
In the Alpine tradition, St. Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) visits children around his feast day on 6 December, and the Krampus is his wild companion: a horned figure in a fur costume, with a carved wooden mask and heavy bells, who is said to scare the naughty kids while Nikolaus rewards the good ones. A Krampuslauf (Krampus run) is a parade of local Krampus groups through a town or a Christmas market, usually after dark, with lots of noise, smoke and firelight.
Perchten are related figures. Tyrol’s tourist board explains the difference: the Krampus is the wild companion of Nikolaus, while the Perchten probably go back to the Alpine legend of “Perchta”, usually wear costumes of bark or straw rather than fur, and use their bells to drive away the evil spirits of winter. Perchten runs often happen later in December and around the Rauhnächte, the old “rough nights” around the turn of the year.
Krampus runs in Austria 2026 at a glance
| Date (2026) | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 29 Nov | Igls (Innsbruck) | Nikolaus with small gifts for kids, then the Krampus run led by the “Obertuifl” (head devil) |
| Thu 3 – Fri 4 Dec | Innsbruck | Krampus and Perchten runs at the Christmas markets, plus St. Nikolaus arriving with small gifts for kids |
| Thu 3 – Sun 6 Dec | Lienz (East Tyrol) | Krampus runs in Lienz and nearby villages, and Nikolaus visits with surprises for little ones |
| Fri 4 Dec, 18:00 | Seefeld | One of Tyrol’s biggest Krampus events, with 30 groups from across the Alps, in the village center |
| Sat 5 Dec, about 19:00 | Salzburg | Krampus run at the Christkindlmarkt, with a big stage on Domplatz |
| Sat 5 Dec | Kundl (Tyrol) | Nikolaus arrives in the village center, then Perchten and Krampus groups parade through the village |
| Sun 6 Dec, 15:30 | Salzburg | Nikolo and the Kinderkrampus (a kids’ Krampus walk) at the Christkindlmarkt |
| Sun 6 Dec, 17:00 | Klagenfurt | Nikolo and the Krampus visit the Christmas market on Neuer Platz |
| Sun 6 Dec | Rattenberg (Tyrol) | A traditional Perchten run with heavy costumes, drums made from fuel tanks and a witches’ dance around an open fire |
| Mon 7 Dec, 17:30 | Linz | Linz Krampus run at the Stiegl-Klosterhof winter market |
| Mon 21 Dec, 19:00 | Salzburg | Perchten run on the first Rauhnacht, with a big stage on Domplatz |
Start times are as published by the organizers in October 2026. Where no time is given, it wasn’t published yet when I checked, so look at the town’s site the week before.
Salzburg: the big one on the cathedral square
Salzburg’s Christkindlmarkt holds three of the season’s highlights. The Krampus run on Saturday 5 December starts around 19:00, with a big stage on Domplatz. On Sunday 6 December at 15:30, Nikolo and the Kinderkrampus walk through the market, a gentler version for kids, and at 16:00 the Salzburg Christ Child arrives and is welcomed by Nikolaus. Then on Monday 21 December at 19:00, the Perchten run marks the first Rauhnacht.
Getting there from Bavaria: the Meridian regional train runs hourly from Munich via Rosenheim to Salzburg Hbf, and the Bayern-Ticket is valid all the way there. If you’re going for the evening run, check the late trains back before you go.
More on the market itself: Salzburg Christmas market 2026.
Innsbruck and Igls
In Innsbruck, the Krampus and Perchten runs happen at the Christmas markets on 3 and 4 December, and St. Nikolaus arrives with small gifts for the kids. That makes it easy to combine with a market evening in the old town. Up in Igls, on the hill above the city, the run is on Sunday 29 November: Nikolaus brings a Christmas message and little presents for the kids, and then the Krampus run follows, led by the Obertuifl.
Planning the markets too? See Innsbruck Christmas markets 2026.
Seefeld: one of the biggest in Tyrol
Friday 4 December, 18:00, village center. Seefeld’s Krampustreiben is one of the largest Krampus events in Tyrol, with around 30 groups from across the Alpine region, and it’s on the traditional side. Seefeld also has a Christmas market of log-cabin huts in its pedestrian zone (daily 14:00–21:00 from 20 November), so you can make an evening of it.
Rattenberg and Kundl: village traditions
These two are in the Tyrolean lowlands, not far from us. In Kundl on 5 December, Nikolaus arrives in the village center first, and then the Perchten and Krampus groups parade loudly through the village. Rattenberg on 6 December is known for a traditional Perchten run: heavy costumes, artfully carved masks, drums made from old fuel tanks and a witches’ dance around an open fire. Rattenberg’s candle-lit Advent market is open Friday to Sunday, so 6 December (a Sunday) works well for both.
Lienz, Linz and Klagenfurt
- Lienz in East Tyrol has Krampus runs from 3 to 6 December in town and in the villages around it.
- Linz: the Linz Krampus run is at the Stiegl-Klosterhof winter market on Monday 7 December at 17:30. That market has paid entry (€5 per person including one hot drink, kids under 6 free).
- Klagenfurt: Nikolo and the Krampus visit the Christmas market on Neuer Platz on Sunday 6 December at 17:00.
Is a Krampus run OK for kids?
It depends on your kids. The masks are big, the bells are loud and the Krampus figures do come close to the crowd. Older kids who like a good scare usually love it. For little ones, here’s what I’d do:
- Start gentle. A Nikolaus visit or a kids’ event (like Salzburg’s Kinderkrampus on 6 December at 15:30) is a softer first taste than a big evening run.
- Watch from the back or from a parent’s shoulders, not from the front row by the barrier.
- Talk about it first. Explain that the Krampus are local people in costumes, and that Nikolaus is there too.
- Have an exit plan. Know the way back to a quieter street or a warm café.
- Dress for standing still. You’ll wait in the cold, often for a while before it starts. Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung (there’s no bad weather, only the wrong clothes).
And for grown-ups: some Krampus figures carry switches and may give a light swat to people in the front, so stand back if you’d rather just watch. It’s smart to keep bags zipped in the crowd, as at any big event.
Krampus runs on the Bavarian side
We live right on the border, and Krampus runs happen on the Bavarian side too. Our sister site has them: Krampus runs in Bavaria and Tyrol.
Krampus runs in Austria: FAQ
When is Krampus Day in Austria in 2026?
Krampus Night is traditionally on 5 December, the evening before St. Nikolaus Day on 6 December. In 2026, 5 December is a Saturday, and Salzburg’s big Krampus run is that evening at around 19:00.
Where is the biggest Krampus run in Austria?
In Tyrol, Seefeld’s Krampustreiben on 4 December is one of the largest, with around 30 groups from across the Alps. Salzburg’s run on 5 December, with its stage on the cathedral square, is one of the best known.
When is the Krampus run in Innsbruck in 2026?
On 3 and 4 December 2026, at the Innsbruck Christmas markets, together with the arrival of St. Nikolaus. Igls, just above Innsbruck, has its run on 29 November.
What’s the difference between Krampus and Perchten?
The Krampus is St. Nikolaus’s wild companion, usually in fur, who is said to scare naughty children. Perchten go back to the Alpine figure of Perchta, often wear bark or straw costumes, and use their bells to drive away the evil spirits of winter.
Are Krampus runs free?
Many are free to watch. Some have paid areas or extras, and the Linz run is inside a winter market with paid entry (€5 including a hot drink in 2026), so check each event.
Read next
Pfiat di (take care),
Brian
Sources (checked 19–21 October 2026)
- Tyrol Krampus and Perchten runs 2026 (Igls, Innsbruck, Seefeld, Lienz, Kundl, Rattenberg; Krampus vs. Perchten): tirol.at/aktivitaeten/events/krampuslaeufe
- Seefeld run time and Christmas market: seefeld.com/de/seefelder-weihnachtsmarkt.html
- Salzburg Krampus run, Kinderkrampus, Christ Child and Perchten run: christkindlmarkt.co.at/en/wichtige-termine/
- Linz Krampus run and Stiegl-Klosterhof entry: linztourismus.at (Advent markets)
- Klagenfurt Nikolo and Krampus: visitklagenfurt.at (Christkindlmarkt am Neuen Platz)
- Rattenberg Advent opening days: alpbachtal.at
- Meridian and Bayern-Ticket: salzburg.info; bahn.de
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