Want to make a trip to the Ring for some tourist driving? Plan your dates around the Nurburgring opening hours to make sure you’ll have the opportunity to get some laps in. Find info on opening times, closing times, bonus driving days and when the season finishes all within this article.
Updated 22nd December 2022 with newly released Nurburgring 2023 dates and opening times.
Contents
where can I find the 2023 opening times?
The official Ring website lists the Nurburgring opening hours for both the Nordschleife and GP track (different calendars for each). Click the link below to see the calendar with specific opening times for every day.
Note – The Ring is not open for Touristenfahrten (tourist driving) every day. Other events such as track days, driver training days or race meetings will take priority over the tourist driving sessions on many occasions. So don’t just assume it will be open every day. Check the calendar.
Want the Nurburgring calendar for your phone or PC? I’ve put all the dates in a much easier to read iCalendar that you can download below.
enter your details below to receive the Nurburgring 2023 calendar
can you just turn up and drive?
The Ring is classed as a public road. So long as your car is road legal, you have a valid driver’s licence and insurance then you are eligible to drive the ‘Ring during Touristenfahrten. You need to purchase a lap ticket beforehand, and you need to make sure you’re aware of the Nurburgring opening hours.
Before you head out on track, read our quick guide to the complete list of Nurburgring rules. You should try and familiarise yourself with all of these before you head out for some laps.
And don’t forget that the circuit is incredibly long, so check out our article on learning the Nurburgring to help have an idea of the track before you get behind the wheel.
is the Nurburgring open all year?
The Nurburgring is closed in the winter months for both tourist driving and trackdays. Normally some time in early November will be the last driving day of the year and mid-March will be the first.
The weather in the Eifel mountains can be pretty unpredictable at the best of times, with the locals often shunning those who rely too heavily on the forecasts. But one thing that is normally fairly certain is that the winter months can be pretty bleak – lots of rain, cold temperatures and snow are all likely to fall across the region.
Additionally, Nurburgring management normally needs some time to do work on the circuit. Often this involves resurfacing the tarmac, altering kerbs and run-off areas and replacing armco. Hopefully it will soon also include installation of more robust safety measures.
Green light for comprehensive digitalisation measure at the Nürburgring Nordschleife 🚦
— Nürburgring (@nuerburgring) January 23, 2023
➡️ Launch for one of the largest construction projects
➡️ Digitalisation of the Nordschleife takes safety to a whole new level
👇 Everything you need to know 👇https://t.co/ejXceUHmuX pic.twitter.com/YJObJz7JRt
In 2023, the last planned day of tourist driving is November 12th, but as with all dates this is subject to change. The risk of poor weather at this time of year is pretty high! Don’t forget you can check the Nurburgring webcams to get a live view of the conditions, traffic, and whether it looks like the track’s open.
Check out our list of other things to do near the Nurburgring for ideas on how to fill your tiem when the circuit is closed.
what time does the Nurburgring open?
During weekdays, the Nordschleife is usually only open for evening sessions. The circuit opens at either 17:15 or 17:30, depending on the specific schedule for that day. There are some exceptions to this, however – see the ‘bonus driving days’ section later on in this article.
On the weekends the Nurburgring opening hours can vary. The earliest the circuit will open is 08:00, and this is usually for a full day of lapping. But the exact opening time will depend on the day as there may be other events on the track in the morning. Check the calendar before you go to be sure.
Usually the weekday sessions are not too busy, and on the weekends if you can get there for 8am the first 90mins or so are normally some of the clearest lapping of the day, before the queues build up.
Motorbike riders take note – There are some dates on the Nurburgring calendar that say ‘closed to motorbikes’. This is likely to be after a race event in the morning where the build up of tyre rubber and other debris from the racing is deemed too dangerous for bikes. Check the calendar carefully before booking.
what time does the Nurburgring close?
During weekdays the Nordschleife normally closes at 19:30, allowing a minimum of 2 hours of lapping for an evening session.
On weekends the latest the circuit will close is 19:00 in the light months, usually March up to and including September. From October onwards the closing times get gradually earlier – 17:00 at the end of October and 16:30 for the last day of lapping in November.
can you drive the Nurburgring at night?
Unless you are lucky enough to be competing in the 24 hours of the Nurburgring, then no. The circuit closing times for tourist driving are scheduled to avoid driving in the dark. As we saw above, the closing times get gradually early as winter sets in.
Whilst the circuit is a public road, even the management are smart enough to not increase risk by letting the general public loose on the track at night. But man, that would be one heck of an experience!
2023 Nurburgring bonus driving days
At a few random points throughout the year the Ring management like to throw a few bonus driving days our way in the form of extra opening hours. Think about these when you’re planning your trips for 2023 as you may be able to factor in an extra full day of driving in the week. These dates are all listed below, but are subject to change at the Ring management’s discretion.
Easter weekend. The most infamous weekend of the year at the Ring, where the track is open all day Friday 7th April (known as Carfreitag), all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday 10th April.
Green Hell Driving Days in May. At two point throughout the year the Ring give us some extra long weekends of ful days of driving, known as the Green Hell Driving Days. The first of these is on the 1st May when the circuit is opening from 8am to 7pm on the back of a full weekend of driving.
May 29th bonus driving day. One day at the end of May where the circuit is open from 8am to 7pm on a Monday. This is a German national holiday so expect it to be busy!
June 8th bonus driving day. This time a full day on a Thursday where the track is open from 8am to 7pm. This is a regional holiday so again, expect it to be busy!
Green Hell Driving Days in October. The second of the Green Hell Driving Days weekends of the year, this time a full 4-day weekend is gifted to us. The track is open all day on Monday 2nd October and Tuesday 3rd October, as well as the weekend leading up to those two days.
1st November bonus day. The final ‘bonus’ day on the year is on Wednesday 1st November with the circuit open from 9am to 4:30pm. Another regional holiday so expect it to be busy!
Let’s go and do some notracing
See you there notBon