Exciting Fan Action from the Prologue in Prague to the Finish in Passau

• 36 fan zones offer comfortable and safe rally enjoyment during the Central European Rally from October 16 to 19

• Big prologue in Prague already on Sunday (October 12)

• Thrilling rally start with major fan program in Bad Griesbach Therme

• Final special stage in Peilstein and victory ceremony in Passau’s Dreiländerhalle

Up close and personal with the stars: Autograph sessions, city drives, regroupings, and many other opportunities allow you to experience the rally elite up close.

From October 16 to 19, 2025, the tri-border region of Germany–Austria–Czechia will transform into the pulsating heart of the rally world: The Central European Rally invites fans from around the globe to a four-day motorsport festival that, alongside the action-packed rally, offers plenty of additional attractions. A major new feature: since the start will now take place directly in the competition region at Bad Griesbach, the Czech capital Prague takes on a new role — becoming the scene of the prologue already on Sunday (October 12). From Thursday onwards, 36 fan zones along the routes and attractive supporting programs in the host towns await visitors. Each stage ends at Passau’s Dreiländerhalle, where a varied entertainment program will take place. Admission there, as well as to the nearby service park, is free of charge. Visitor information and full schedules are available on the official website: centraleuropeanrally.eu.

Box seats for the action: The approximately 40 fan zones offer service, safety, and, of course, a perfect view of the spectacular rally action.

From Prague to Passau: Rally Fever Even Before the Start

Starting already on Sunday (October 12), the rally will attract the first enthusiastic glances during the official prologue in Prague:A large parade featuring participants in Rally1 and Rally2 cars will drive from the headquarters of the Autoklub ČR (Opletalova) through the city to a photo and interview stop at the Rudolfinum (Jan Palach Square), before returning to the starting point. This will be accompanied by a fan photo contest – an emotional opening highlight. The stop at the Rudolfinum and the final “Meet & Greet” with autograph session at the Autoklub ČR provide a perfect opportunity to meet the stars of the rally scene in a relaxed setting. For the teams, Monday marks the start of recce, where they study the stages in detail and prepare for the selective tests. Complementing the sporting activities, Hauzenberg will host a classic car exhibition titled “Precious Metal and Eternal Stone” at the Granitzentrum Bayerischer Wald starting Thursday. This marks the beginning of a series of rally-related activities, turning the town into a key meeting point for fans and car enthusiasts for several days. The exhibition, organized in cooperation with the district and MSC Passau, runs until Sunday.

The hub: The service park at the Dreiländerhalle in Passau is the start and finish location of the CER every day. There are many great offers here, especially in the evening. Admission is free.

Thursday: Rally Kick-Off with Show Start and Festival Atmosphere

The first rally day begins at 8:00 a.m. with the traditional shakedown in Bad Griesbach, where vehicles are tested to their limits and fans can already enjoy spectacular action in the morning.

After departing from the service park in Passau and completing the first special stage near Bad Griesbach, the teams will head to the official Welcome Ceremony at 2:45 p.m. on Kurplatz in Bad Griesbach Therme. This extended regrouping includes the official opening program, with an entertaining mix of live moderation, video screens, interviews, and autograph sessions. In the late afternoon, a second run of the “Golf and Therme” stage will take place. The program around Bad Griesbach is highly compact: the shakedown is a shortened version of SS 1/2, meaning all infrastructure can be used throughout the day.

Ideal for fans: Shuttle buses will run from Karpfham fairground to the Therme (regrouping area) and the three fan zones starting at midday. Visitors who have some spare time can also relax at the thermal spa — 20% discount is offered to anyone with a valid rally ticket on Thursday. In the evening, the rally convoy returns to Passau, where the cars are presented on stage in the Dreiländerhalle, accompanied by live moderation and interviews. A further highlight follows: the premiere of “More than Machine” Season 2, the award-winning rally documentary series offering exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the WRC teams. The perfect blend of sport, entertainment, and fan engagement for the opening day.

The daily stages of the 2025 Central European Rally continue into the darkness – visitors can enjoy action and entertainment from the first minute to the last!

Friday: Action and Culture in Three Countries

Friday, the first full competition day, takes the WRC elite through three countries and across some of the rally’s most demanding stages.

It begins with SS “Granit und Wald” near Hauzenberg, where spectators can follow the action twice. From there, the route continues through Austria’s “Böhmerwald” stage to the brand-new “Col de Jan” stage, which, thanks to its scenic course, is set to become a true crowd favorite. Between runs, Český Krumlov transforms into a stunning backdrop: the UNESCO World Heritage city on the Vltava River, with its iconic castle and medieval streets, hosts the regrouping — a perfect blend of motorsport and culture. Hauzenberg will also serve as a fan hotspot, offering top-tier rally entertainment with ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup and Slowly Sideways historic cars between the runs. At 5:30 p.m., the WRC field passes through the town square for interviews and fan activities. The evening brings everyone back to Passau, where from 7:00 p.m. the Slowly Sideways cars are on display, followed by the WRC field driving directly through the Dreiländerhalle. A “Meet the Crews” session and a concert by the band “Dis M” round off the day with festival vibes.

Follow me: For visitor convenience, fan zones and parking areas are spacious and clearly signposted. This is one of countless services designed to guarantee visitors an uninterrupted rally experience.

Saturday: Culture and Local Spirit – CER Visits Klatovy and Freyung

Saturday offers a tight schedule with six challenging special stages: “Made in FRG” near Röhrnbach, the Czech stage “Keply”, and the iconic “Klatovy” — each run twice. Between the two runs of “Made in FRG”, fans can make a short trip to nearby Freyung, where a time control stop features live moderation, short interviews, and an afternoon event starting at 3:00 p.m. Between the Czech stages, Klatovy becomes the center of attention with regrouping, live coverage on LED screens, shows, and fan activities. The historic market square offers a close-up experience with the teams and cars, while exhibitions and displays provide extra attractions. In the evening, Passau’s service park once again becomes the rally hub: the WRC field rolls through the hall into service, followed by interviews with top drivers and team representatives. The day closes with a concert by “Inferno” — the perfect rock soundtrack to an action-filled day!

Sunday: Power Stage, Emotions, and Victory Celebration

The final day brings the decisive fight for World Championship points, featuring the spectacular stages “Beyond Borders” and “Mühltal” across Germany and Austria. The highlight: the Power Stage (Mühltal 2) finishing in Peilstein, which becomes a fan hotspot with multiple viewing zones within 500 meters — offering a chance to experience the rally action from several perspectives. Exciting elements include a jump and a serpentine section shortly before the finish (Fan Zones L4 / L5). The Flower Ceremony follows immediately after the stage. After the on-stage action, attention shifts one last time to Passau, where the final podium and award ceremony take place in the Dreiländerhalle — a fitting conclusion to this international motorsport festival. Meanwhile, Hauzenberg hosts the final celebration of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup: starting in the late morning, a colorful program and time control will take place in the town center, before competitors tackle their final meters on the “Beyond Borders” stage.

At a Glance: All Highlights in Summary

Sunday, October 12, 2025 – Prologue Prague

13:30 – 14:00 Car line-up and briefing, Autoklub ČR HQ (Opletalova)

14:00 – 14:15 Start of Prologue, City parade

14:15 – 14:55 Media area – interviews and photos, Rudolfinum (Jan Palach Square)

14:55 – 15:20 Continuation of Prologue, City parade

15:30 – 16:00 “Meet & Greet” and autograph session, Autoklub ČR HQ

Monday, October 13, 2025

From afternoon Start of Recce (stage reconnaissance) by WRC teamsMidday Golf tournament with WRC team members, Beckenbauer Course

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Morning Technical scrutineering of WRC vehicles, Service Park Passau (DEKRA)

Thursday, October 16, 2025

All day Classic car show “Precious Metal and Eternal Stone”, Granitzentrum Bayerischer Wald Hauzenberg (until Sunday, October 19, 2025)

08:00 – 12:00 Shakedown, Bad GriesbachFrom

13:30 Shuttle service Karpfham – Therme – Fan zones SS1/2

13:55 Start of Section 1, Service Park Passau

14:30 SS1 “Golf and Therme 1”

14:55 Regrouping, interviews and autograph session, Kurplatz Bad Griesbach Therme: 

15:30 Autograph session, Kurplatz Bad Griesbach Therme 

16:00 WRC group photo, fountain at Bad Griesbach Therme 

17:37 Departure through arch with live moderation

18:05 SS2 “Golf and Therme 2”

19:00 – 20:15 Car presentation, moderation and interviews, Dreiländerhalle Passau

20:15 Premiere & launch “More Than Machine” Season 2, Dreiländerhalle Passau

Friday, October 17, 2025

07:11 Start of Day 2, Service Park Passau

08:30 SS3 “Granit und Wald 1”

09:30 SS4 “Böhmerwald 1”

11:25 SS5 “Col de Jan 1”

12:20 – 13:10 Regrouping in UNESCO World Heritage Český Krumlov:Fan program with LED screen, interviews, historical video features

14:45 SS6 “Col de Jan 2”

17:20 SS7 “Böhmerwald 2”From

17:30 Interview zone and fan program, Hauzenberg town square

18:15 SS8 “Granit und Wald 2”

19:00 Slowly Sideways presentation, DEKRA Service Park Passau

19:15 Parc Fermé and WRC field car passage, Dreiländerhalle Passau

20:15 Meet the Crews – WRC drivers and team principals, Dreiländerhalle Passau

20:30 Concert “Dis M”, Dreiländerhalle Passau

Saturday, October 18, 2025

07:00 Start of Day 3, Service Park Passau

08:15 SS9 “Made in FRG 1”

10:35 SS10 “Keply 1”

11:35 SS11 “Klatovy 1”

12:15 – 12:45 Regrouping and fan program, Klatovy market square:LED screen, autograph session, Hyundai show

14:05 SS12 “Keply 2”

15:05 SS13 “Klatovy 2”

15:00 Rally party with time control, Freyung town square:Presentation of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup and Slowly Sideways participants

18:25 SS14 “Made in FRG 2”

19:35 WRC field car passage, Dreiländerhalle Passau

20:35 Meet the Crews – WRC drivers and team principals, Dreiländerhalle Passau

21:00 Concert “Inferno”, Dreiländerhalle Passau

Sunday, October 19, 2025

07:00 Start of Day 4, Service Park Passau

08:25 SS15 “Beyond Borders 1”

10:05 SS16 “Mühltal 1”from

11:00 Support program and time control ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, Hauzenberg town square

11:10 SS17 “Beyond Borders 2”

13:15 SS18 “Mühltal 2” – Wolf Power StageAt finish in Peilstein: Serpentine spectator point, Flower Ceremony

from 16:30 Podium and WRC Award Ceremony, Dreiländerhalle Passau