A prologue replays the final scenes from Dracula, in which Doctor Van Helsing destroys Count Dracula by sunlight; only the memory of Dracula's evil remains.
The main story begins in 1895 as Father Sandor prevents local authorities from disposing of a woman's corpse as if it were a vampire. Sandor chastises the presiding priest for perpetuating the fear of vampirism and reminds him that Dracula was destroyed ten years previously in 1885. Sandor visits an inn and warns four English tourists, the Kents – Diana Kent, Charles Kent, Helen Kent, and Alan Kent – not to visit Karlsbad. Ignoring his advice, the Kents choose to visit Karlsbad but are abandoned by their fear-stricken coach driver 2 km (1.2 mi) away from their destination as night approaches. Finding themselves in view of a castle, the Kents are taken there by a driverless carriage and discover a dining table set for four people and their bags unpacked in the bedrooms. A servant named Klove explains that his master, the late Count Dracula, had ordered that the castle should always be ready to welcome strangers. After dinner, the Kents settle in their rooms.
Later that night, Alan investigates a noise and follows Klove to the crypt, where Klove kills him and mixes his blood with Dracula's ashes, reviving the Count. Klove entices Helen to the crypt, where she becomes Dracula's first victim. The next morning, Charles and Diana can find no trace of Alan, Helen, or Klove. Charles takes Diana to a woodsman's hut and then returns to the castle to search for Alan and Helen. Klove tricks Diana into returning to the castle. Charles finds Alan's body in a trunk in the crypt. It is now dark and Dracula rises. Diana encounters Helen, who, now one of the undead, attacks her. Dracula enters and warns Helen away from Diana. Charles struggles with Dracula until Diana realizes that her crucifix is an effective weapon against vampires. Charles improvises a larger cross and drives Dracula away. They escape from the castle in a carriage but lose control on the rough ground as they go off the road. The carriage crashes and Diana is knocked unconscious. Charles carries her for several hours through the woods until they are rescued by Sandor, who takes them to his abbey.
Klove arrives at the abbey in a wagon carrying two coffins containing Dracula and Helen but is denied admission by the monks, by the order of Sandor, who knows that the vampires will try to gain entry. Ludwig, a patient at the abbey, is slave to Dracula and invites the Count inside. Helen convinces Diana to open the window and let her in, claiming to have escaped from Dracula. Diana does so and Helen bites her arm. Dracula drags Helen off, as he wants Diana for himself. Charles bursts into the room and drives the vampires out. Sandor sterilizes the bite with the heat from an oil lamp, then puts silver crucifixes in the two coffins to prevent the vampires from coming back. Sandor captures Helen and drives a stake through her heart, killing her. Ludwig lures Diana into Dracula's presence, where the Count hypnotizes her into removing her crucifix. Dracula coerces her to drink his blood from his bare chest, but Charles returns in time to prevent it, forcing Dracula to flee with the unconscious Diana.
Charles and Sandor arm themselves and follow on horseback. A shortcut allows them to get in front of Dracula's wagon and stop it. Charles shoots Klove, who has apparently removed Sandor's crucifixes from the coffins, but the horses gallop off to the castle. Diana is rescued while Dracula's coffin is thrown onto the ice that covers the moat. Charles attempts to stake Dracula, but the Count springs out of his coffin and attacks him. Sandor shoots the ice and it breaks. Diana rescues Charles, and Dracula sinks into the freezing waters and drowns.
