The Dutch duo, who were both comfortable winners at the European Championships last month, did enough to sit top after two events at the global gathering in Hamar.
Kramer is bidding for sixth world title and second in a row and went from ninth after the 500m to first overall after winning the 5000m to lead ahead of home hope Havard Bokko.
Meanwhile Wust is even bettered positioned for a fourth crown and third in a row following a second in the women's 500m and then a victory in the 3000m.
Kramer was 0.91 seconds off the pace in the 500m, which was won by Zbigniew Brodka in 35.80 ahead of Bokko with Latvian Haralds Silovs third.
However Kramer more than made up for it in the 5000m, an event in which he is the reigning Olympic champion, next up taking victory by almost six seconds.
He clocked 6:13.42minutes with Russian Ivan Skobrev second 5.64 behind with Bart Swings third before Sverre Lunde Pedersen and Bokko with the 1500m and 10,000m to come.
Meanwhile in the women's event Olympic champion Christine Nesbitt won the opening 500m event in 38.60 with Wust placing second 0.75 behind and Lotte van Beek another 0.09 adrift.
And double Olympic champion Wust went one better in the 3000m posting 4:05.41 for a victory that gives her a healthy advantage with the 1500m and 5000m to come on Sunday.
Yekaterina Shikhova occupies second place at the halfway stage after a fifth in the 500m and fourth in the 300m before Diane Valkenburg in third overall.
Valkenburg was second in the 3000m after a seventh in the 500m while Nesbitt fell to fifth overall after following up her opening win with an 18th.
