• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Trip Planning 2023/24: Information, advice and questions!

Dear theme park lovers,
We will be visiting Europa Park for the first time between 15 and 17 July. We have booked Colosseo and will travel from Strasbourg after visiting DLP.
I have some doubts about how to reach EP from Strasbourg. We will sleep there on the 14th and the idea is to be as early as possible doing the checking on the 15th. I have read that there is a direct bus but I wonder if this bus will be convenient to reach the hotel ¿?
May it be better to go by train? What is the best connection?
I have read a lot about the roller coasters, but what are the best dark rides/other rides?
Food: I have booked dinners at Colosseo, what about lunch? I assume that we will go once to the "roller coaster" restaurant, but do you have any other favourites?
We are 2 adults and 1 child (12), never been to EP but good park commandos, proven at DLP, Port Aventura, Efteling, Orlando...
Thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions!

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
I'm hoping you meant July rather than June otherwise my advice is probably not all that helpful but anyway...

The cheapest and most flexible transport option is a train from Strasbourg to Offenburg and then on to Ringsheim. From there, the 7231 bus serves the park and hotels (I'm not sure of the exact route as it's been a while since I used it). Trains are pretty frequent but it's worth checking times in advance as the connection time at Offenburg varies quite a bit. You can get a family europass 24h ticket from Strasbourg that will cover the entire journey to Ringsheim for just €14 for the 3 of you.

Regarding the rides, I generally advise to do as many different ones as possible whilst at the park. Of the dark rides, Voletarium and the new(ish) Pirates are by far the strongest. I'd also recommend doing Kassandra (just because it's weird), along with Snorri Touren, Madame Freudenreich, Abenteuer Atlantis and Geisterschloss - the latter 3 are unlikely to have any queue at all regardless of how busy the park is. There's also Piccolo Mondo and Bench: the ride (I'm not going to attempt to spell the actual name) which are both quite small and mainly aimed at a younger audience.

The park has a range of food options - it's become an in-joke amongst our group that you have to plan your trip carefully to ensure you have enough days on park to tick off everything on the culinary to-do list, it's now even harder as not every outlet is open daily. Many of the main food options are counter service and, of these, Spices is my personal favourite, with Bamboe Baii and Fjord Restaurant also amongst our go-to options. Taverna Mykonos would be my pick of the quick-service options and Schloss Balthasar restaurant is popular with our group as a table-service option.
 
Thanks a lot John, yes we go in July, I edited the message. Take not of the train and I have also explored the bus, leaving at 8 arriving at 9 just 5 euros cost...I'll keep doing some research! Thanks!

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
 
Thanks a lot John, yes we go in July, I edited the message. Take not of the train and I have also explored the bus, leaving at 8 arriving at 9 just 5 euros cost...I'll keep doing some research! Thanks!

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
If you do end up taking the train, then use the DB Navigator app to help you get around. It'll make things far easier in terms of finding out platform numbers etc. Changes at the stations are much less stressful when you know where you need to be before you arrive! You can also buy your Europass Family 24h (remember to buy the family version) on the app too.
You can get a family europass 24h ticket from Strasbourg that will cover the entire journey to Ringsheim for just €14 for the 3 of you.
There is a (stupidly annoying) quirk to this option as the Europass Family 24h is only valid for children under 12 in the Strasbourg area, whereas once you cross the border it's valid for children under 15. You can either chance it (I doubt they'd even be along to check to be honest). Alternatively you can get around this by buying a single ticket from Strasbourg to Kehl to cover your 12 year old until you get into Germany which costs €3.55, then they'd be valid on your Europass Family from there.
 
Thanks Craig!
My son is middle height and mostly thin (oh, the youth...) so easily can look like 11 or so...I will check the app and will decide between bus and train, I rather prefer trains but in this case the bus looks like a faster and more straightforward option...I have reserved the bus just in case, you have to do it in a web site but you don't have to pay for it...

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
 
Hi everyone, just signed up here, I have a question about Rulantica and Hyggedal. Apologies if this has been answered before but I can't really tell how towels, robes, and storage work if you're spending time in Hyggedal. I understand it's textile free like many other saunas in Germany, so... where do you put your textiles?

And regarding towels, if we're staying at the EP hotels then we can pick them up at Rulantica, but friends who are staying off site must bring their own?
 
3 quick questions from my side
-I assume that the Euro 24 family ticket is also valid for the buses to the park, right?
-Do we need to somehow book the trains or is ir just go an take whatever seat is free?
-In case we find time to go to the pool at the Colosseo (temperatures up to 37 degrees...) would they provide us with the towels?
Thanks!!

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
 
Hi everyone, just signed up here, I have a question about Rulantica and Hyggedal. Apologies if this has been answered before but I can't really tell how towels, robes, and storage work if you're spending time in Hyggedal. I understand it's textile free like many other saunas in Germany, so... where do you put your textiles?

And regarding towels, if we're staying at the EP hotels then we can pick them up at Rulantica, but friends who are staying off site must bring their own?
If you've booked Hyggedal they provide towels on entry to the area, so no worries about those staying off site bringing their own. There's small lockers available in Hyggedal for any belongings.

3 quick questions from my side
-I assume that the Euro 24 family ticket is also valid for the buses to the park, right?
-Do we need to somehow book the trains or is ir just go an take whatever seat is free?
-In case we find time to go to the pool at the Colosseo (temperatures up to 37 degrees...) would they provide us with the towels?
Thanks!!

Enviado desde mi SM-F711B mediante Tapatalk
- Yup correct, the Europass 24h covers your bus to the park.
- Nope, no reservations required so just grab a seat. Be prepared for them to be busy in Germany due to the current €9 ticket offer though!
- Yes if you're on resort you can obtain towels and robes at the pool between noon and 10pm. Lockers are available which need a €2 coin to work. If you want to use the pool on departure day, ask reception for an access card when you check out.
 
So a bit more about the new resort passes.

If you’re a silver card holder and staying on site, you’ll get an email 3 days before asking you to check in.

Make sure you do.

They ask for guest details and the resort pass number and link it that way, all very seemless.

On the same type of line, the resort pass can be stored in your apple wallet which makes it very easy. It’ll also store in your EP app so I assume you can use virtual line.
 
So a bit more about the new resort passes.

If you’re a silver card holder and staying on site, you’ll get an email 3 days before asking you to check in.

Make sure you do.

They ask for guest details and the resort pass number and link it that way, all very seemless.

On the same type of line, the resort pass can be stored in your apple wallet which makes it very easy. It’ll also store in your EP app so I assume you can use virtual line.
Yes you can use virtual line, you just need to add it to the virtual line section of the app. Last time I went I had an old ticket still on the app from last year and kept getting an error until I removed it and added the pass.
 
Quick question, can you use the hotel-side entrance to the park if you aren't a hotel guest? Once the hotel guest-only time in the morning is over. We have a colleague staying off property, but very close to our on-site hotel, so it would be convenient if they could visit us in the morning and use the same entrance without having to walk to the other side of the park
 
Quick question, can you use the hotel-side entrance to the park if you aren't a hotel guest? Once the hotel guest-only time in the morning is over. We have a colleague staying off property, but very close to our on-site hotel, so it would be convenient if they could visit us in the morning and use the same entrance without having to walk to the other side of the park
No, only hotel guests can enter the park using that entrance unfortunately.

Anyone could leave it though if you want to exit the park that way.
 
Is there a guide or anything to going to Europa by train (from Dudley/Birmingham area)? Considering going on an adventure for a couple of nights in the next few months but never been there before and I don't usually use trains. Happy with a budget hotel as long as there is reasonable transport to Europa from there. Not looking to spend a fortune but happy to spend where it's genuinely worth it. Cheers :)
 
Is there a guide or anything to going to Europa by train (from Dudley/Birmingham area)? Considering going on an adventure for a couple of nights in the next few months but never been there before and I don't usually use trains. Happy with a budget hotel as long as there is reasonable transport to Europa from there. Not looking to spend a fortune but happy to spend where it's genuinely worth it. Cheers :)
So you would go Avanti from Birmingham New Street or Sandwell & Dudley to London Euston, walk to London St Pancras, Eurostar to Paris Nord, walk to Paris Est, TGV to Offenburg, local train to Ringsheim then shuttle bus to Europa. Would take about 10 hours. That would be quite a pain to book given that it includes four train operators in three countries, @AstroDan recommends the DB Navigator app for rail travel in Germany.
 
Hi - thinking of making another trip to Europa Park, our first visit was 2016 when we stayed in the Castillo Alcazar.

Our main gripe was the transfer from Basel airport (arriving from Edinburgh) to the hotel. We booked a transfer for about €200 return (2a, 1c). Looking at the transfer prices now they seen WAY higher.

Can anyone recommend a decent transfer option, or is car hire / public transport the way to go?

Thanks.
 
Top