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EUROPA-PARK: TRIP PLANNING - LAST UPDATED NOV 2024
Introduction
This thread is designed to assist anybody looking at booking a short break to Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. The advice brings together a wealth of experience of our members in visiting Europa-Park frequently since 2004. If you need to ask a question or discuss any aspect of your trip planning, please feel free to post in this topic and somebody will get back to you!
EUROPA-PARK LOCATION: Click here
Background
Europa-Park is one of the biggest theme parks in the world, with more rides than any other in Europe, and is currently its most visited seasonal theme park - that is, a park which is closed for part of the year. It attracts around 6 million guests every year, beaten in Europe only by Disneyland Paris. In 2025 - Europa-Park celebrates its 50th birthday with a new interactive family attraction, entertainment offerings and much more!
It has on many occasions been voted the best theme park in the world by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards, an American based industry magazine awards showcase, which placed Europa-Park ahead of everyone else - including Disney resorts worldwide! It is also a TripAdvisor winner, as one of the highest rated theme parks in the world.
Yet, in spite of all of this acclaim, Europa-Park remains a little known resort to those of us in Britain. Advertising only within certain regions of Germany, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland, Europa-Park is a hidden gem in Europe for Brits travelling abroad. Unlike PortAventura, Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and, to a lesser extent, Efteling, Europa-Park is a relative unknown on our shores.
Calendar
In general, Europa-Park opens for the main season just like parks in the UK - late March/early April and opens through until early January, although these dates, much like parks in the UK, can vary depending on school holidays and dates of religious festivals. A small number of rides, including Fjord Rafting and Atlantica Super Splash are closed during the park's HalloWinter and Winter seasons (e.g. early November through until early January). Other rides, such as Silver Star, Blue Fire, Poseidon and Tirol Log Flume are subject to a minimum operating temperatures and you should be aware of this if visiting during colder periods. The Europa-Park water park - Rulantica - is open daily. Please note that Europa-Park and Rulantica are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
How long do I need?
When visiting the resort as part of a short break or holiday, you should consider a minimum of 2 full days on the theme park and the majority of a day at Rulantica. However, 3 days in the theme park is recommended as this will allow you sufficient time to use hotel facilities such as the included hotel gyms, swimming pools and spas, together with all of the 60+ rides (of which 14 are rollercoasters) and many, many shows. There is also a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.
Daily hours for Europa-Park
The park opens early compared to most European theme parks. During the main season (March/April- early November), nearly every ride operates from 9:00am, although access to the main "German Alley" entrance street is from 8:30am (sometimes earlier, if the park is expected to be busy). Depending on how busy the park is expected to be, guests are then held at the top until full opening at 9:00am or, on busier days, selected rides in Germany and Italy will open earlier (including Voletarium) although you will be unable to pass these areas into the rest of the park until 9:00am. Park ride close is announced in the early afternoon each day depending on how busy it is. This can vary any time from 6:00pm up to 8:00pm. The main "German Alley" does not close until 1 hour after the rides, and the EP Express Monorail runs until around midnight every day. You can keep an eye on the latest park hours here on our forum.
Remember: There are a lot of rides at Europa-Park that never get queues over 15 minutes - due to physical queue line space or otherwise. These include the majority of indoor dark rides. So don't worry! Even if it's busy, there's still lots to do without waiting long! Also: queues tend to be much quieter on major rides for the first and last hours of the day.
Here is a rough guide for the longest queues you can expect on rollercoasters and larger water rides:
If Europa-Park closes at 6:00pm or 6:30pm, this is a quiet day (expect queues of up to 30 minutes)
If Europa-Park closes at 7:00pm or 7:30pm, this is a medium day (expect queues of up to 50 minutes)
If Europa-Park closes at 8:00pm or later, this is a busy day (expect queues of up to 60 minutes+ on major rides)
Please note the above thresholds do not apply in the same way during HalloWinter or Winter season, as the park is open until 7pm regardless of crowd level.
The longest queues are generally found on Voltron, Matterhorn Blitz, Wodan, Arthur, Eurosat Can Can Coaster and Blue Fire. Although on hot, sunny days - add Poseidon, Fjord Rafting and Atlantica Super Splash to the list. There is a free Virtual-Line system for a small number of rides (Wodan, Euro-Mir, Blue Fire, Poseidon, Voltron and Voletarium) which you can access via the app although this is extremely limited and consider it luck if you manage to bag one rather than planning your day around it.
Information boards are updated around the park, staff on roller skates carry signs with the latest close time, and it can also be found at the top of the Europa-Park Website homepage - this is updated after lunch every day. During the winter season, the park opens from 11:00am and closes from 7:00pm.
Daily hours for Rulantica
Rulantica operates a much simpler schedule than the park. The Europa-Park waterpark, which opened just last year, opens daily at 9.00am for anybody staying in one of the six Europa-Park resort hotels and at 9.30am for all other guests. It closes daily at 10.00pm with exception to New Year's Eve, when it closes at 7.00pm. Please be aware that Rulantica operates daily. There is no closed period with exception to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Rides and Attractions at Europa-Park
Europa-Park boasts over 60 rides - both big and small which includes 13 rollercoasters:
Voltron - an intense, action-packed multi launch coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2024 - ideal for family/thrill seekers
Eurosat Can Can Coaster - a large indoor rollercoaster from Mack Rides, re-opened 2018 after extensive remodelling - ideal for family/thrill seekers
Ba-a-a Express - a children's rollercoaster from Mack Rides, opened 2016 - ideal for young children
Arthur in the Minimoys Kingdom - an indoor powered coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2014 - ideal for the whole family
Wodan - a wooden coaster from Great Coasters International, opened 2012 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Blue Fire - a launched coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2009 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Pegasus - a family/kiddie coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2006 - ideal for the whole family
Atlantica Super Splash - a water coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2005 - ideal for the whole family
Silver Star - a mega coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard, opened 2002 - suitable for thrill seekers only due to height restriction
Poseidon - a water coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2000 - ideal for the whole family
Matterhorn Blitz - a wild mouse coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1999 - ideal for the whole family
Euro-Mir - a spinning coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1997 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Schweizer Bob Bahn - a bobsled coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1986 - ideal for the whole family
Alpenexpress - a powered coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1984 and totally rebuilt for 2024 - ideal for the whole family
Eurosat and Alpenexpress also offer a Virtual Reality ride (Coastiality) experience for an additional charge.
There are also many water rides - including a log flume, rapids ride and splash battle. A range of dark rides, carousels and other rides complete the experience. Park transport is offered by the EP Express, Panorama Railway and Mini Monorail service.in
Rides & Attractions at Rulantica: The Europa-Park Waterpark
Rulantica remains the largest investment yet made at Europa-Park. It accompanies the new Hotel Kronasar, which has a Nordic theme and is based around a museum visit. Rulantica has a massive range of slides and attractions for the whole family. There are high intensity drop slides in Ragnakor, family raft rides in Vinterhal, a half pipe slide, racing slides, outdoor areas, relaxation areas for adults (upgrade to Hyggedal for a serene space full of saunas, steam rooms and lounges at just €12 per adult supplement), kids water pools and slides, wild water rivers, Germany's biggest wave pool, swim-up bars, a range of restaurants and much, much more. We highly recommend visiting this new experience. Check out the entire offering at Rulantica here.
Travel to Europa-Park from the UK
Driving:
Europa-Park is 430 miles from Calais, where you will arrive by ferry from Dover or by channel tunnel from Folkestone. It is around 7 hours driving time, which allows for 2 breaks of 30 minutes. Although a long way, it is easily achievable in one day, although with the journey down to Dover/Folkestone from your location in the UK, many stop off en route. The drive takes the form of two motorways, the A26 from Calais to Reims, and the A4 from Reims to Strasbourg. Beyond Strasbourg, you will enter Germany and it's only a short drive further, across the River Rhine to the resort. Based on past experience, you can leave the Midlands at 6:00am and be at Europa-Park by 8pm. Please note that French motorways are subject to road tolls, so you will need to pay these during your trip. It's worth having some change handy although bank cards are accepted. The total toll charge between Calais and Strasbourg via the A26/A4 currently stands at around €55 (£47) each way. You can drive via Belgium and save on the tolls, although it takes longer, is more convoluted and the roads are considerably busier, due to the fact you have to make your way around the ring roads of major cities including Brussels.
Flights:
Flying is a popular way to travel to/from Europa-Park. There are 2 well served airports within 60 miles of the resort (Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Basel-Mulhouse) and others further afield (Stuttgart). Please note that not all flights operate daily, so be sure to check the flight operator before you make any decisions about from where and to where you plan to fly.
You can fly to airports within the region of Europa-Park from Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London Luton, London Stansted, London Heathrow and London Gatwick. Prices vary depending on airline, and transfers to the park also vary in terms of time/cost.
Airport distances to Europa-Park (approximate):
Karlsruhe Baden-Baden: Transfer via private shuttle or bus/train/bus
Strasbourg: Transfer via train and bus using a 'Europass 24h' ticket for best value, or private shuttle
Basel: Transfer via private shuttle or bus/train/bus
Stuttgart: Transfer via private shuttle or train/bus (please note: this airport is considerably further afield and we have not included flights to this airport in the information below. We recommend comparison sites like Skyscanner to check)
FLIGHTS TO/FROM KARLSRUHE/BADEN-BADEN:
London Stansted - Baden-Baden with Ryanair.
FLIGHTS TO/FROM STRASBOURG:
London Gatwick - Strasbourg with Easyjet.
FLIGHTS TO/FROM BASEL-MULHOUSE:
London Gatwick - Basel with Easyjet.
London Luton - Basel with Easyjet
London Stansted - Basel with Ryanair.
London Heathrow - Basel with British Airways.
Manchester - Basel with Easyjet.
Bristol - Basel with Easyjet
Edinburgh - Basel with Easyjet.
Airport/Eurostar transfers to Europa-Park:
Costs for transfers to Europa-Park vary. You could hire a car from the airport if you wish.
We recommend you download the DB Navigator app. For a complete itinerary and departure times use this app or visit www.bahn.co.uk with your departure as your arrival airport (e.g. Basel Airport or Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport) and destination as Europa-Park Hotel Resort, Rust. Prices are usually very good value although be prepared to change trains a couple of times as Europa-Park is in the countryside and not served by high speed rail directly! Group tickets are widely available and often offer the best value. As trains are regional, you are usually able to take any available train which is great news if you are running late. That said, some services from Basel SBB railway station which are designated IC or ICE *will* be tied to a specific train. RE trains (Regional Express) run by DB are usually flexible, local commuter services. Platforms are always available well in advance and German rail is very easy to use.
If you don't wish to use trains or shuttle buses, private shuttles start around €50pp each way, depending on how many people are sharing the shuttle. This can get expensive compared to using trains - especially for smaller groups and couples or individuals. However, they are very reliable and will time to suit your flight. If you are a group of 6+ then a private shuttle may well be highly appealing. They also take less time (Basel, for example takes 55 minutes by private shuttle or up to 2 hours by train/bus).
If you have any questions or concerns about making use of the German rail system, I recommend the London based call centre for Deutsche Bahn UK. These can be reached on 08718 808066, speak fluent English and will advise you accordingly with regards to the best value ticket for your journey and put your mind at ease.
International (Eurostar) Trains from the UK to Europa-Park
You can travel with Eurostar and high speed TGV train from London to Strasbourg in around 6 1/2 hours. Costs vary, but you should use the Eurostar website and input your destination as Strasbourg. From Strasbourg, you should purchase a “Europass 24 hour” ticket from the blue ticket machines *or* via the DB Navigator app. Bus times from Ringsheim railway station to Europa-Park can be found here.
Accommodation at Europa-Park:
There is an unprecedented range of accommodation for visiting Europa-Park. There are 6 on site hotels and each offers a unique theme style. Prices vary depending on your hotel choice. There is also a Camp Resort, where you can stay in a more rustic environment, in a log cabin, tipi or chuck wagon with centrally located toilet and wash facilities. A Camp site is also available, for caravans, camper vans and tents. Off resort, there are dozens of B&B/guest houses/hotels in the village of Rust, a very short walk from the park entrance. For a guide to booking, see below.
Resort Hotels
There are six resort hotels and a camp resort. Hotel Bell Rock & Hotel Krønasår are the most expensive of the hotels. The latter is located adjacent to Rulantica and you should be aware that access to the other hotels and theme park is via a short walk (10-15 min) or shuttle bus. Hotel Santa Isabel, Hotel Colosseo , Hotel Castillo Alcazar & Hotel El Andaluz are all located closest to the the theme park and priced slightly below Bell Rock and Krønasår. Each hotel has a slightly different assortment of rooms so check the website for full details. Most rooms sleep 4, but there are 5 and 6 person rooms available. Of course, if you're a couple or individual this is perfectly possible although the price per person will be significantly higher for single or double occupancy.
The Camp Resort offers a wide range of 4 and 6-bed Tipi's and 6, 12 and 16-bed Log Cabins. These are a budget offering and guests are required to provide sleeping bags. Pillows and a bottom sheet are provided. Think of it as glamping-lite. Camping and caravanning is also available at the Camp Resort for very low prices. Prices for camping are low - check the website for the latest prices. In 2025, a new hotel will open on this site - assumed to be 2 or 3 star rating, lower than the other resort hotels. Watch this space!
To view all the official resort accommodation, or to book, visit here. Please book well in advance, as often, accommodation is passed to third parties for sale - such as Expedia. if you cannot find the accommodation availability you are looking for, please email direct with your query to [email protected].
Off Resort
Booking.com is a great gateway to find local B&B accommodation near Europa-Park. Search Europa-Park. Ensure you select accommodation that is in the village of Rust. Most accommodation is within a 15 minute walk of the park entrance, and 20 minutes walk to the resort hotels - so you can still use the bars and restaurants as you so wish! There are also a small number of chain hotels in the village including Moxy by Marriott and Dormero. A Holiday Inn Express can be found 5 minutes drive away in Ringsheim adjacent to the A5 motorway exit.
Park Tickets
View all prices, and book 1 or 2-day passes. here. For 3-day passes, you can book these as part of a hotel package or on the day at the park. For additional days (I.e. 4-day passes), this can be bought at the resort hotels. You may wish to consider an Annual "Resort" Pass if you are visiting for 6+ days over a year. Annual Passes also give you exclusive discount vouchers and seasonal mailshots. Other benefits include one free entry to the theme parks: Blackpool Pleasure Beach (UK), PortAventura (Spain), Liseberg (Sweden), Isla Magica (Spain), Emerald Park (Ireland) and Efteling (Holland) as well as 40% off admission to Plopsa theme parks and attractions such as Holiday Park (Germany) and Plopsaland (Belgium).
Early Ride Time[/I]
Hotel Guests (not camp resort guests) get Early Ride Time on selected rides from 8:30-9:00am (Summer and Halloween seasons) and 10:00-11:00am (HalloWinter and Winter seasons). The rides offered depend on the time of year. In quieter periods, it may only be some smaller family rides - but almost always includes Feria Swing, Columbus Dinghy, Alpenexpress and Vienna Waveswinger. Other rides included can include Tirol Log Flume, Atlantica Super Splash and Blue Fire. In winter, the Belle Vue observation wheel also opens. During busy periods (weekends, holidays) you may be able to access the park earlier than the time stated (often 8.15am in summer).
Languages
Most staff speak German plus another language, usually French or English. Staff wear name badges which also have flags of the countries for the languages they speak. Do not be put off - if you do not speak German, you will have no difficulties. However, it may be useful to learn the basics such as "please" and "thank you".
Food and Drink
Europa-Park pride themselves on a high quality gastronomic experience. Eating on park can be a pleasure, whether you choose a themed experience in Switzerland at the Raclette Parlour, or the modern splendour of FoodLoop - which was the world's first restaurant where your food is delivered on looping rollercoaster track!
Typically, on park, a lunch at one of the mid-range self-service outlets (i.e. Fjord Restaurant in Scandinavia, See-Restaurant in Austria, FoodLoop in England, Pizzeria Venezia in Italy etc.) will set you back around €20 (£17) for a main course, dessert and drink. The burger/fast food outlets in Russia (Euro-Mir Burger), England (The Three Piglets) and Germany (Euro Burger), or the more 'light' options such as Bamboo Bay Wok Restaurant in Holland, Kaffi Hus and Moby Dick Hot Dogs in Iceland or the Colonial Restaurant in Adventureland will cost you around €15(£12) with drinks. There are also sit down a-la-carte restaurants in the park, including SWR3 Rock Café in Germany (burgers, ribs, hot sandwiches), the historic Balthasar Castle in Germany (traditional German foods), and Restaurant Don Quijote in Spain (Spanish).
Soft drinks in the park cost around €4.00 (£3.40) depending on the size. You can also purchase bottled 500ml beverages from Coca-Cola for similar, with €0.25 of the price as tax, which is returned if you return the empty bottle. A 1/2 litre beer (the equivalent of a pint in the UK) in the resort costs around €6 (£5). A glass of wine is around €6 (£5). Cocktails, which are available in some park outlets and across the hotel bars, generally cost between €10 and €15 (£8 and £13).
As for evening meals, costs vary a lot depending on where you go. The cheapest 'proper' restaurant run by Europa-Park is Silver Lake Saloon, which is at the Camp Resort - a 20 minute walk from the resort hotels via the perimeter access road. Food and service is excellent, and there is live music and/or entertainment pretty much every evening. It's a steak arena mainly, with burgers, steaks and salads. Prices for things like burger and chips are around €18 (£14) and the more premium steaks are more like €35(£29). There is also Cantina Amigo at the Camp Resort, next door to Silver Lake. It's much cheaper - you can buy Bratwurst sausages, Chilli, basic burgers etc. with prices around €12 (£10) for most meals although it's far less formal.
The buffet restaurants at Hotel Colosseo, Hotel Castillo Alcazar and Hotel Bell Rock cost around €50 (£42). Although expensive, the food is excellent and plentiful. Hotel Santa Isabel also has a buffet but this is more premium, costing around €55 (£47). The prices quoted are for unlimited food but do not include drinks. The a-la-carte restaurants in El Andaluz (Spanish influence) and Colosseo (Italian influence) will cost you around €50 (£42) for three courses. The a-la-carte restaurant 'Capains Finest' at Hotel Bell Rock will cost you around €60 (£48) for two courses and is more suited to things like steaks and fresh fish dishes. The premium restaurant is Ammolite at Bell Rock which has two Michelin stars. This will cost around €200 (£160) per person and is absolutely top class, first rate - one of the best restaurants in Germany!
Please be aware that at a-la-carte restaurants in Germany, starters are typically far more expensive than you would pay in the UK. Water is also expensive and the Germans seem reluctant to provide free tap water! Be warned!
Here's a quick guide on how to go about booking resort accommodation at EP:
The person booking the accommodation will find that no money is taken from your account at the time of booking unless you book one of the very limited, promotional rates. A credit/debit card number must be given, which is used in the case of a no show. You are free to cancel the reservation at any time up to 5 days before the stay. Unusually for a major resort, there is no charge for cancellation.
Unlike say, Alton Towers, prices for Europa-Park accommodation are set for the season and do not change (aside from New Years Eve).
You should book as quickly as possible, once you have decided to stay on resort. Europa's hotels run at a very high occupancy through the season and they are likely to be fully booked by the time you visit!
GET THE APP!
There is an app for iPhone and Android, available to download. It is updated throughout every day, with show times, ride close time, weather and the latest park news!
If you have any questions about any aspect of your trip to Europa-Park/Rulantica, please ask in this thread!
All prices shown in Pounds are subject to change depending on the exchange rate. Myself nor TowersStreet take any responsibility for inaccurate information![/I]
Introduction
This thread is designed to assist anybody looking at booking a short break to Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. The advice brings together a wealth of experience of our members in visiting Europa-Park frequently since 2004. If you need to ask a question or discuss any aspect of your trip planning, please feel free to post in this topic and somebody will get back to you!
EUROPA-PARK LOCATION: Click here
Background
Europa-Park is one of the biggest theme parks in the world, with more rides than any other in Europe, and is currently its most visited seasonal theme park - that is, a park which is closed for part of the year. It attracts around 6 million guests every year, beaten in Europe only by Disneyland Paris. In 2025 - Europa-Park celebrates its 50th birthday with a new interactive family attraction, entertainment offerings and much more!
It has on many occasions been voted the best theme park in the world by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards, an American based industry magazine awards showcase, which placed Europa-Park ahead of everyone else - including Disney resorts worldwide! It is also a TripAdvisor winner, as one of the highest rated theme parks in the world.
Yet, in spite of all of this acclaim, Europa-Park remains a little known resort to those of us in Britain. Advertising only within certain regions of Germany, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland, Europa-Park is a hidden gem in Europe for Brits travelling abroad. Unlike PortAventura, Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and, to a lesser extent, Efteling, Europa-Park is a relative unknown on our shores.
Calendar
In general, Europa-Park opens for the main season just like parks in the UK - late March/early April and opens through until early January, although these dates, much like parks in the UK, can vary depending on school holidays and dates of religious festivals. A small number of rides, including Fjord Rafting and Atlantica Super Splash are closed during the park's HalloWinter and Winter seasons (e.g. early November through until early January). Other rides, such as Silver Star, Blue Fire, Poseidon and Tirol Log Flume are subject to a minimum operating temperatures and you should be aware of this if visiting during colder periods. The Europa-Park water park - Rulantica - is open daily. Please note that Europa-Park and Rulantica are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
How long do I need?
When visiting the resort as part of a short break or holiday, you should consider a minimum of 2 full days on the theme park and the majority of a day at Rulantica. However, 3 days in the theme park is recommended as this will allow you sufficient time to use hotel facilities such as the included hotel gyms, swimming pools and spas, together with all of the 60+ rides (of which 14 are rollercoasters) and many, many shows. There is also a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.
Daily hours for Europa-Park
The park opens early compared to most European theme parks. During the main season (March/April- early November), nearly every ride operates from 9:00am, although access to the main "German Alley" entrance street is from 8:30am (sometimes earlier, if the park is expected to be busy). Depending on how busy the park is expected to be, guests are then held at the top until full opening at 9:00am or, on busier days, selected rides in Germany and Italy will open earlier (including Voletarium) although you will be unable to pass these areas into the rest of the park until 9:00am. Park ride close is announced in the early afternoon each day depending on how busy it is. This can vary any time from 6:00pm up to 8:00pm. The main "German Alley" does not close until 1 hour after the rides, and the EP Express Monorail runs until around midnight every day. You can keep an eye on the latest park hours here on our forum.
Remember: There are a lot of rides at Europa-Park that never get queues over 15 minutes - due to physical queue line space or otherwise. These include the majority of indoor dark rides. So don't worry! Even if it's busy, there's still lots to do without waiting long! Also: queues tend to be much quieter on major rides for the first and last hours of the day.
Here is a rough guide for the longest queues you can expect on rollercoasters and larger water rides:
If Europa-Park closes at 6:00pm or 6:30pm, this is a quiet day (expect queues of up to 30 minutes)
If Europa-Park closes at 7:00pm or 7:30pm, this is a medium day (expect queues of up to 50 minutes)
If Europa-Park closes at 8:00pm or later, this is a busy day (expect queues of up to 60 minutes+ on major rides)
Please note the above thresholds do not apply in the same way during HalloWinter or Winter season, as the park is open until 7pm regardless of crowd level.
The longest queues are generally found on Voltron, Matterhorn Blitz, Wodan, Arthur, Eurosat Can Can Coaster and Blue Fire. Although on hot, sunny days - add Poseidon, Fjord Rafting and Atlantica Super Splash to the list. There is a free Virtual-Line system for a small number of rides (Wodan, Euro-Mir, Blue Fire, Poseidon, Voltron and Voletarium) which you can access via the app although this is extremely limited and consider it luck if you manage to bag one rather than planning your day around it.
Information boards are updated around the park, staff on roller skates carry signs with the latest close time, and it can also be found at the top of the Europa-Park Website homepage - this is updated after lunch every day. During the winter season, the park opens from 11:00am and closes from 7:00pm.
Daily hours for Rulantica
Rulantica operates a much simpler schedule than the park. The Europa-Park waterpark, which opened just last year, opens daily at 9.00am for anybody staying in one of the six Europa-Park resort hotels and at 9.30am for all other guests. It closes daily at 10.00pm with exception to New Year's Eve, when it closes at 7.00pm. Please be aware that Rulantica operates daily. There is no closed period with exception to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Rides and Attractions at Europa-Park
Europa-Park boasts over 60 rides - both big and small which includes 13 rollercoasters:
Voltron - an intense, action-packed multi launch coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2024 - ideal for family/thrill seekers
Eurosat Can Can Coaster - a large indoor rollercoaster from Mack Rides, re-opened 2018 after extensive remodelling - ideal for family/thrill seekers
Ba-a-a Express - a children's rollercoaster from Mack Rides, opened 2016 - ideal for young children
Arthur in the Minimoys Kingdom - an indoor powered coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2014 - ideal for the whole family
Wodan - a wooden coaster from Great Coasters International, opened 2012 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Blue Fire - a launched coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2009 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Pegasus - a family/kiddie coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2006 - ideal for the whole family
Atlantica Super Splash - a water coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2005 - ideal for the whole family
Silver Star - a mega coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard, opened 2002 - suitable for thrill seekers only due to height restriction
Poseidon - a water coaster from Mack Rides, opened 2000 - ideal for the whole family
Matterhorn Blitz - a wild mouse coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1999 - ideal for the whole family
Euro-Mir - a spinning coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1997 - ideal for the family/thrill seekers
Schweizer Bob Bahn - a bobsled coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1986 - ideal for the whole family
Alpenexpress - a powered coaster from Mack Rides, opened 1984 and totally rebuilt for 2024 - ideal for the whole family
Eurosat and Alpenexpress also offer a Virtual Reality ride (Coastiality) experience for an additional charge.
There are also many water rides - including a log flume, rapids ride and splash battle. A range of dark rides, carousels and other rides complete the experience. Park transport is offered by the EP Express, Panorama Railway and Mini Monorail service.in
Rides & Attractions at Rulantica: The Europa-Park Waterpark
Rulantica remains the largest investment yet made at Europa-Park. It accompanies the new Hotel Kronasar, which has a Nordic theme and is based around a museum visit. Rulantica has a massive range of slides and attractions for the whole family. There are high intensity drop slides in Ragnakor, family raft rides in Vinterhal, a half pipe slide, racing slides, outdoor areas, relaxation areas for adults (upgrade to Hyggedal for a serene space full of saunas, steam rooms and lounges at just €12 per adult supplement), kids water pools and slides, wild water rivers, Germany's biggest wave pool, swim-up bars, a range of restaurants and much, much more. We highly recommend visiting this new experience. Check out the entire offering at Rulantica here.
Travel to Europa-Park from the UK
Driving:
Europa-Park is 430 miles from Calais, where you will arrive by ferry from Dover or by channel tunnel from Folkestone. It is around 7 hours driving time, which allows for 2 breaks of 30 minutes. Although a long way, it is easily achievable in one day, although with the journey down to Dover/Folkestone from your location in the UK, many stop off en route. The drive takes the form of two motorways, the A26 from Calais to Reims, and the A4 from Reims to Strasbourg. Beyond Strasbourg, you will enter Germany and it's only a short drive further, across the River Rhine to the resort. Based on past experience, you can leave the Midlands at 6:00am and be at Europa-Park by 8pm. Please note that French motorways are subject to road tolls, so you will need to pay these during your trip. It's worth having some change handy although bank cards are accepted. The total toll charge between Calais and Strasbourg via the A26/A4 currently stands at around €55 (£47) each way. You can drive via Belgium and save on the tolls, although it takes longer, is more convoluted and the roads are considerably busier, due to the fact you have to make your way around the ring roads of major cities including Brussels.
Flights:
Flying is a popular way to travel to/from Europa-Park. There are 2 well served airports within 60 miles of the resort (Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Basel-Mulhouse) and others further afield (Stuttgart). Please note that not all flights operate daily, so be sure to check the flight operator before you make any decisions about from where and to where you plan to fly.
You can fly to airports within the region of Europa-Park from Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London Luton, London Stansted, London Heathrow and London Gatwick. Prices vary depending on airline, and transfers to the park also vary in terms of time/cost.
Airport distances to Europa-Park (approximate):
Karlsruhe Baden-Baden: Transfer via private shuttle or bus/train/bus
Strasbourg: Transfer via train and bus using a 'Europass 24h' ticket for best value, or private shuttle
Basel: Transfer via private shuttle or bus/train/bus
Stuttgart: Transfer via private shuttle or train/bus (please note: this airport is considerably further afield and we have not included flights to this airport in the information below. We recommend comparison sites like Skyscanner to check)
FLIGHTS TO/FROM KARLSRUHE/BADEN-BADEN:
London Stansted - Baden-Baden with Ryanair.
FLIGHTS TO/FROM STRASBOURG:
London Gatwick - Strasbourg with Easyjet.
FLIGHTS TO/FROM BASEL-MULHOUSE:
London Gatwick - Basel with Easyjet.
London Luton - Basel with Easyjet
London Stansted - Basel with Ryanair.
London Heathrow - Basel with British Airways.
Manchester - Basel with Easyjet.
Bristol - Basel with Easyjet
Edinburgh - Basel with Easyjet.
Airport/Eurostar transfers to Europa-Park:
Costs for transfers to Europa-Park vary. You could hire a car from the airport if you wish.
We recommend you download the DB Navigator app. For a complete itinerary and departure times use this app or visit www.bahn.co.uk with your departure as your arrival airport (e.g. Basel Airport or Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport) and destination as Europa-Park Hotel Resort, Rust. Prices are usually very good value although be prepared to change trains a couple of times as Europa-Park is in the countryside and not served by high speed rail directly! Group tickets are widely available and often offer the best value. As trains are regional, you are usually able to take any available train which is great news if you are running late. That said, some services from Basel SBB railway station which are designated IC or ICE *will* be tied to a specific train. RE trains (Regional Express) run by DB are usually flexible, local commuter services. Platforms are always available well in advance and German rail is very easy to use.
If you don't wish to use trains or shuttle buses, private shuttles start around €50pp each way, depending on how many people are sharing the shuttle. This can get expensive compared to using trains - especially for smaller groups and couples or individuals. However, they are very reliable and will time to suit your flight. If you are a group of 6+ then a private shuttle may well be highly appealing. They also take less time (Basel, for example takes 55 minutes by private shuttle or up to 2 hours by train/bus).
If you have any questions or concerns about making use of the German rail system, I recommend the London based call centre for Deutsche Bahn UK. These can be reached on 08718 808066, speak fluent English and will advise you accordingly with regards to the best value ticket for your journey and put your mind at ease.
International (Eurostar) Trains from the UK to Europa-Park
You can travel with Eurostar and high speed TGV train from London to Strasbourg in around 6 1/2 hours. Costs vary, but you should use the Eurostar website and input your destination as Strasbourg. From Strasbourg, you should purchase a “Europass 24 hour” ticket from the blue ticket machines *or* via the DB Navigator app. Bus times from Ringsheim railway station to Europa-Park can be found here.
Accommodation at Europa-Park:
There is an unprecedented range of accommodation for visiting Europa-Park. There are 6 on site hotels and each offers a unique theme style. Prices vary depending on your hotel choice. There is also a Camp Resort, where you can stay in a more rustic environment, in a log cabin, tipi or chuck wagon with centrally located toilet and wash facilities. A Camp site is also available, for caravans, camper vans and tents. Off resort, there are dozens of B&B/guest houses/hotels in the village of Rust, a very short walk from the park entrance. For a guide to booking, see below.
Resort Hotels
There are six resort hotels and a camp resort. Hotel Bell Rock & Hotel Krønasår are the most expensive of the hotels. The latter is located adjacent to Rulantica and you should be aware that access to the other hotels and theme park is via a short walk (10-15 min) or shuttle bus. Hotel Santa Isabel, Hotel Colosseo , Hotel Castillo Alcazar & Hotel El Andaluz are all located closest to the the theme park and priced slightly below Bell Rock and Krønasår. Each hotel has a slightly different assortment of rooms so check the website for full details. Most rooms sleep 4, but there are 5 and 6 person rooms available. Of course, if you're a couple or individual this is perfectly possible although the price per person will be significantly higher for single or double occupancy.
The Camp Resort offers a wide range of 4 and 6-bed Tipi's and 6, 12 and 16-bed Log Cabins. These are a budget offering and guests are required to provide sleeping bags. Pillows and a bottom sheet are provided. Think of it as glamping-lite. Camping and caravanning is also available at the Camp Resort for very low prices. Prices for camping are low - check the website for the latest prices. In 2025, a new hotel will open on this site - assumed to be 2 or 3 star rating, lower than the other resort hotels. Watch this space!
To view all the official resort accommodation, or to book, visit here. Please book well in advance, as often, accommodation is passed to third parties for sale - such as Expedia. if you cannot find the accommodation availability you are looking for, please email direct with your query to [email protected].
Off Resort
Booking.com is a great gateway to find local B&B accommodation near Europa-Park. Search Europa-Park. Ensure you select accommodation that is in the village of Rust. Most accommodation is within a 15 minute walk of the park entrance, and 20 minutes walk to the resort hotels - so you can still use the bars and restaurants as you so wish! There are also a small number of chain hotels in the village including Moxy by Marriott and Dormero. A Holiday Inn Express can be found 5 minutes drive away in Ringsheim adjacent to the A5 motorway exit.
Park Tickets
View all prices, and book 1 or 2-day passes. here. For 3-day passes, you can book these as part of a hotel package or on the day at the park. For additional days (I.e. 4-day passes), this can be bought at the resort hotels. You may wish to consider an Annual "Resort" Pass if you are visiting for 6+ days over a year. Annual Passes also give you exclusive discount vouchers and seasonal mailshots. Other benefits include one free entry to the theme parks: Blackpool Pleasure Beach (UK), PortAventura (Spain), Liseberg (Sweden), Isla Magica (Spain), Emerald Park (Ireland) and Efteling (Holland) as well as 40% off admission to Plopsa theme parks and attractions such as Holiday Park (Germany) and Plopsaland (Belgium).
Early Ride Time[/I]
Hotel Guests (not camp resort guests) get Early Ride Time on selected rides from 8:30-9:00am (Summer and Halloween seasons) and 10:00-11:00am (HalloWinter and Winter seasons). The rides offered depend on the time of year. In quieter periods, it may only be some smaller family rides - but almost always includes Feria Swing, Columbus Dinghy, Alpenexpress and Vienna Waveswinger. Other rides included can include Tirol Log Flume, Atlantica Super Splash and Blue Fire. In winter, the Belle Vue observation wheel also opens. During busy periods (weekends, holidays) you may be able to access the park earlier than the time stated (often 8.15am in summer).
Languages
Most staff speak German plus another language, usually French or English. Staff wear name badges which also have flags of the countries for the languages they speak. Do not be put off - if you do not speak German, you will have no difficulties. However, it may be useful to learn the basics such as "please" and "thank you".
Food and Drink
Europa-Park pride themselves on a high quality gastronomic experience. Eating on park can be a pleasure, whether you choose a themed experience in Switzerland at the Raclette Parlour, or the modern splendour of FoodLoop - which was the world's first restaurant where your food is delivered on looping rollercoaster track!
Typically, on park, a lunch at one of the mid-range self-service outlets (i.e. Fjord Restaurant in Scandinavia, See-Restaurant in Austria, FoodLoop in England, Pizzeria Venezia in Italy etc.) will set you back around €20 (£17) for a main course, dessert and drink. The burger/fast food outlets in Russia (Euro-Mir Burger), England (The Three Piglets) and Germany (Euro Burger), or the more 'light' options such as Bamboo Bay Wok Restaurant in Holland, Kaffi Hus and Moby Dick Hot Dogs in Iceland or the Colonial Restaurant in Adventureland will cost you around €15(£12) with drinks. There are also sit down a-la-carte restaurants in the park, including SWR3 Rock Café in Germany (burgers, ribs, hot sandwiches), the historic Balthasar Castle in Germany (traditional German foods), and Restaurant Don Quijote in Spain (Spanish).
Soft drinks in the park cost around €4.00 (£3.40) depending on the size. You can also purchase bottled 500ml beverages from Coca-Cola for similar, with €0.25 of the price as tax, which is returned if you return the empty bottle. A 1/2 litre beer (the equivalent of a pint in the UK) in the resort costs around €6 (£5). A glass of wine is around €6 (£5). Cocktails, which are available in some park outlets and across the hotel bars, generally cost between €10 and €15 (£8 and £13).
As for evening meals, costs vary a lot depending on where you go. The cheapest 'proper' restaurant run by Europa-Park is Silver Lake Saloon, which is at the Camp Resort - a 20 minute walk from the resort hotels via the perimeter access road. Food and service is excellent, and there is live music and/or entertainment pretty much every evening. It's a steak arena mainly, with burgers, steaks and salads. Prices for things like burger and chips are around €18 (£14) and the more premium steaks are more like €35(£29). There is also Cantina Amigo at the Camp Resort, next door to Silver Lake. It's much cheaper - you can buy Bratwurst sausages, Chilli, basic burgers etc. with prices around €12 (£10) for most meals although it's far less formal.
The buffet restaurants at Hotel Colosseo, Hotel Castillo Alcazar and Hotel Bell Rock cost around €50 (£42). Although expensive, the food is excellent and plentiful. Hotel Santa Isabel also has a buffet but this is more premium, costing around €55 (£47). The prices quoted are for unlimited food but do not include drinks. The a-la-carte restaurants in El Andaluz (Spanish influence) and Colosseo (Italian influence) will cost you around €50 (£42) for three courses. The a-la-carte restaurant 'Capains Finest' at Hotel Bell Rock will cost you around €60 (£48) for two courses and is more suited to things like steaks and fresh fish dishes. The premium restaurant is Ammolite at Bell Rock which has two Michelin stars. This will cost around €200 (£160) per person and is absolutely top class, first rate - one of the best restaurants in Germany!
Please be aware that at a-la-carte restaurants in Germany, starters are typically far more expensive than you would pay in the UK. Water is also expensive and the Germans seem reluctant to provide free tap water! Be warned!
Here's a quick guide on how to go about booking resort accommodation at EP:
The person booking the accommodation will find that no money is taken from your account at the time of booking unless you book one of the very limited, promotional rates. A credit/debit card number must be given, which is used in the case of a no show. You are free to cancel the reservation at any time up to 5 days before the stay. Unusually for a major resort, there is no charge for cancellation.
Unlike say, Alton Towers, prices for Europa-Park accommodation are set for the season and do not change (aside from New Years Eve).
You should book as quickly as possible, once you have decided to stay on resort. Europa's hotels run at a very high occupancy through the season and they are likely to be fully booked by the time you visit!
GET THE APP!
There is an app for iPhone and Android, available to download. It is updated throughout every day, with show times, ride close time, weather and the latest park news!
If you have any questions about any aspect of your trip to Europa-Park/Rulantica, please ask in this thread!
All prices shown in Pounds are subject to change depending on the exchange rate. Myself nor TowersStreet take any responsibility for inaccurate information![/I]
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