Guide to a Perfect Day in Europapark
Europapark is Germany’s biggest – and one of Europe’s most beloved – theme parks.
The idea behind the park is that you get to explore the entire continent in just a day or two. The park is divided into sections, each representing a different European country.
In each ‘country’, you’ll find multiple attractions, including rollercoasters, other rides, live shows, restaurants, and exhibits.
Visiting Europapark has been on my bucket list for ages, and it was 100% worth the visit.
Hopefully, this guide can show you all the things I wish I’d known before my visit, to help make yours a bit less stressful and even more enjoyable than mine.
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Summer is Europapark’s high season, like it is at many theme parks. During this time of year, queues to go on rides will be longer, but it also has its perks. Most importantly, the water rides are most enjoyable during this time – and they were definitely a highlight for me when I visited.
It’s also important to remember that summer is probably the best time to visit if you also plan to go to Rulantica, the water park also situated in Rust.
Mid-June to August tend to be busiest, so if your top priority is to avoid the crowds, consider going at another time. That being said, I took my trip during summer and didn’t find it as overcrowded as I’d expected.
While September is a bit quieter, the park has another boom in popularity during October, because for the entire month, Europapark becomes a paradise for Halloween lovers.
During the winter season (November to January), Europapark is transformed into a beautiful snowy wonderland. The water rides may be closed, but instead, you’ll be greeted by a charming Christmas market and winter activities, from snow tubing to ice skating.
Usually, the park is closed for about a month and a half (February to mid-March), between the winter and summer seasons. Check the website for specific dates of all the seasons, as well as opening times for each season.
Whenever you choose to visit, Europapark will have something great to offer. I might be a bit biased because I visited the park during summer and enjoyed the water rides so much, but I think it just depends on what you want to see and experience when you’re there.
If I were to visit again, I’d consider visiting during May or September, when the weather is warm but the crowds are less.
Another tip I have is to check when the German school holidays and AVOID THOSE AT ALL COSTS!!! Also, Tuesdays and Wednesdays seem to be the least busy days of the week to visit.
How Many Days Should You Plan For?
We only spent one day in Europapark, but we were in Rust for 3 days. We arrived at the park at around 8:30 AM and left at around 6:00 PM. By the time we left, we were all completely exhausted and most of the crowds had cleared out.
Even though we spent almost 10 hours in the park, it wasn’t quite enough time for us to get through everything. The first couple of attractions and countries we went to, we were able to explore really well, but throughout the day, it became clearer that we wouldn’t get through the whole thing, so we started rushing a bit.
That’s why, if you have the time, I’d recommend visiting Europapark for two days. That way, you’ll be able to see all parts of the park, including rides, shows, and shops, without feeling rushed.
How to Get to Europapark
Europapark is situated in the small town of Rust in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, near the French border. It really is a SMALL town, with little situated there besides Europapark, the water park Rulantica, and, subsequently, tons of B&Bs and hotels.
Rust doesn’t even have its own train station, so it might be confusing to get there.
The closest train station is Ringsheim (often called Ringsheim/Europapark). The station is very small, so connections are somewhat limited, although they’re quite frequent. If you’re coming from another part of Germany, you’ll probably need to transfer either in Offenburg or in Freiburg am Breisgau – the most common connections to Ringsheim.
There are also trains that run from Frankfurt, Paris, and Milan.
Though Europapark is often included in the station’s name, it’s further away from Rust than you might think – about an hour’s walk. Luckily, there’s a bus (number 7231) that runs from the train station to Rust, including a stop directly at Europapark. You can buy tickets for about 3€ from the bus driver.
The bus doesn’t run very frequently, though – even when we visited in peak season, it only came every 30 minutes. And we actually ended up with the problem that we missed the last bus (it only runs until around 9:00 PM on weekdays and 6:00 PM on weekends). So we had to take a taxi and paid over 25€ for a 10-minute car ride!!! So, obviously, try to avoid that.
Where to Stay
1. In the Park
Europapark has 6 themed 4-star hotels that come with some extra perks. On top of spa and fitness facilities, you’ll get early access to the Europapark and Rulantica (before the general public can enter).
The hotels are probably the priciest option, but they’re great if you want to enhance your trip with a themed hotel and early access to the park.
Besides Hotel Krønasår, which is near Rulantica water park, all the hotels are situated on the premises of Europapark.
- Hotel Colosseo: Themed after Ancient Rome, this 4-star superior hotel, boasts a grand piazza with a beautiful water light show, beautiful fountains, and Roman baths.
- Hotel Bell Rock: With a nautical New England theme, this hotel is quiet and sophisticated.
- Hotel Santa Isabel: This hotel is modeled after a Portuguese monastery. It’s great for couples and has the best spa facilities.
- Hotel El Andaluz: The Spanish villa theme makes for a warm, cozy, Mediterranean charm. It shares a beautiful crystal-blue pool with Hotel Castillo Alcazar.
- Hotel Castillo Alcazar: Styled after a medieval Spanish castle, this is a great hotel for families with young kids.
- Hotel Krønasår: A Nordic-themed hotel with cozy, historical rooms and traditional Scandinavian wellness facilities.
Alternatively, you can stay at Silver Lake City in Europapark. Silver Lake City is a Western-themed ‘town’, where you’ll find more accommodation options. There’s a camping site and a caravaning spot, both of which are quite affordable.
Silver Lake City is also home to Tipi Town, where you can stay in a traditional-style tipi tent.
In Silver Lake City, there are themed restaurants and bars, as well as fun activities to try outside of park times, including mini golf, bull riding, live music, and lasso shows.
2. In Rust
In my opinion, staying outside Europapark in Rust is the best option. The Europapark hotels are great if you have the money, but let’s be real, they’re pretty pricey. Though the B&Bs in Rust are more expensive than in other nearby towns, I 100% think it’s worth staying so close to the park.
Rust is so small, you’re bound to be within 20 minutes’ walking distance to the park.
We stayed in Pension Marianna, which was affordable, had a great breakfast, and was only a 15-minute walk from Europapark.
Here are some other accommodations to check out:
- Budget: Gasthaus Krone, Pension Neulen
- Mid-Range: Moxy Rust, Hotel & Pension am Park
3. Outside of Rust
If you choose to stay outside of Rust, you might save money, but you’ll have to expect that getting to Rust on the day of your visit will be a bit of a nightmare.
Because the bus from the train station to Europapark runs so infrequently, there are always more people waiting than the bus can carry. We took a day trip from Rust on one of the days we were there, so we passed by the massive crowds of waiting people at the train station.
If you’re traveling to Europapark by train, you’ll need to get to Ringsheim super early – I’d recommend before 8:00 AM. I think that’s the only way to avoid the big crowds.
If you’re traveling via car, this might be a great option, though. Because of Europapark, accommodations in Rust can inflate their prices whereas the surrounding towns and areas will be more affordable and quieter at the same time.
Here are some of the places I’d consider staying in:
- Herbolzheim: More budget-friendly and quieter than Rust. The town is a 15-minute drive from Europapark, so it’s ideal if you have a car.
- Ringsheim: The closest town to Rust, only a 10-minute drive from the park. You can also take the bus from here.
- Ettenheim: A charming small town with medieval vibes, perfect if you want to explore a quaint German village on your visit. It has a beautiful Old Town and more bakeries and restaurants than Rust and is a 15-minute drive away.
Buying Tickets
I’d highly recommend buying your tickets online ahead of time. This way, you’ll avoid long queues and high ticket prices.
Ticket prices go up as the park’s popularity increases. So you might book a ticket online for 60€ and get there on the day to find that tickets for the day cost 75€. If you arrive after 4:00 PM, you’ll get a cheaper ticket (usually around 40€).
Also consider getting the Ride&Slide Ticket, which includes entrance to Europapark during the day and Rulantica access in the evening.
The Best Things to Do in the Park
1. Rides
Europapark is probably most well-known for its rollercoasters and other typical theme park rides, including water rides and carousels. Most likely, if you’re visiting, you’re planning to spend at least some of your time on these rides.
There are many different types of rides – there’s really something for everyone. I prefer to try a variety of rides (i.e. not just the same type of ride ten times in a row).
High-speed Rollercoasters (for the adrenaline junkie):
- Voltron Nevera (Croatia)
- Blue Fire Megacoaster (Iceland)
- Silver Star (France)
- Euro-Mir (Russia)
Water Rides (Perfect on a hot day):
- Poseidon (Greece)
- Tirol Log Fume (Austria)
- Fjord-Rafting (Scandinavia)
- Atlantica Super Splash (Portugal)
Family Rides:
- Sleigh Ride Snowflake (Russia)
- Atlantis Adventure (Greece)
- Liechtenstein Balloon Ride (Liechtenstein)
- Jungfrau Glacier Flight (Switzerland)
- Koffiekopjes (Holland)
Slower Rides:
- Josefina’s Magical Imperial Journey (Austria)
- Elf Ride (Germany)
- Pegasus (Greece)
- Whale Adventures – Northern Lights (Iceland)
We visited Europapark on one of the hottest days of the year, so my favourite ride was Atlantica Super Splash. I also loved the Swiss Bob Run and found Josefina’s Magical Imperial Journey to be, as the name suggests, truly magical.
But if I have just one tip for you, it’s not to focus too much on only going on the big rides. Our group split up a few times because only some of us wanted to go on all the major rollercoasters. Meanwhile, my partner and I explored the rest of the park – as a result, we ended up seeing much more of it.
At the big rollercoasters, you’ll spend 30 minutes to an hour waiting in line – that’s just so much time to lose. During the time the rest of our group spent waiting for 3 rides, we went to 2 shows, on 3 rides, got something to eat, and explored the Enchanted Forest.
2. Other Attractions
One of my favourite parts of the whole park was visiting Grimm’s Enchanted Forest. As someone who grew up on German fairytales like Frau Holle and Tischlein deck dich, this took me right back to my childhood.
But even if you didn’t, you’ll find scenes from familiar fairytales like Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel in the Enchanted Forest. Many of the scenes are interactive, with buttons you can press to make the fairytale come to life.
Even the bathroom looked magical!
The Enchanted Forest has its own section in the park, but there are lots of small exhibitions and scenes all over the park you can visit, including a Russian Village, Space Station, and even a museum on Nikola Tesla.
3. Shows
The shows were one of the highlights of my day in Europapark. We saw two, but there are SO many!
The shows are relatively short, usually only 15 or 30 minutes, so they make for a great break when you get tired.
We watched the ice show in the Ice Stadium in Greece, as well as the high diving show in Portugal. The performers are super talented, and I found the shows witty and really entertaining.
I would’ve loved to see the show at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre and the Flamenco show on the Spanish stage, which we unfortunately missed. Check the schedule in the morning and decide where you’ll go, because I only realised around midday that these shows even existed.
The Europapark App
The Europapark and Rulantica app is a great tool for your visit. I highly recommend downloading it before visiting.
The main thing you’ll need the app for is navigation. On it, you can see every single attraction in the park, what time the shows start, and approximate waiting times for each ride.
You can even see specific information for each ride, like the maximum speed, height, and total duration. This way, you can work out what each ride entails and which ones you want to take.
You can also use the app to join Virtual Lines – make sure you do this early on, because the space is limited and fills up very quickly. Use the Virtual Line option for especially busy rides like the Blue Fire Megacoaster and the Voltron Nevera. You can even choose a timeslot for later during the day.
Essentials to Bring Along
- Power bank: If you plan to use the app and take lots of photos and videos, don’t forget to bring a power bank.
- Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses: Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen throughout the day if you’re visiting during summer.
- Refillable water bottle: Instead of buying €5 water in the park, bring your own water bottle that you can refill at water fountains and in bathrooms (yes, the water is safe to drink).
- Cash AND card: Just to be sure, I’d have both payment options on hand, because some places only take cash and others only accept card payment.
- Parking ticket: If you’re driving to the park yourself, you’ll need to buy a parking ticket ahead of time on the website. Either print it or download it digitally.
- Comfortable, closed shoes: You’ll be walking a lot, so choose sturdy shoes and preferably closed ones that won’t fly off when you’re on a ride.
- Spare socks: You’ll be thanking me for this tip when your shoes get wet on the water rides.
- Hand sanitiser or wipes: I needed these more than once when I visited.
