Dragon Khan is a steel sit-down roller coaster at PortAventura Park in Salou, Tarragona, Spain, built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) and opened on May 2, 1995. One of two coasters present on the park’s opening day, it immediately established PortAventura as a serious destination for thrill-seekers across Europe.
When it debuted, Dragon Khan set a world record with eight inversions on a single ride — a title it held for nearly seven years until the ten-inversion Colossus opened at Thorpe Park in 2002. It also briefly claimed the record for the world’s tallest vertical loop at 36 meters, giving the coaster an outsized place in roller coaster history for a ride of its era.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: PortAventura Park
- Location: Salou, Tarragona, Spain
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M)
- Opened: May 2, 1995
- Height: 148 ft (45 m)
- Top Speed: 65 mph (105 km/h)
- Length: 4,163 ft (1,269 m)
- Inversions: 8
The Ride Experience
Dragon Khan’s layout wastes no time — after climbing a 148-foot lift hill, riders plunge into a rapid succession of eight distinct inversion elements: two vertical loops, a diving loop, a heartline zero-G roll, a cobra roll, and two final corkscrews. The train hits 65 mph and threads through the entire sequence in just one minute and 45 seconds, rarely giving riders a moment to catch their breath between elements.
Three trains, each seating 28 riders four across in a single row, keep throughput high. The wide, open seating arrangement — a hallmark of B&M’s sit-down design — gives every rider unobstructed views of the Spanish sky and the China-themed area of the park that surrounds the coaster.
Records and Legacy
At its 1995 opening, Dragon Khan was the most inverted roller coaster on the planet. That record stood until Colossus at Thorpe Park, England, debuted with ten inversions in March 2002. During that same debut season, Dragon Khan also held the record for the tallest vertical loop in the world — a 36-meter loop that was surpassed a year later by Mantis at Cedar Point.
Despite losing its records, Dragon Khan has remained one of the most celebrated B&M coasters in Europe, consistently ranking among the top coasters on the continent. Its combination of sustained speed, aggressive inversion count, and smooth B&M transitions continues to draw riders decades after its opening.
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Dragon Khan FAQs
How many inversions does Dragon Khan have?
Dragon Khan has eight inversions: two vertical loops, a diving loop, a heartline zero-G roll, a cobra roll, and two corkscrews. This was a world record when the ride opened in 1995.
Who built Dragon Khan?
Dragon Khan was designed and built by Swiss coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), with track layout work by designer Werner Stengel. It opened at PortAventura Park on May 2, 1995.
Is Dragon Khan still operating?
Yes, Dragon Khan is still operating at PortAventura Park in Salou, Spain, more than 30 years after its 1995 debut.
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Photo: Sotti / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.