Ride it while you can: Euro-Mir, the mirror-towered icon of Europa-Park’s Russian quarter, is in its farewell season. On March 25, 2026 the park announced that 2026 would be the coaster’s final year of operation before it closes for redevelopment at season’s end — the end of nearly three decades for one of the most distinctive spinning coasters ever built.
Opened June 12, 1997 and designed by park founder Franz Mack, Euro-Mir sends riders on a trip to the Russian space station Mir and back through re-entry, aboard circular cars that rotate as they weave between five gleaming tower columns.
Key Stats
| Height | 92 ft (28 m) |
| Drop | 86 ft (26 m) |
| Speed | 49.7 mph (80 km/h) |
| Track length | 3,215 ft (980 m) |
| Max g-force | 4 |
| Duration | 4:33 |
| Riders per train | 16 (4 spinning cars) |
| Capacity | 1,600 riders/hour |
| Type | Steel spinning coaster |
| Manufacturer | Mack Rides |
| Opened | June 12, 1997 |
A Spinning Trip to the Mir Station
Euro-Mir opens with an enclosed spiral lift set to a pounding techno soundtrack — a Europa-Park signature — before emerging high above the park among mirrored towers. The cars seat riders back-to-back in pairs, and as the train snakes downward around the towers, each circular car rotates, delivering long stretches ridden fully backwards before the 26-meter main drop and a 4G finale. Nine trains keep capacity at a healthy 1,600 guests per hour.
The Farewell Season
Europa-Park confirmed in March 2026 that Euro-Mir will close for redevelopment after the 2026 season, ending a run that began in 1997. The ride’s space-race theming — a tribute to the real Mir station, with exterior design by P&P Projects — has made it one of the park’s most photographed structures, and its retro-futurist towers have defined the Rust skyline for a generation.
Legacy
Euro-Mir proved that a spinning coaster could be a full-scale thrill ride rather than a fairground novelty, pulling 4Gs and an 80 km/h top speed across nearly a kilometer of track. At 4 minutes 33 seconds it also delivers one of the longer coaster experiences in Europe — see how it compares on our list of the longest ride times at theme parks.
FAQ
When is Euro-Mir closing?
Europa-Park announced on March 25, 2026 that the 2026 season will be Euro-Mir’s last; the coaster closes for redevelopment at the end of the season.
Does Euro-Mir go upside down?
No — there are no inversions. The intensity comes from spinning cars, backwards segments, an 86-foot (26 m) drop, and forces up to 4G.
How fast and tall is Euro-Mir?
It stands 92 feet (28 m) tall and reaches 49.7 mph (80 km/h) over 3,215 feet (980 m) of track — a 4-minute-33-second ride.
Photo: Gabriel Rinaldi via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)