Helix is a steel multi-launch roller coaster at Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden. Built by Mack Rides and opened on April 26, 2014, the ride weaves through and over the rocky hillside terrain that gives Liseberg much of its distinctive character, with two linear synchronous motor launches propelling riders to a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).
Spanning 1,381 meters (4,531 feet) of track and packing in seven inversions, Helix delivers one of Europe’s most varied inversion sequences — including a pretzel knot, a zero-g roll, two corkscrews, a top hat, and a rare Norwegian loop. The full circuit lasts 2 minutes and 10 seconds and pulls a maximum of 4.3g, earning Helix consistent recognition as one of the continent’s premier roller coasters since its debut.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Manufacturer: Mack Rides
- Opened: April 26, 2014
- Height: 41 m (135 ft)
- Top Speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)
- Length: 1,381 m (4,531 ft)
- Inversions: 7
- Duration: 2 min 10 sec
The Ride Experience
Helix opens with a rolling LSM launch that sends the train into the hillside before a second boost launch brings it up to full speed. The layout then snakes through seven inversions in quick succession: two corkscrews, a pretzel knot, a zero-g roll, a top hat, and the headline element — a Norwegian loop, a rare inversion type found on very few coasters worldwide. Throughout, the track hugs the park’s natural rock formations, diving close to the ground and threading past existing structures in ways that keep the layout feeling unpredictable.
The terrain-integrated design required blasting through existing rock on site, a construction challenge that ultimately shaped the coaster’s unusually organic path. Riders in all 20 seats across each five-car train experience the same sustained intensity, with the 4.3g peak forces arriving at multiple points rather than in a single climactic moment.
Design and Legacy
Helix was designed by Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH and cost approximately 239 million Swedish kronor to construct, including around 40 million kronor for the rock-blasting work alone. That investment produced a layout unlike anything Mack Rides had built before — a terrain coaster with the pacing of a launched ride and an inversion count more typical of a looping coaster.
Since opening, Helix has ranked consistently among the top roller coasters in Europe in enthusiast surveys and trade-press coverage. Its success helped establish Mack Rides as a serious force in the launch-coaster market, and its design philosophy — marrying terrain interaction with multi-launch intensity — has been echoed in subsequent installations from the manufacturer around the world.
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Helix FAQs
Where is Helix located?
Helix is located at Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden.
How many inversions does Helix have?
Helix has 7 inversions, including two corkscrews, a pretzel knot, a zero-g roll, a top hat, and a rare Norwegian loop.
Who built Helix and when did it open?
Helix was built by German manufacturer Mack Rides and opened on April 26, 2014, as part of Liseberg’s 2014 season.
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Photo: Albin Olsson / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.