iSpeed is the ride Mirabilandia built its reputation on: a magnetic-launch sprint from a dead stop to highway speed in roughly two seconds, straight into a 180-foot top hat. Since opening in May 2009, it’s held the title of Italy’s tallest and fastest launched roller coaster, and it’s still the ride most first-time visitors ask about before they even walk through the gates.
This guide covers everything riders actually search for before getting in line: exact speed and height stats, what the launch and layout feel like, minimum height and age rules, where to find it in the park, how it compares to its Intamin Blitz Coaster sibling Maverick, and how to plan a visit around it without wasting a day standing in a queue.
Quick Answer
iSpeed is an Intamin LSM launch coaster at Mirabilandia in Savio, Italy, that opened May 20, 2009. It launches riders from 0 to about 68 mph in roughly 2.2 seconds, reaches a top speed near 74.6 mph (120 km/h), and climbs a 180-foot top hat before running through a corkscrew, an inline twist, and airtime hills — Italy’s tallest and fastest launched coaster.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Mirabilandia (Savio, Emilia-Romagna, Italy) | Manufacturer: Intamin (Blitz Coaster model) | Designer: Werner Stengel’s engineering firm | Opened: May 20, 2009 | Height: about 180 ft (55 m) | Top speed: about 74.6 mph (120 km/h) | Launch speed: 0 to roughly 68 mph in 2.2 seconds | Length: about 3,215 ft (980 m) | Inversions: 2 (Corkscrew, Inline Twist) | Ride duration: roughly 1 minute | Trains: 2 trains of 3 cars, seated 2-across in 2 rows for 12 riders per train | Minimum height: about 140 cm (55 in), with a maximum height around 195 cm | Recommended minimum age: around 12 | Construction cost: about €15 million.
The Ride Experience
The ride opens with an LSM (linear synchronous motor) launch that hurls the train from a standstill to roughly 68 mph in about 2.2 seconds — no chain lift, no anticipation, just an immediate shove of acceleration that Mirabilandia markets as a Formula 1-style launch off the grid. Riders are fired directly into the 180-foot top hat, climbing almost straight up before tipping over the crest and dropping back toward the ground at a near-vertical angle, which is where the ride actually picks up its higher top speed of around 74.6 mph.
After the top hat, the layout tightens into a corkscrew and an inline twist, threaded between airtime-filled hills and a couple of banked helixes. Because the whole course is packed into a compact footprint, transitions come quickly — the ride is over in about a minute, but it’s a dense minute with almost no downtime between elements.
Height and Age Requirements: Who Can Ride
iSpeed’s intensity — a rapid launch, a tall top hat, and two inversions — puts it in Mirabilandia’s teen-and-adult category rather than a family coaster; the park itself lists it as an “intense” attraction aimed at teenagers and adults. The official minimum height is 140 cm (about 55 in), with a maximum height around 195 cm, and a recommended minimum age of about 12.
These figures can be adjusted by the park, so riders planning a visit around this specific coaster should confirm current height and age requirements on the official Mirabilandia iSpeed attraction page before arriving.
iSpeed vs. Maverick: How the Blitz Coaster Twins Compare
iSpeed was only the second Blitz Coaster model Intamin ever built, following Maverick at Cedar Point in Ohio, and both share the same Werner Stengel-designed engineering approach — an LSM launch system standing in for a traditional chain lift, paired with a tight, twisting layout. The two rides open differently, though: iSpeed’s launch fires riders directly into its 180-foot top hat, while Maverick’s opening LSM launch instead sends the train up a 105-foot inclined lift hill before its signature 95-degree drop. Maverick also runs a longer course with a second launch partway through, while iSpeed keeps everything in one dense minute and leans entirely on Route 66 and Formula 1 theming rather than a Wild West backstory.
Both use the same magnetic-brake fin technology, but riders who’ve done both consistently describe iSpeed as the more intense of the two simply because its elements come at you with almost no breathing room between the launch and the finish.
Theme and Location: Formula 1 Speed in the Route 66 Area
iSpeed sits inside Mirabilandia’s Route 66 themed area, the section of the park built around the imagery of America’s classic cross-country highway. Despite that setting, the ride’s own theme leans hard into motorsport — Mirabilandia markets iSpeed as the closest a coaster gets to a Formula 1 launch, built around the sensation of being shot off the line by a race car’s acceleration rather than dragged up a lift hill.
That framing is more than marketing color: the LSM launch genuinely mimics the instant, seatback-pressing acceleration of a race car leaving the grid, which is the core selling point that separates iSpeed from Mirabilandia’s other coasters, including the park’s Ducati-themed launch coaster Desmo Race.
Engineering and Legacy
The track uses copper alloy fins mounted along the layout that interact with magnets on the train to help regulate speed and provide additional braking through the course, on top of the LSM launch system itself — the same magnetic-brake approach used on Maverick and other Intamin launch coasters. Built for about €15 million, iSpeed replaced the wooden coaster Sierra Tonante on the same plot of land and became a signature attraction for the park.
It runs two trains, each made of three cars seated two-across in two rows for 12 riders per train, and has held the title of Italy’s tallest and fastest launched roller coaster since its May 2009 debut — a record it still holds today.
Best Time to Ride and Avoiding Lines
Because iSpeed is one of Mirabilandia’s headline attractions, it draws long queues during peak summer weekends and holiday periods. As with most high-capacity launch coasters, the shortest waits are typically right at park opening or in the final hour or two before close, and lines generally ease on weekday visits outside of July and August.
For guests who don’t want to wait in the standard queue, Mirabilandia sells optional Flash Pass products (Regular, Gold, and One Shot tiers) that iSpeed accepts, letting riders book faster access to the attraction. Availability and pricing for Flash Pass change by season, so check current options through the park’s official ticketing page before your visit.
Planning Your Visit
iSpeed is included with standard Mirabilandia park admission — there’s no separate charge to ride. Single-day tickets are generally cheapest when bought online in advance rather than at the gate, and prices rise on peak summer dates; the park also sells multi-day passes, combined tickets that include the Mirabeach water park, and season passes for repeat visitors.
Mirabilandia operates on a seasonal schedule that runs roughly from spring through early autumn, with shorter daytime hours in spring and fall and extended evening hours during the June–August peak season. Exact opening times and dates shift year to year and the park can change ride availability without notice, so check the official Mirabilandia website directly for the current calendar, ticket prices, and Flash Pass options before you go.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Keeps your phone strapped to you, not in a loose-article bin. Zip it before the lift hill and walk straight off the exit ramp.
Rapids, log flumes and splash zones without the rice-bag aftermath. The touchscreen still works through the window, so you can still take photos.
iSpeed Mirabilandia FAQs
How fast does iSpeed go?
iSpeed’s LSM launch accelerates trains to about 68 mph in 2.2 seconds, and the ride reaches a top speed of around 74.6 mph (120 km/h) coming down from the top hat, making it Italy’s fastest launch coaster.
How tall do you have to be to ride iSpeed?
Mirabilandia lists a minimum height of about 140 cm (roughly 55 in) and a maximum height around 195 cm for iSpeed, with a recommended minimum age of about 12. Always confirm current requirements on the official park site before visiting.
Where is iSpeed located in Mirabilandia?
iSpeed is located in the Route 66 themed area of Mirabilandia, the section of the park designed around the imagery of America’s historic cross-country highway.
Who manufactured iSpeed?
iSpeed was built by Intamin as the second-ever Blitz Coaster model, following Maverick at Cedar Point in Ohio, with layout engineering from Werner Stengel’s design firm.
Is iSpeed the same as Maverick at Cedar Point?
No, but they’re closely related. Both are Intamin Blitz Coasters that use an LSM launch instead of a chain lift, but iSpeed’s launch fires riders directly into a top hat while Maverick’s opening launch climbs a 105-foot inclined lift hill before its signature drop; Maverick also runs a longer layout with a second mid-course launch, while iSpeed keeps its entire ride to about one continuous minute.
Do you need a Flash Pass to ride iSpeed?
No, iSpeed is included with regular park admission. Flash Pass is an optional paid add-on that lets you skip the standard queue, and iSpeed accepts the Regular, Gold, and One Shot Flash Pass tiers.
What does iSpeed’s theme represent?
iSpeed is themed around Formula 1 racing, built to replicate the instant acceleration of a race car launching off the starting grid, even though the ride itself sits within Mirabilandia’s Route 66-themed area.
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