When Efteling retired its beloved 34-year-old Bob bobsled coaster, the Dutch fairy-tale park replaced one ride with two. Max & Moritz opened on June 20, 2020 in the park’s Anderrijk area: a €15 million dual powered coaster from Mack Rides, with two side-by-side tracks named for the two most notorious pranksters in German children’s literature.
Based on Wilhelm Busch’s classic 1865 illustrated story “Max und Moritz,” the attraction sends two trains — one for each mischievous brother — racing out of a shared station, turning a family coaster into a head-to-head event.
Key Stats
| Height | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Speed | 36 km/h (22 mph) |
| Track length | 300 m (984 ft) per track |
| Tracks | 2 — “Max” (blue) and “Moritz” (green) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Riders per hour | 2,000 (both tracks) |
| Manufacturer | Mack Rides |
| Type | Dual powered coaster |
| Opened | June 20, 2020 |
| Cost | €15 million |
| Minimum height | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
Two Tracks, Two Pranksters
Max & Moritz is really two coasters in one: the blue track belongs to Max, the green to Moritz. Because the trains are powered — driven by motors rather than dropped from a big lift hill — the ride keeps a lively, consistent pace across its 300-meter course without ever needing to climb high. Top height is just 6 meters, and top speed 36 km/h, which puts the fun squarely in the racing, the theming and the near-misses rather than raw force.
Built by Mack Rides, the German family firm behind many of Europe’s best coasters, the twin tracks together push through about 2,000 riders per hour — throughput worthy of our highest-capacity roller coasters conversation, and essential at a park as busy as Efteling.
From Bob to Busch
The ride stands on the site of Bob, the Intamin-era bobsled coaster that ran at Efteling from 1985 until 2019. Rather than replace it with another thrill machine, Efteling doubled down on its storytelling DNA, choosing Wilhelm Busch’s 1865 tale of two boys whose pranks escalate wildly — a story every Dutch and German child grows up with.
The theming carries through the whole experience, from the alpine-village station shared by both tracks to the trains styled around the brothers’ mischief. With a 1-meter minimum height, it is squarely aimed at families with kids roughly 4 to 10 years old — the same audience Bob served for three decades.
Practical Notes for Riders
Max & Moritz offers a single-rider line and a baby-switch option, rarities on family coasters. One quirk of the powered design: in extreme summer heat, thermal expansion of the track has occasionally forced Efteling to limit which trains run — a reminder that even a 6-meter-tall coaster is a serious piece of engineering.
FAQ
Is Max & Moritz a real roller coaster?
Yes — it is a dual powered coaster built by Mack Rides, with two 300-meter tracks reaching 36 km/h. Powered coasters use motor-driven trains instead of a tall lift hill, keeping speeds family-friendly.
What is the difference between the two tracks?
The two tracks run side by side out of a shared station: the blue track is themed to Max, the green track to Moritz. Both are 300 meters long, so pick your favorite prankster and race.
What did Max & Moritz replace at Efteling?
It replaced Bob, Efteling’s bobsled coaster, which closed in 2019 after 34 years. Max & Moritz opened on its site in the Anderrijk area on June 20, 2020, at a cost of €15 million.
Photo: Laurensvanheerde via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)