Nemesis at Alton Towers is the ride that changed British theme parks forever — an inverted steel coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard that plunges riders into a man-made ravine, weaves through rock walls, and flips them upside down four times in just 80 seconds. Since its 1994 debut it has stayed one of the most talked-about coasters in Europe, and its 2024 rebuild as Nemesis Reborn only sharpened the legend.
If you’re trying to pin down exactly how many inversions Nemesis has, how tall it is, or how many G-forces it pulls, here are the verified numbers — plus everything else worth knowing before you ride.
Quick Answer
Nemesis Reborn has 4 inversions: one vertical loop, one zero-g roll, and two corkscrews — the exact same layout the original Nemesis has run since 1994. The ride stands 42.6 ft (13 m) tall, reaches a top speed of 50 mph (81 km/h), and pulls up to 3.5 G through its inversions.
How Many Inversions (and Loops) Does Nemesis Have?
Nemesis has 4 inversions in total, delivered in this order: a corkscrew right off the lift hill, a zero-g roll, a vertical loop, and a second corkscrew to close out the circuit. This figure hasn’t changed with the Nemesis Reborn refurbishment — Alton Towers rebuilt the track and trains in 2022-2024 but kept Werner Stengel’s original layout intact, so the inversion count and sequence are identical to the 1994 ride.
If you’re specifically asking how many loops Nemesis has rather than inversions, the answer is one — the ride contains a single vertical loop. The other three inversions are a zero-g roll and two corkscrews, which are different inversion shapes. Riders and casual conversation often use “loops” loosely to mean any upside-down element, which is why you’ll sometimes see Nemesis described as having “four loops” when technically it has four inversions built from three distinct elements.
Nemesis Height: Track Height vs. Minimum Rider Height
Nemesis’s physical structure is only 42.6 ft (13 m) tall — unusually low for a major coaster — because designer John Wardley had his team excavate a ravine and build the track down into it rather than up, to satisfy Alton Towers’ strict planning restrictions on visible ride height. That low profile is also why the drop (104 ft / 31.7 m) is actually deeper than the structure is tall: much of the ride happens below ground level, weaving between rock faces and pools of red-tinted water.
“Nemesis height” can also mean the minimum height requirement to ride. Nemesis Reborn requires riders to be at least 1.4 m (around 4 ft 7 in) tall, in line with Alton Towers’ standard threshold for its bigger inverted and launch coasters. Always confirm current height and health requirements at the ride entrance or on the official Alton Towers site before you queue, since restraint and safety policies can be updated.
Speed and G-Force: What Riding Nemesis Feels Like
Nemesis reaches a top speed of 50 mph (81 km/h) and generates up to 3.5 G through its tightest elements — enough positive g-force to press riders firmly into their seats through the loop and corkscrews, while the zero-g roll briefly does the opposite and lifts riders out of their harnesses. For comparison, that’s a similar peak g-force range to most B&M inverted coasters worldwide, but Nemesis’s terrain-hugging layout makes it feel far more intense than the numbers alone suggest, since trees, rock, and water rush past within feet of the trains for the entire 1-minute-20-second ride.
The Ride Experience
Riders board suspended trains and drop immediately into the ravine, launching into the sequence: corkscrew, zero-g roll, vertical loop, and a final corkscrew, all threaded between rock walls and the pools that give Forbidden Valley its otherworldly, alien-creature theme. Each of the two trains carries 32 riders across 8 cars, and the ride runs at a capacity of roughly 1,400 riders per hour when both trains are in operation.
The combination of tight terrain interaction, relentless pacing, and almost no dead time between elements is what made the original Nemesis one of the most celebrated steel coasters in Europe for three decades — and it’s the same quality that Nemesis Reborn’s 2024 retrack was built to preserve.
History and Legacy
Conceived as an alien creature unearthed mid-construction, Nemesis debuted on 19 March 1994 as the first B&M inverted coaster in Europe, a bold departure from the tamer rides of its era. Its success helped establish B&M as the world’s leading manufacturer of inverted coasters, and Nemesis has placed in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards steel coaster rankings every year since the list began in 1998, peaking at 7th in the world in 2003.
Alton Towers closed the ride on 6 November 2022 for a full retrack, new trains, and retheme, reopening it on 16 March 2024 as Nemesis Reborn. The rebuild preserved the original Stengel layout while refreshing the theming around a new storyline and quieter, smoother track. The relaunch earned Nemesis Reborn a Golden Ticket Awards “Renaissance” recognition for best ride overhaul, and a 2025 public survey of theme park enthusiasts by travel firm On the Beach ranked it among the very best theme park attractions in the world.
Planning Your Visit
Nemesis Reborn is located in the Forbidden Valley area of Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire, England, and operates as part of general park admission — there’s no separate ticket for the ride itself. Alton Towers uses dynamic, date-based pricing, so gate prices vary by day and season, and tickets bought online in advance are typically cheaper than paying on arrival. Park opening hours also shift seasonally, with shorter hours in winter months and extended hours during summer and school holidays.
Because pricing, opening times, and minimum height or health requirements can all change, always check the official Alton Towers website before you travel for the current calendar, ticket prices, and ride requirements.
Nemesis Reborn stats and inversions FAQs
How many inversions does Nemesis Reborn have?
Nemesis Reborn has 4 inversions: one vertical loop, one zero-g roll, and two corkscrews. This is unchanged from the original 1994 layout.
How many inversions does Nemesis have?
Nemesis has 4 inversions — a vertical loop, a zero-g roll, and two corkscrews — arranged in the sequence corkscrew, zero-g roll, loop, corkscrew.
How many loops does Nemesis have?
Nemesis has one true vertical loop. It has 4 inversions overall, but the other three are a zero-g roll and two corkscrews, which are technically different elements from a loop.
How tall is Nemesis at Alton Towers?
The ride structure is 42.6 ft (13 m) tall, kept deliberately low because it’s built into an excavated ravine. The drop is deeper than the structure is tall at 104 ft (31.7 m).
What is the minimum height to ride Nemesis?
Riders must be at least 1.4 m (about 4 ft 7 in) tall to ride Nemesis Reborn. Always confirm current requirements at the ride or on the official Alton Towers website, as policies can change.
How fast does Nemesis go?
Nemesis reaches a top speed of 50 mph (81 km/h) during its run through the ravine.
How many G-forces does Nemesis pull?
Nemesis generates up to 3.5 G through its inversions, with a brief moment of near-weightlessness during the zero-g roll.
Where is Nemesis located?
Nemesis is located in the Forbidden Valley area of Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England.
Is Nemesis still operating?
Yes. After a full retrack and retheme that began on 6 November 2022, the ride reopened on 16 March 2024 as Nemesis Reborn, keeping the original layout with new theming and trains.
Get More from Nemesis Reborn stats and inversions
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Nemesis Reborn stats and inversions, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.