One of Europa-Park’s roller coasters is heading toward the end of its run. Euro-Mir, the space-themed roller coaster that has been a fixture at the Rust, Germany theme park since 1997, is set to be decommissioned and replaced as part of a broader redevelopment of its surrounding area.
A Galactic Debut
When Euro-Mir opened on June 12, 1997, it was marketed as a “galactic world first.” The attraction had been three years in the making and deliberately broke from the conventions of traditional roller coasters. Featuring nine trains equipped with rotating gondolas, futuristic architecture, and a track layout designed to blend speed, rotation, and a sense of weightlessness, it offered something genuinely new to theme park visitors. The ride’s tagline — Get on, rise up and spin— became closely associated with the Europa-Park experience.
The attraction drew significant attention from its very first day. Guests at the opening press conference included cosmonauts Alexandre Viktorenko, Yuri Malentshenko, and Alexandre Serebrov — veterans of the very space program that inspired the ride’s theme.
A Piece of Real Space History
What set Euro-Mir apart from comparable attractions was not just its ride technology, but a physical artifact at its heart. The attraction’s entrance area houses an actual Mir space station training module, which arrived at Europa-Park in 1995 — two years before the ride itself opened. The module had been used to train Russian cosmonauts, including the three who attended the opening ceremony. The presence of a genuine piece of space history lent Euro-Mir a level of authenticity rarely found in theme park attractions.
Between its opening day and the close of the 1997 season in early November, approximately 1.5 million guests had already ridden Euro-Mir — a figure that underscored its immediate popularity.
Decades of Memories
Over the course of its nearly 28-year run, Euro-Mir has become deeply embedded in Europa-Park’s identity. For many visitors, it represented their first major roller coaster experience. Its distinctive silver towers, the soundtrack looping through the queue area, and the sensation of the spinning gondolas have left lasting impressions across generations of park-goers.
However, in more recent years, a segment of the Europa-Park fanbase has grown increasingly critical of the ride experience itself. Frequent visitors have described Euro-Mir as rough and uncomfortable, with the ride’s aging track and gondola system drawing complaints that have become more vocal over time.
What Comes Next
Europa-Park has confirmed that Euro-Mir will be replaced by a new family roller coaster manufactured by MACK Rides, the park’s parent company. Park owner Roland Mack cited the need to keep pace with rapid advances in roller coaster technology while continuing to offer visitors fresh and distinctive experiences.
The space theme is set to be retained in the redesigned area, though it will form part of a newly conceived themed zone separate from the existing one. The iconic towers — a defining feature of the current attraction’s silhouette — will be demolished for structural reasons but are planned to be rebuilt in a similar style.
Europa-Park has also confirmed it is in discussions with the European Space Agency (ESA) regarding a potential collaboration tied to the new development. Demolition of Euro-Mir is expected to begin in the winter, with the new attraction scheduled to open in 2028. Additional attractions in the area are also being planned.
