Germany's longest Rodelbahn - newly opened

Ever ridden on a Rodelbahn? They're great fun, no matter how old you are.

A Rodelbahn is a track built down the side of a mountain. You sit on a little trolley then whizz down as fast as you can. There's no need for any steering, but you do have a brake handle.

Last week the longest Rodelbahn in Germany opened at Alpsee Bergwelt in the Allgäu, southern Germany. This is 40km east of Lindau on Lake Constance, or 100km south-west of Munich. See the Google Map.

The track is 3km long and takes seven to ten minutes to descend. There are 68 curves, 23 waves, seven jumps, and four bridges over valleys and streams.

The track is open all year round, in dry weather and wet. Operational hours are 9am - 7pm at the height of summer, reducing to 10am - 4pm as the days get shorter. A ride costs €5.50 if you walk up the hill, or €9.50 if you're lazy and take the cable car.

Would be well worth it for a day out.

My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I went on at least two in Austria MANY (20?) years ago. Not as high-tech as the one you display but great fun.

Due to trying to take a photo whilst coming down I found that the laws of physics had not been repealed and came off the track (still have scar on arm to prove it).

DB say this is only 2hrs away from München Hbf via Kempten (Allgäu) Hbf to Immenstadt with Alex. Anybody intrested in making this a TT daytrip? Maybe include some hiking/walking/biking with the coaster?

That looks like good fun. And to think that I was down that way yesterday and all we got to see was the Zeppelin museum in Freidrichshafen.

I am still trying to get my head round how you crash when taking a photo?

Is it the huge opposing forces involved in pushing down on the shutter button that throws the whole thing off the rails? Or was it some kinda action shot where you hang yourself off the side of the truck?

went on one of these in saas fee, switz and it's a blast. must take a look at this though, that's a big 'un!

Like I said this was 20 years ago... The Rodelbahn was like half of a sewer pipe set into the ground ie no rails or anything & one went down on a plastic "sledge" clutching the brake handle like grim death. It went into curves at some speed & you had to move your weight around like on a bike to prevent yourself from being thrown out.

So after a number of rides (it wasnt as expensive as mentioned above) I decided to try some photos & did not pay enough attention to the next curve. Rodelbahn turned right & I went straight on...

yikes, HEM, that sounds like a real pre-TUV and nanny-state ride! bet it's not there any more, sadly. nowadays, it's like a roller coaster, so fixed to the rails. but i'm sure you could still part company with your sledge if you really tried.

It was in Austria...

I do have photos (unscanned) somewhere in the vaults.

The rodelbahn on the Hochwurzen during the ski season is excellent at night. 7km long and extremely fast in parts. Bars at the top and bottom and only 15mins from the hospital!!!

http://www.bergfex.com/hochwurzen/panorama/

About 15 years ago I had a pretty similar accident - I was 12 or 13, racing my Dad, and just decided I would trust physics to keep me on track and so didn't use the brake at all. Seems that physics only does so much - threw me out and I landed on the fibreglass tracks - sliding on my knees and wrists for probably 30ft or so - I still have faint scars from the burns I received. Ace fun though.

Just be careful on these long rodel bahns though. Chances are you will get stuck behind some annoying idiot on there who is scared to go above 0.000000006 km/h and has thebrake on the whole time. No chance of overtaking so you just sit there... doing 0.000000006 km/h... Happens every time

Very good point. It is amazing how slowly people some manage to go. Leave as long as possible a gap before you start.

Good to see that this kind of run is open in the wet. The halfpipe-like ones I used (there's a shortish one near Schliersee and one at Windischgarsten in Austria) close at the first sign of rain.

The last rodel bahn I was on I actually got out of the sled and walked down the mountain. Bloody ridiculous it was. Some 6 year old was holding up no less than 10 people and the supervisors just let her get on with it...

I got moaned at for abandoning my sled. Bloody Germans