Europa-Park: Trip Planning, Questions and Advice!

[AstroDan]

EUROPA-PARK: TRIP PLANNING

This thread is designed to assist anybody looking at booking a short break to Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. The advice and information topic has been created following requests from a number of people.

Park Information
Europa-Park is one of the biggest theme parks in the world, and is currently its most visited seasonal theme park - that is, a park which is closed for part of the year. In general, Europa-Park opens for the main season at the end of March and closes at the end of October, although these dates, much like parks in the UK, can vary depending on school holidays and dates of religious festivals. For the 2012 season, the park opens on 31st March and closes on 4th November. It then re-opens for the Winter season on 1st December and closes again on 6th January 2013. Please note, that during the Winter season, some rides are closed.

When visiting the park, you should consider a minimum of 2 full days on the theme park. However, 3 days is recommended. This will allow you sufficient time to use hotel facilities such as the included hotel gyms, swimming pools and spas, together with all of the 56 rides and attractions (of which 11 are rollercoasters) and many, many shows. There is also a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.

The park opens during the summer season from 9:00am. Park close is decided on the day depending on how busy it is. This can vary any time up to 9:00pm. Information boards are updated around the park, staff on roller skates carry signs with the latest close time, and it can also be found on the top right of the Europa-Park Website - this is updated after lunch every day. During the winter season, the park opens from 11:00am and closes from 7:00pm.

Travel to Europa-Park from Britain

Flights:
London Gatwick - Basel/Mulhouse with Easyjet.
London Stansted - Karlsruhe/Baden with Ryanair.
London Heathrow - Basel/Mulhouse with British Airways.
Manchester - Basel/Mulhouse with Easyjet.
Edinburgh - Basel/Mulhouse with Easyjet.

Prices vary for flights, depending on when you book. With Easyjet and Ryanair flights, please note you will have to add prices on for luggage.

Flight Transfers to Europa-Park:
Costs for transfers to Europa-Park vary, but start around €20pp each way, depending on how many people are sharing the shuttle. However, they are very reliable and will time to suit your flight. You can also use rail services, although this can often be more complicated for not much less money. Journey time from either airport is around 1 hour.

Trains from the UK to Europa-Park
You can travel with Eurostar and high speed TGV train from London to Strasbourg in around 6 hours. Costs vary, but you should use the Eurostar website and input your destination as Strasbourg. From Strasbourg, you should purchase a “Europass 24 hour” ticket from the blue ticket machines. This will cost you around €8 per person and will be valid for all onward travel between Strasbourg and Europa-Park. Take a train from Strasbourg to Offenburg, then change onto a train to Ringsheim (destination usually Basel SBB). From Ringsheim, take a short bus ride and alight at either Europa-Park Hotel Resort or Europa-Park Main Entrance. Bus times from Ringsheim railway station to Europa-Park can be found here.

Accommodation at Europa-Park:
There is an unprecedented range of accommodation for visiting Europa-Park. There are 5 on site hotels, all of which are a similar price, and each offers a unique theme style. There is also a Camp Resort, where you can stay in a more rustic environment, in a log cabin, tipi or chuck wagon with centrally located toilet and wash facilities. A Camp site is also available, for caravans, camper vans and tents. There is also a small resort Guest House. Off resort, there are dozens of B&B/guest houses/hotels in the village of Rust, a very short walk from the park entrance. For a guide to booking, see below.

Resort Hotel Resort Prices 2012 Prices shown for B&B.

Hotel Colosseo, Hotel Bell Rock & Hotel Santa Isabel
Based on 4 sharing In a 4-bed room: €69.50pppn = £57.00pppn
Based on 6 sharing in a 6-bed room: €61.50pppn = £49.00pppn

Hotel Castillo Alcazar & Hotel El Andaluz
Based on 4 sharing in a 4-bed room: €66.50pppn = £55.00pppn
Based on 5 sharing in a 5-bed room: €58.50pppn = £47.00pppn

Camp Resort Prices 2012 Prices shown for B&B.
Cheaper prices available without breakfast.
Based on 4 in a 4-bed or 6 in a 6-bed log cabin: €32.50pppn = £26.00pppn
Based on 4 in a 4-bed or 6 in a 6-bed tipi: €28.50pppn = £23.00pppn
Based on 4 in a 4-bed Chuck Wagon: €32.50pppn = £26.00pppn
Based on a single tent, without car: €13.00per tent per night = £11.00per tent per night.
Caravans and Camper Vans are subject to an additional charge per 24-hours.

Please note that all accommodation in the Tipi Village requires your own sleeping bag. Pillows and a bottom sheet are provided in Tipi/Chuck Wagon/Log Cabin.

To view all the official resort accommodation, or to book, visit here. Please book well in advance, as often, accommodation is passed to third parties for sale - such as Expedia.


Off Resort http://www.booking.com Search Europa-Park.

Park Tickets
View all prices, and book 1 or 2-day passes. here. For 3-day passes, you can book these as part of a hotel package or on the day at the park. 1, 2 and 3-day passes are also available from Attractiontix, although Attractiontix do not represent best value. For additional days (I.e. 4-day passes), this can be bought at the resort hotels. You may wish to consider an Annual Pass if you are visiting for 4+ days.
Hotel Guests get Early Ride Time  on selected rides from 8:30-9:00am.

Here's a quick guide on how to go about booking resort accommodation at EP.
The person booking the accommodation will  find that no money is taken from your account at the time of booking. A credit/debit card number must be given, which is used in the case of a no show. You are free to cancel the reservation at any time up to 5 days before the stay. Unusually for a major resort, there is no charge for cancellation.

Unlike say, Alton Towers, prices for Europa-Park accommodation are set for the season and do not change (aside from New Years Eve).

You should as quickly as possible, once you have decided to stay on resort. Europa's hotels run at 96% occupancy through the season and they are likely to be fully booked by the time you visit!

If you have any questions about any aspect of your trip to Europa-Park, please ask in this thread!

All prices shown in Pounds are subject to change depending on the exchange rate.

[Jem8472]

Excellent work thanks Astro!

[AstroDan]

As people raise more questions, and as time goes on, I will update and add to the initial post so it will become hopefully a "one stop shop" for Europa-Park trip planning!

[captain]

Thank you so much Dan! Really appreciate the work you've put into this, it's fantastic.

So, using your great information we've got to the park! But once there, do you have any recommendations about an order to do the park in - to avoid the biggest queues etc, get the most out of our days and experience everything? Sorry that's a pretty big question!

If it makes any difference, I shall be going on two weekdays in mid-June. For anyone interested, I'm going via Eurostar to Strasbourg which worked out at £90pp return.

Actually now that I think about it - do you have any recommendations for activities in Strasbourg? Obviously going on a boat trip, to the cathedral and generally walking around, but is there anything particularly incredible to do?

Thanks again!

[AstroDan]

Strasbourg is just generally nice to wander.

La Petite France, Boat Tour (incl. European institutions), Cathedral are all essential parts of a visit!

As for an order to do EP in, there isn't really any set order I would say. However, Matterhorn Blitz is best done in the first 15 minutes of the day (9-9:15) due to throughput. That said, mid-June is not holiday periods so I doubt much will have long queues. You won't get a late park close, though and to be honest, EP is fine when it's busy anyway so!

[Jem8472]

I am thinking of visiting September time probably the first half of the month somtime. I would aim to do midweek as well. I am guessing much like UK schools in Europe they would have gone back to school by then.

[AstroDan]

I am thinking of visiting September time probably the first half of the month somtime. I would aim to do midweek as well. I am guessing much like UK schools in Europe they would have gone back to school by then.

They would. But really, do not let the fact it's a holiday period put you off Europa-Park!!! The throughputs really are astronomical, and the park extend the day by up to THREE HOURS if it's really busy!

My favourite visits to EP have all been in the middle of August! There's so much going on, loads of special events and extra shows!

[Graeme]

is the Europa shuttle like a taxi they put on for you or is it just a bus at certain times? Could I pre book times do you know?

[AstroDan]

is the Europa shuttle like a taxi they put on for you or is it just a bus at certain times? Could I pre book times do you know?

Yes.

You advise them of your arrival time and book it to suit.

Generally, for Basel airport I would say arrival time + 45 minutes. For a return from EP, I would say Flight Time - 2 3/4 hours for departure from EP.

[JoeGibbon]

Great topic. I'm going to EP in a few weeks and have got myself permission to film on-ride POVs. Quick Question: do any of the rides have front row queuelines, or is it a go where you're put sort of thing? Will they let me on front row if I ask for it so I can film?

[AstroDan]

Great topic. I'm going to EP in a few weeks and have got myself permission to film on-ride POVs. Quick Question: do any of the rides have front row queuelines, or is it a go where you're put sort of thing? Will they let me on front row if I ask for it so I can film?

Wodan, Blue Fire and Silver Star all have front row queues.

All of the other coasters you would  just wait in a bay for the front row, simple as that!

[Jem8472]

I have been having a look and trying to work out the costs for a visit to Europa park. I found this B&B right by the entrance and it looks like you can walk strait in to the park from the B&B , is that correct?

http://prntscr.com/9i2w9

Its the one called pension sigg.

[Nightfall]

Well wouldn’t you know, right after seeing this topic I get asked if I want to go back to Europa. I think my answer was obvious...

Anyway my question is for those of you that have tried more than one hotel what would you recommend?
Specifically on this trip I have a choice between the Hotel Colosseo and Hotel El Andaluz (sadly Bell Rock is fully booked but I’m sure I’ll be able to explore it). I stayed at Colosseo on my last trip so know how good it is but wasn’t sure if it is worth checking out El Andaluz instead. Anyone got any quick comparison comments?

[Islander]

I have been having a look and trying to work out the costs for a visit to Europa park. I found this B&B right by the entrance and it looks like you can walk strait in to the park from the B&B , is that correct?

http://prntscr.com/9i2w9

Its the one called pension sigg.

Well, it's around a 1 minute walk from the park entrance, if that's what you mean

[AstroDan]

Pension Sigg is basic but you can barely beat location. Equivalent distance would be Alton Towers admissions turnstiles to the Monorail station.

As for hotels, Nightfall, I would phone Europa. Sometimes, not all rooms show on the website.

In order, for this year, I would go Bell Rock, Colosseo, Santa Isabel then Alcazar and El And.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk

[Nightfall]

As for hotels, Nightfall, I would phone Europa. Sometimes, not all rooms show on the website.

In order, for this year, I would go Bell Rock, Colosseo, Santa Isabel then Alcazar and El And.

I should have explained that we're using a third party site. They are offering us deals for the Europa hotel and another hotel for the non-Europa part of the trip and it's that site that only has Colosseo and El Andaluz available.

Thanks for the advice.

[Bunbury]

I do love EP, desperate to take my other half, but it's a tough trip from the North without being in a group to split a cab with.

[AstroDan]

Information updated to include new routes from Manchester to Basel/Mulhouse with Easyjet, and the existing route from Edinburgh to Basel/Mulhouse, also with Easyjet.

[Crofty]

Cheers for the info on Trains boyo!

I found some really good deals on Eurostar earlier this year but got stuck when it came to the Strasberg to Rust bit, The Rail sites didn't seem to mention the Europass Day ticket thing and were quoting 15-25 euros, I knew this was wrong from our other visits. It's nice to get confirmation.

[DiogoJ42]

I would definately recomend going by Eurostar / TGV after last time. It may not be as fast as flying, but it's so much more civilised.
Admitedly, it's not so practical for those up north though.