Here are Rail Europe’s top five European amusements parks easily accessible by train.
Phantasialand, Cologne
GERMANY
Home to more than 40 amusement parks (including Europe’s largest), Germany is a hub for family fun.
From movie, country and wildlife-themed parks, a visit here can easily be enhanced with a trip to one or two of their signature parks.
Europa Park in Freiburg
This is the continent’s largest amusement park. Set in the heart of the Black Forest, visitors young and mature can expect plenty of activities.
The park is divided into 19 sections, where 16 are creative re-imaginings of European destinations (e.g., the Globe Theatre in England and Balthasar Castle in Germany), and the remaining three areas are dedicated to the Minimoys, Grimm’s fairytale forest, and jungle adventures.
Visitors can also watch a show, relax at one of the park’s four-star resorts, or get an adrenaline rush on the waterslides.
The three-hour direct TGV INOUI from Paris to Freiburg is a popular way to get there. Other options include the 1h 46m journey from Zurich and the 30min train ride from Basel.
Phantasialand, Cologne
A 12-minute train journey from Cologne, Phantasialand is a haven for thrill seekers.
It is well known for its roller coasters, including the award-winning Taron (the world’s second fastest multi-launch roller coaster), which reaches speeds of up to 117km per hour.
Visitors can enjoy the many restaurants and experience hotels in the estate, such as the Charles Lindburgh and the safari-themed hotels.
Trains from Brussels to Cologne take 94minutes, while Amsterdam to Cologne takes three-hours and Hamburg to Cologne takes three-and-a-half hours.
ENGLAND
Theme parks in England offer up something for all kinds of holidaymakers with visitors spoiled for choice across the country. However, one that sticks out and easily accessible by train is the Thorpe Park Resort.
Thorpe Park Resort, Surrey
One of the leading theme parks in the UK, Thorpe Park Resort is accessible by train and a very short bus connection from central London all in just under one hour.
Home to the UK’s fastest roller coaster (Stealth) and the first-ever winged roller coaster (the Swarm), Thorpe Park also offers the standard theme park amenities including dining, resorts and shows.
While there are some options for the littlest revellers, this amusement park is more geared towards older kids and adults.
Getting to London from other major cities is easy via train and some of the more popular routes include Paris to London in two hours and 17minutes, Brussels to London in one hour and 52minutes and Edinburgh to London in four hours.
FRANCE AND SPAIN
Both countries are well connected to each other by rail, so exploring theme parks in either when staying in the other is easy.
France is home to dozens of parks (most of which are accessible from Paris) while Spain’s theme parks are often located in their coastal towns.
Disneyland Paris
Averaging 10 million visitors a year, Disneyland Paris is by far the most popular theme park in Europe.
Easily accessible on the RER A (Regional Rail line A), the trip from central Paris takes about 45 minutes and drops visitors off at the park’s entrance.
Apart from the actual park, Disney Village offers plenty of shopping and dining options. Inside are the two themed areas: Disneyland Park (the original) and Walt Disney Studios.
Disneyland Park is where visitors can enjoy the classic Disney experience, including Sleeping Beauty’s castle and It’s a Small World, while the Studios offer a more film-based experience with The Twilight Zone and Ratatouille.
Getting to Paris is easy on these popular routes: London to Paris in two hours and 16minutes, Brussels to Paris in 82mins, or Amsterdam to Paris in three-hours.
Port Aventura World, Tarragona
Just outside of Tarragona (under an hour from central Barcelona) is Port Aventura World, Spain’s largest amusement park and the third largest in Europe.
Best known for its Dragon Khan roller coaster which boasts one of the highest loops in history, Port Aventura itself is vast and has six worlds and 40 rides.
It is also adjacent to two other great parks – the Caribe Aquatic Park (perfect for those hot Spanish summers) and Ferrari Land, dedicated to the engineering and innovation of the famous Italian carmaker.
Tarragona is easy to get to from many points, including Barcelona in 45 mins, Valencia in two hours and Madrid in just over two hours.
Disneyland Paris
Thorpe Park
