Mudpie Fridays >> Austria >> Arena Coaster Zell am Ziller in Zillertal Austria

Arena Coaster Zell am Ziller in Zillertal Austria

As soon as the boys saw the Arena Coaster at Zell am Ziller, from the motorway on our 7 day visit to the Zillertal region in Austria over the Summer they wanted to give it a go. The huge Arena Coaster is hard to miss since it rises 350m up the side of Rosenalm Mountain. The only alpine rollercoaster in the Zillertal region really needs to be on your must-do list if you are planning on visiting the area. It is so much fun we wanted to go back for a second go but couldn’t quite fit it into our itinerary.

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Where is the Arena Coaster

The Arena Coaster is located in Zell am Ziller in the heart of the Zillertal region of western Austria and is a year-round attraction in this top ski resort. The alpine coaster is part of an entertainment area there are also several restaurants, sports shops, a kids’ park and access to the Summer cable car Rosenalmbahm. It is a stop on the local bus network and can be easily reached by car.

On a busy day, the whole Arena area can attract a lot of people. There are five car parks in total all within a few minutes walk of the Arena Coaster and the Valley Station of the Zillertal Arena. Car parking is free at the leisure park. As you arrive you will be able to see which car park has spaces as there is a large sign.

You can use address – Rohr 23, 6280 Zell am Ziller, to find the Arena Coaster

How much is the Arena Coaster

Overall we found the cost of attractions in Austria reasonably priced when compared to those in the UK. The Arena Coaster is no different. A single ride for an adult costs 7€ and 4.70€ for a child. You can also get a 10% discount on these prices if you have a Zillertal Activcard.

You can also buy tickets that allow either five or ten goes. This was our original intention. Although I would suggest that you probably only want to do this if the Arena Coaster is quiet when you visit. Since from what we could tell you need to join the queue again. Unlike others which we have been one where you stay on until all your goes are used up.

I think if you are staying close by like we were in Ferienhotel Sonnenhof and can visit the Arena Coaster early in the morning when it is less busy then this could be an option. For a block of five, it costs €33.30 for adults and €20.20 for children. A block of ten costs €63.00 for adults and €42.00 for children.

It is possible to buy tickets online in advance to avoid having to queue at the ticket office and then queue again to go on the coaster.

Our experience of the Arena Coaster

Although we visited on a cloudy afternoon after we had been up on the Ahornbahn. There were no queues at the ticket office. However, the queue for the Arena Coaster was long and took well over an hour. But then we did visit in the middle of the afternoon when things generally seem to be at their busiest.

The alpine coaster is suitable for people of all ages 4 years of age and over. Harry at the age of seven is too young to ride on his own. However, the toboggans have been specially designed to take an adult and a child. So it’s quite comfortable. There are two seat belts too. The brake and accelerator leavers are on the side rather than in the middle. Which also means you do not have to reach around your child.

Charlie is over 10 and over 130cm and so could ride on his own.

The boys enjoyed playing in the adventure playground opposite which has scrabble nets, slides, climbing walls and swings galore as we waited in the queue for the arena coaster.. There is also a younger children’s play corner for those little ones who are not old enough to ride.

The track itself is over 1450m and takes between six and seven minutes to ride. The initial part up hill the toboggan is pulled up and then released automatically. As you go up you get a marvellous view of the mountains. Although all the signs are in German it’s pretty obvious what you should do and when you should break. It includes several steep curves as well as a 360-degree and 540-degree gyro. It was the boys first alpine rollercoaster and they absolutely loved it.

Such a lot of fun and a brilliant holiday experience. The boys talk a lot about their coaster fun. Perfect for our mountain Summer holiday although I can imagine it would be an amazing Winter activity

Photos

You are not allowed to take pictures or video on the Arena Coaster. You really do need both hands to hold onto the leavers on an alpine coaster in Austria. However, towards the bottom, there is a photo point. After you have got off you can see your number on a screen. To order your photo you go back to the ticket desk. Photos cost €4.50 each.

On each printed photo there is a QR code in the corner that allows you to download your photo onto your phone. Although I would recommend you do this promptly as there were warnings about running out of storage space.

We got some of the photos

Top Tips for a Visit

It is an extremely popular tourist attraction being the longest tobboggan track of the valley. During our visit, the queues were long in the afternoon. I would suggest trying to visit first thing in the morning when it opens at 9.30 am.
The Arena Coaster does not run in the rain.
There is a large playground right next door to keep the kids entertained which the boys enjoyed playing in during our visit. This does make the queuing more bearable.
Backpacks are not allowed on the coasters, lockers are available for a deposit of €2 at the entrance and next to the photos. However, there is a €50 charge if you lose the key!
You could easily combine a trip on the Arena Coaster with a ride on the Rosenalmbahm since the bottom station is also located in the Zillertal Arena. At the top, you can see views of the Zillertal Valley. There is an amazing play area for kids called Fichtenschloss as well as a fantastic outdoor pool called Fichtensee which is ideal for cooling off in.
There are other leisure activites which can also be booked and experienced, such as high ropes courses, indoor tennis courts, climbing area and many lanes of bowling.