Fastest Roller Coaster in the World 2023 (Top 10 High-Speed)
by Surya | Updated Mar 30, 2023
Fastest Roller Coasters
By introducing thrilling elements such as inversions and hydraulic launches, as well as utilizing park topography in innovative ways, modern coasters have surpassed the limits of physics. Cedar Point's Millennium Force marked the beginning of a new era of speed and height in 2000, with hypercoasters and Giga coasters continuously breaking records for the tallest, fastest, and highest tracks.
Fastest Roller Coaster in the World 2023
Formula Rossa, situated in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, is a roller coaster that uses a launch system and was built by Intamin. Inaugurated in 2010, it currently holds the title of the world's fastest roller coaster, with a maximum speed of 240 km/h (149.1 mph). Although Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure held onto the record for the tallest roller coaster, Formula Rossa surpassed it as the fastest. The coaster train reaches its top speed of 240 km/h (149.1 mph) in a mere 4.9 seconds thanks to a hydraulic launch system, providing riders with exhilarating acceleration and a maximum of 1.7 g-forces. Throughout the ride, passengers can experience up to 4.8 g-forces.
Top 10 Fastest Roller Coasters In The World
Rank
Fastest Roller Coasters
Place Located
1
Formula Rossa
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2
Kingda Ka
Jackson Township, New Jersey USA
3
Top Thrill Dragster
Sandusky, Ohio USA
4
Do-Dodonpa
Fujiyoshida, Japan
5
Red Force
Spain
6
Superman: Escape from Krypton
California USA
7
Metal Dragon 2000
Kuwana, Japan
8
Fury 325
Charlotte, North Carolina USA
9
Millennium Force
Sandusky, Ohio
10
Lightning Rod
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA
What Are The Top 10 World Fastest Roller Coasters?
Formula Rossa
In November 2010, the roller coaster Formula Rossa, manufactured by Intamin, shattered speed records by achieving peak speeds of 149 mph.
The coaster's track was meticulously designed to replicate the experience of speeding in a Formula One race car and was modeled after the Autodromo Nazionale Monza racetrack in Italy, renowned for its layout. With one of the world's longest steel roller coaster tracks, Formula Rossa's train reaches its maximum speed in the first five seconds of launch. To prevent colliding with flying objects, all riders are required to wear protective safety goggles for the entire 92-second ride.
Kingda Ka
Located at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson, New Jersey, the Kingda Ka roller coaster is the tallest in the world, lowering riders from a height of 456 feet. It was designed by Intamin associates Dakota and held the record for being the fastest roller coaster at the time of its construction, accelerating to a top speed of 128 mph in under four seconds after its hydraulic launch. Following the first top hat tower, the coaster takes riders through a 270-degree spiral and then up a second 129-foot hill, giving them a feeling of weightlessness. The top hat hill now also hosts the Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom drop tower, which has been open to the public since 2014.
Top Thrill Dragster
In May 2003, the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster made history by becoming the first coaster to exceed the 400-foot barrier. The coaster was constructed by Dakota and is located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, which is often referred to as "America's Roller Coast" due to its impressive collection of world-class steel and wooden coasters. The coaster accelerates riders to a top speed of 120 mph in just 3.8 seconds before reaching its peak height of 420 feet and taking them on a 270-degree spin. Its ride experience is designed to simulate Top Fuel drag racing and is marketed with the slogan "Race for the Sky."
Do-Dodonpa
With a peak height of 161 feet, the Do-Dodonpa roller coaster located at Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Fujiyoshida, Japan, set a new record for the fastest coaster in the world when it opened in December 2001, surpassing the previous record held by Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Superman: The Escape coaster. The steel coaster, manufactured by S&S Worldwide, also boasts the fastest acceleration, reaching a top speed of 107 mph in under two seconds, resulting in riders experiencing 3.3 Gs of gravity. In addition to its thrilling features, the ride offers spectacular views of the park with a big loop and wide-radius bank, all themed around traditional Japanese music and culture.
Red Force
Red Force, the Intamin coaster, can be found in Ferrari Land, an amusement park located in Tarragona, which is a part of the larger PortAventura World theme park resort. The park opened to the public in April 2017, and in addition to Red Force, it also features a family racing coaster called Junior Red Force. Red Force is the fastest and tallest coaster in Europe, reaching a top speed of 111 mph within five seconds of launch and scaling a 367-foot slope. The coaster's 2,887-foot track is themed around racing cars, and it includes three authentic Ferrari trademarks. Visitors to the park can watch coaster launches from a designated area close to the coaster's top hat hill.
Superman: Escape From Krypton
Escape from Krypton, as it was renamed later, debuted in 1997 and broke height and speed records with its innovative Linear Synchronous Motor launch technology developed by Intamin. In just seven seconds, the ride could accelerate to a maximum speed of 100 miles per hour, a feat that was matched by Dreamworld's Tower of Terror II. During the ride's backward launch, riders experienced up to 4.5Gs of gravitational force, followed by a 415-foot ascent at a 90-degree incline. The ensuing 328-foot drop and rise provided a weightless sensation for 6.5 seconds. Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom's two drop towers were added to the ride's hillside in 2012.
Metal Dragon 2000
Situated in Nagashima Spa Land within the Nagashima Resort, Steel Dragon 2000 holds the record for being the world's longest roller coaster since its launch in August 2000. The coaster, manufactured by Morgan Manufacturing, features a track length of 8,133 feet and has a reference to the Japanese year of the dragon, which corresponds to its opening year. With its first hill towering at 318 feet, the ride includes two tunnels and reaches a maximum speed of 95 mph during its four-minute duration.
Fury 325
Fury 325, a Giga coaster, holds the record for the highest and fastest coaster at 325 feet. The roller coaster was created by Bolliger and Mabillard and debuted at Carowinds amusement park in 2015. It has received the Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today twice, beating Cedar Point's Millennium Force as the best steel coaster globally.
During its 3 minutes and 25 seconds ride, the coaster hits its top speed of 95 mph while navigating challenging obstacles such as a fast s-curve, a camelback hill, and nearly 180-degree banked corners. It is the tallest conventional chain lift coaster in the world, surpassing Leviathan of Canada's Wonderland by 19 feet. Fury 325 also holds the title of being the world's largest B&M coaster.
Millennium Force
Millennium Force, which opened in 2000, broke six world records and is credited with popularizing the term "Giga coaster" for roller coasters exceeding 300 feet in height. It also introduced new technologies such as the cable lift hill and ticket-to-ride reservation systems to manage long queues.
Although it has been surpassed in length by several other coasters, it still boasts a 310-foot starting hill and top speeds of 93 miles per hour, making it the third-longest coaster in North America. It has won the prestigious Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for the best steel roller coaster in the world ten times, with only Carowinds' Fury 325 defeating it in recent years. At night, the attraction is lit up by the Luminosity: Ignite the Night LED light show, adding a colorful touch to the park's skyline.
Lightning Rod
Lightning Rod is the first-ever wooden roller coaster to be introduced to the public and is designed with a 1950s hot rod theme. This unique roller coaster was launched in June 2016 and built by Rocky Mountain Construction, a company famous for its steel-hybrid wooden coaster creations and the restoration of old coasters, like Cedar Point's Mean Streak, which was transformed into the Steel Vengeance coaster in 2018.
Lightning Rod is known for its distinction as the fastest wooden coaster in the world, with a maximum speed of 73 miles per hour. Ever since its inaugural season, it has been consistently ranked among the top 10 wooden roller coasters in the world and was named Best New Ride by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.
What is the Fastest Roller Coaster in the World?
As of February 2023, the Formula Rossa holds the title of the fastest roller coaster in the world, with a top speed of 240 km/h, while Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure has a top speed of 206 km/h.
Roller coasters, designed for amusement parks, are made of either steel or wood. Recently, the Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi has been the world's fastest roller coaster since it opened in 2010, reaching top speeds of approximately 240 kilometers per hour. Ferrari World is the world's largest indoor theme park and is based on the Ferrari motor brand, offering various rides, roller coasters, live entertainment, and merchandise stores for adults and children.
Despite having the fastest roller coaster in the world, Ferrari World did not rank among the most visited amusement parks globally in 2021. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in the United States received the highest attendance that year, with over 12 million visitors. Disney is the leader in the industry, with the largest number of amusement parks ranking highest in the 2022 attendance list.
Fastest Roller Coaster in the World 2023 - FAQs
Lightning Rod is a wooden roller coaster that has a 1950s hot rod theme, and it is the world's fastest wooden coaster.
Red Force is the highest and fastest coaster in all of Europe at Ferrari Land amusement park in Tarragona.
Fury 325 is the world's tallest and fastest Giga coaster at Carowinds amusement park.
Millennium Force is a record-breaking coaster that was the world's tallest and fastest coaster at its debut in 2000.
Steel Dragon 2000 is located at Nagashima Spa Land in Mie Prefecture, Japan.