Rulantica

The basics

With more than 20 water attractions, plus restaurants, spread around various themed areas, Rulantica has enough to keep you busy for a full day. As such, it’s a popular park in this area of the Black Forest. Booking tickets online in advance is recommended, especially in the busy summer months and weekends. Options include daily tickets, evening tickets, or moonlight tickets that allow entry for just for the last few hours.

When you enter, you’ll be given a Rula bracelet to wear, which allows you to use the lockers and as a payment method for the bars and restaurants inside the water park. You simply settle your tab when you leave.

Things to know before you go

• The park is often busy at the weekend, but lines for the slides are shorter early in the morning or in the evening.
• Free Wi-Fi is available.
• Like many saunas in Germany, those in the Hyggedal area are only accessible to bathers without bathing suits.
• Bring your own towels as these cannot be hired on-site.
• Most routes are wheelchair-accessible and there are elevators to the different levels, plus wheelchair-friendly changing rooms and restrooms.

Getting there

Rulantica is close to the Europa-Park attraction in the town of Rust. It’s easily accessible by car and public transport from both Rust and Freiburg; drivers can pay to leave their cars in the on-site parking lot. If you’re arriving by train, make sure you buy a ticket for Rust Europa-Park station—when you disembark at Europa-Park, your fare for the onward Rulantica shuttle bus is already included.

When to get there

Rulantica is open year-round, although there can be closures for holidays and maintenance—check the website ahead of your visit to see if any upcoming closures are scheduled. Otherwise, the park is open daily from morning until night. Just note that weekends and school holidays are particularly busy.

The Europa-Park Resort Hotels

If you plan to visit the Europa-Park theme park next door, you really need to dedicate a day to each attraction. To avoid going back and forth between the city and the parks, you can sleep on-site at one of the attractions’ themed hotels; just choose a package that covers entry to both Rutlantica and Europa-Park along with the accommodation. The Nordic-themed Krønasår hotel is a short walk from Rutlantica, while the other options are reached via the park’s shuttle bus.