Alpine slides and their magnificent views will literally take your breath away
Photo: Brice Milleson / YouTube
The Alps aren’t beautiful only in the winter. Come summer, when skiing takes a back seat, another attraction becomes the centre of attention with travellers.
Rather than climbing or riding a ski lift down the mountain, visitors are choosing an alternative transport that will get your heart racing: Alpine coasters. The path twists and turns all the way down, bringing you up-close to the dramatic mountain views – that is, if you can keep your eyes open.
Slip and slide
There are a number of resorts offering such dry toboggan runs across the Swiss Alps, and they can be split into two types: Slides and rail coasters. The former guides riders down a metal half-tube, while the latter operates like a single-vehicle rollercoaster.
Reportedly the world’s highest-lying coaster is Glacier 3000’s Alpine Coaster, located at an altitude of 3,000m at the Diablerets of western Switzerland. Here, you can speed down a thrilling 1km-long ride of steep curves, waves, jumps and a 520° circle, at up to 40km per hour.
Riders can determine their speed with a brake lever and ride the toboggan run multiple times.
Things to note
Even for daredevils, caution is a man’s best friend. Each resort has its own set of rules for sliding down their side of the Alps, but some common ones include wearing your seatbelt during the ride and keeping your hands on the brake lever at all times.
Different rides also come with their own promotions and rates; while some resorts offer unlimited rides with a single pass, others sell tickets based on one, five or ten rides. As it takes mere minutes to slide down the mountain, it is recommended to purchase the five- or ten-ride pass if you have the time.
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