Dare to take the challenge? The world’s steepest wooden roller coaster plunges at a 77-degree angle

▲The world’s steepest wooden roller coaster (coaster) is located at Everland in South Korea. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Reporter Chen Ziying / Reported from South Korea

The world’s steepest wooden roller coaster — are you brave enough to try it? Everland in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, spans 4.5 million pyeong and is an immensely popular theme park. Among its thrilling rides, the wooden roller coaster (T Express) is hailed as the steepest wooden coaster in the world, offering an adrenaline rush like no other.

Opened in 2008, Everland’s wooden roller coaster boasts an inclination of up to 77 degrees and remains the “steepest wooden roller coaster in the world” to this day. With a height of 56 meters and speeds reaching 104 km/h, the combination of steepness, speed, and height creates an intense thrill. Though the entire 1.6-kilometer ride only takes three minutes to reach the end, it still deters many from trying.In an actual experience, reporters found that Everland’s wooden roller coaster gives off a lighter, more wobbly sensation compared to typical coasters due to its wooden structure. Furthermore, there are no upper-body restraints—only downward-pressing safety bars similar to those on a pirate ship. This makes the “centrifugal force” even more intense during drops and turns, especially when plunging down the steepest slope, where the sudden surge of centrifugal force is truly thrilling and heart-pounding.Jung Eun-ji, marketing manager at Everland, said the wooden roller coaster was designed with the concept of mimicking the winding and rugged Alps. It is the first wooden roller coaster in Korea and is one of the must-try attractions at Everland.


▲A full view of the roller coaster track, with the steepest part located on the far right, partially obscured by trees. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

*The wooden roller coaster (T Express), built by a Swiss company, is made entirely of wood except for the track and chassis lines, making it the steepest wooden roller coaster in the world.

Everland
One-day ticket: Adults 48,000 KRW, Children 38,000 KRW
Operating hours: 09:30 to 18:00 (extended to 22:00 in summer)
(Height restriction for the wooden roller coaster is 130 cm to 195 cm. Reservations are required before 3 PM; after that, access is on a first-come, first-served basis.)