Geister Rikscha, Ghost train in Phantasialand, Brühl, Germany
Geister Rikscha is a ghost train dark ride in Phantasialand, Brühl, built by Schwarzkopf GmbH and opened on 5 June 1981. Its 100 rotating three-person gondolas travel a 250-metre underground route beneath the China Town area in eight minutes, passing scenes with figures by Heimo inspired by Chinese mythology. The entrance building is partly styled like a castle or section of the Great Wall, with artificial rock and a multi-metre Buddha figure in a niche.
Geister Rikscha opened on 5 June 1981 in Phantasialand, built by Anton Schwarzkopf and the park. Its 250-metre circuit made it Europe's longest underground themed ride. Major scene and queue renovations followed in 1997 and 2002, and it remains the park's oldest active attraction.
The ride draws on Chinese mythology, particularly featuring the death god Yama who guides visitors through different scenes along the journey.
The ride lasts about eight minutes with three-person gondolas carrying passengers through the route. The high capacity of this attraction means waiting times are typically shorter compared to other popular rides in the park.
The ride's 100 gondolas were built by Schwarzkopf and remain the only installation using this endless conveyor system. The vehicles rotate to face each scene, and the figures were made by Heimo. The ride is 250 metres long and lasts eight minutes, averaging about 1.9 km/h.
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