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    Top 20 Tallest Rollercoasters In The World: The Definitive List

    For any adrenaline-seeker, riding giant roller coasters is a must. Have you ever wondered how tall roller coasters can be? This article will introduce the top 20 tallest roller coasters in the world, giving you the best ride of your life.

    If you are looking for a comprehensive list of the tallest rollercoasters in the world, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will introduce some most exhilarating rides and review the riding experience.

    20 Operating Tallest Rollercoasters In The World

    The definition of “tallest” can be a bit ambiguous. Before we jump into the next part, we would like to clarify the difference between two terms:

    • Height: The distance between the ground and the highest point of the rollercoaster, usually the top of a drop. 
    • Drop: The distance in which the train drops vertically, and thus gives you a feeling of weightlessness.

    The drop height can be smaller, equal to, or greater than the height of the rollercoaster. In this article, we have arranged the rankings in drop rather than height. This is because the drop is where you actually experience the thrills of riding the rollercoaster. 

    Other factors can affect the experience, such as speed or inversions (loops, corkscrews, barrel rolls, etc.). However, it's essential to remember that everyone's tolerance for thrill and intensity is different. A coaster that may be too intense for one person may be perfect for another.

    Generally, people with heart or blood pressure problems, under a certain height or over the age of 66, are advised against riding. If unsure, consult a doctor and go for shorter rides first.

    We would also exclude the non-operation rollercoasters - either under construction or shut down completely. Some of which you might have heard of, like the Falcon’s Flight, the Top Thrill Dragster, or the Tower of Terror II. 

    20. Diamondback - 66-Metre Drop

    You’re hard-pressed to find a ride as exciting as this. Photo by FlickreviewR, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Kings Island, Ohio, USA
    • Height: 70 m (230 ft)
    • Drop: 66 m (215 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (80 mph)
    • Duration: 3:00

    The cool Diamondback is designed to maximise the amount of airtime, featuring several drops and hills, even a 180-degree turn that will give you vertigo. It also used staggered seating to give riders a better view as they go up in the air.

    However, the most exciting part about the coaster is the splashdown at the end of the ride. It also has a fantastic smoothness and excellent pacing, according to reviews, so if you have the chance, just try it!

    19. Nitro - 66-Metre Drop

    The Nitro gives you an amazing floating feeling. Photo by Pablo Costa Tirado (…, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey, USA
    • Height: 70 m (230 ft)
    • Drop: 66 m (215 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (80 mph)
    • Duration: 2:20

    The Nitro might be lacking in the height department, but it does not disappoint when it comes to thrills. The ride features long airtime, a sharp U-turn, a hammerhead turn, and many hills. 

    It boasts an excellent seating design, so slim and sleek that it makes you feel like you are floating through the air. If you come to Six Flags Great Adventure, consider riding this along with the infamous Kingda Ka, which we will discuss later.

    18. Thunder Dolphin - 66-Metre Drop

    There are not many rollercoasters that pass through buildings like it’s nothing. Photo by Radek Kucharski from Warsaw, Poland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Tokyo Dome City Attractions, Tokyo, Japan
    • Height: 80 m (260 ft)
    • Drop: 66 m (217 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
    • Duration: 1:30

    If you are in Japan, don’t miss out on the Thunder Dolphin. Its design gives an exciting edge to the ride by passing through holes in the LaQua building and the Big O - the world’s first centerless Ferris wheel. 

    Besides the excellent view, the Thunder Dolphin is also a rollercoaster fan favourite. It received great compliments regarding the pacing, the force, and the smooth feeling like gliding in the air. If this doesn’t convince you to give it a chance, we don’t know what does.

    17. Silver Star - 67-Metre Drop

    It’s not the most intense rollercoaster, but it’s still fun. Photo by Jérémy-Günther-Heinz Jähnick / Europa-Park - Silver Star (15) / Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Europa-Park, Rust, Germany
    • Height: 73 m (240 ft)
    • Drop: 67 m (220 ft)
    • Speed: 127 km/h (79 mph)
    • Duration: 4:00

    A trip is Europ-Park should be on everyone’s list when they come to this beautiful country. It is not the ride for the audacious or those seeking extreme sensations. The Silver Star is designed to be family-friendly. Some even go so far as to say it is the watered-down version of Hyperion. 

    However, this doesn’t mean it is not fun, per se. It still features a lot of airtime hills, some curves, and turnarounds. It would be an exciting ride if you are a first-time rider or don’t fancy hair-raising airtime horror that much.

    16. Behemoth - 69-Metre Drop

    Riding the Behemoth is a treat for adrenaline junkies. Photo by Kotsy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. 

    • Location: Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario, Canada
    • Height: 80 m (260 ft)
    • Drop: 66 m (217 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
    • Duration: 1:30

    What is unique about Behemoth is that it is designed to be aggressive. You can’t possibly be bored on the train, as it is full of surprising changes in direction and height and unexpected forces that can give you whiplash. 

    And numbers show that the designs are, in fact, extreme - in which there are, among many things else, a hairpin 180-degree hammerhead turn, a downward 540-degree helix, and another upward  270-degree helix. 

    It might not be one of the tallest, but it might just give you the thrill ride of your life.

    15. Fujiyama - 70-Metre Drop

    It is not called “The king of roller coasters” without good reasons. Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Fuji-Q Highland, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
    • Height: 79 m (259 ft)
    • Drop: 70 m (230 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
    • Duration: 3:36

    “The king of roller coasters”, as many would call it, lie at the iconic landmark of Japan, Mount Fuji. It was once the world’s highest coaster when it debuted in 1996. Now it’s no longer the case, but Fujiyama still boasts one of the highest class specifications in the world.

    A 70m drop with an unrivalled view of Mt. Fuji is not to be missed. Before you plan to visit the park, it’s advisable to do a weather check. When it rains, most open-air attractions are closed. And your trip can end up being a bit disappointing (and soaking wet).

    14. Yukon Striker - 75-Metre Drop

    This roller coaster is absolutely a must-try if you visit Canada’s Wonderland. Photo by Jason Zhang, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario, Canada
    • Height: 68 m (223 ft)
    • Drop: 74.7 m (245 ft)
    • Speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
    • Duration: 3:25

    In terms of design, the Yukon Striker would be excellent for thrill-seekers. Throughout the ride, you would be sent flying and experience the feeling of being untethered and weightless in the air. Overall, an exciting ride.

    From the start, you would see yourself plunging straight down, a 90-degree fall, into the gaping maw of a water tunnel. After emerging from the tunnel, you would enter two exhilarating Immelmann loops, a zero-gravity roll, a 360-degree vertical loop, some airtime hills and a helix.

    13. Titan - 78-Metre Drop

    The experience of riding the Titan can be a mixed bag. Photo by Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Six Flags Over Texas, Texas, USA
    • Height: 75 m (245 ft)
    • Drop: 78 m (255 ft)
    • Speed: 37 km/h (85 mph)
    • Duration: 3:30

    Standing at 245 feet high, the coaster is marvellous, like the gods in the Greek mythology. It’s maybe not among the best landmarks in the USA, but it’s the tallest, fastest, and longest coaster in Texas.

    Look, we don’t want to spoil all the fun, but the experience of riding the Titan can be a bit weird and forced. The pacing might seem peculiar- it is extremely intense to the point of causing blackouts at some point, but the midcourse brakes and helixes are reported to be underwhelming.

    The Titan would take you through a breathtaking 540-degree spiral, and another 570-degree spiral, which is so intense it could give you blackouts. However, the drop and airtime are rather anti-climatic, and some even coin the nickname “airtime-less hill” because of how disappointing the drop was. 

    12. Goliath - 78-Metre Drop

    This Goliath coaster is in California, don’t mistake it for any other Goliaths. Photo by Alton,  CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, California, USA
    • Height: 72 m (235 ft)
    • Drop: 78 m (255 ft)
    • Speed: 137 km/h) (85 mph)
    • Duration: 3:00

    The name can cause a bit of confusion, as there are also Goliath - another steel roller coaster in the Netherlands, and Goliath - a wooden rollercoaster in Illinois, USA. The Goliath we’re talking about is located in Six Flag Magic Mountain, California, so make sure you don’t get that wrong.

    Goliath tries hard not to terrify the riders, as most apparent in the mid-course trim brake, which slows the train down (and some might not be very happy about it). However, after this break, the train also enters a highly banked helix so intense that it might cause grey outs.

    12. Shambhala - 78-Metre Drop

    This roller coaster doesn’t hold back on the thrills. Photo by Christophe Badoux via Wikimedia Commons.

    • Location: PortAventura Park, Tarragona, Spain
    • Height: 76 m (249 ft)
    • Drop: 78 m (256 ft
    • Speed: 134 km/h (83 mph)
    • Duration: 3:00

    The creator of Shambhala surely doesn’t hold back on the hills and midcourse brakes, as there are multiple of them throughout the ride. After an initial 90-degree turn to the right, you would experience a 77.4-degree drop, followed by five camel-back hills, a figure-eight-shaped helix, and an ampersand turn.

    On the way, it interestingly crosses paths with Dragon Khan, another rollercoaster in the same park, multiple times. At the end of the ride, the train enters a splashdown section, but instead of heading straight into the water, water jets shoot up as it passes by.

    11. Coaster Through The Clouds - 78-Metre Drop

    If you are looking for a less intense coaster, this one is it. Photo by Martin Lewison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via coasterpedia.net.

    • Location: Nanchang Sunac Land, Jiangxi, China
    • Height: 74 m (243 ft)
    • Drop: 78 m (255 ft)
    • Speed: 136 km/h (84.5 mph)
    • Duration: 4:12 </