Voltrum

Description

Voltrum rises 109 meters above Bayern-Park, making it the tallest drop tower in southern Germany. Manufactured by Austrian company Funtime Handels GmbH and opened in 2020, the structure consists of eight segments topped by a dome, with its theming rooted in the visual language of electricity and industrial power. The queue building resembles a remote transformer station: steel-barred windows, heavy metal doors, and a vintage-style electrical crown visible overhead that flickers and crackles as the gondola plummets past it. The 24 seats are arranged in three modules of eight and secured with lap restraints that leave the upper body completely free, maximizing the sensation of open-air freefall. At the start of each two-minute cycle, a steel cable roughly 20 mm in diameter winds around a large drum (visible through a window in the waiting area) and hauls the gondola upward. The gondola rotates during the ascent, offering a 360-degree panorama of the park and, in clear conditions, the Alps. At the top, the cable releases and passengers enter freefall, reaching 113 km/h over a drop of approximately 93 meters. The fall itself lasts around 2.5 seconds; eddy-current braking brings the gondola to a smooth stop from roughly 30 meters above ground. On designated "Blue Days," between 15:00 and 15:30, the tower operates in a sightseeing mode: the gondola climbs at a relaxed pace, holds at the summit for the panoramic view, then descends slowly without the freefall phase. Adjacent to the attraction, the Voltrum "Ladestation" kiosk serves food and provides seating for spectators watching the ride cycle.