June 22, 2025, 5:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
In the Austrian city of Graz, there’s a true world record holder. The Schlossberg Slide, which takes tourists underground through the mountain of the same name, is the tallest of its kind on the planet. TRAVELBOOK spoke with the operating company about the attraction, enthusiastic visitors in their retirement years, and why this superlative has yet to appear in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Clearly, anyone visiting the Austrian city of Graz will likely find themselves at the local Schlossberg sooner rather than later. This massive dolomite rock formation rises up to 474 meters above the old town, literally overshadowing everything in the metropolis of our neighboring country. Since 2019, even more tourists may have been drawn here, as that year saw the opening of the Schlossberg Slide, a true world record holder. It is the highest underground slide around the globe.
It stands 64 meters high and stretches 170 meters long, with a unique twist. On the Schlossberg Slide, you race through the mountain itself at speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour. The entire ride lasts about 40 seconds, but according to Wolfgang Brandner, spokesperson for the operating company Diesel GmbH, those seconds are quite thrilling: “Especially in the lower section, it gets pretty fast, and at times you feel like you’re in free fall,” he told TRAVELBOOK.
First Stop for Tourists
According to Brandner, the Schlossberg Slide has been a success story from the start: “The project was met with a lot of goodwill from the city, media, and politics. The Schlossberg is already the first stop for tourists in Graz. You get a great 360-degree view of the city, and then there’s the clock tower with its swapped hour and minute hands.” And since February 2019, it also boasts the highest underground slide in the world.
Also interesting: Deep Sleep – the world’s deepest hotel in Wales
The main challenge in realizing the Schlossberg Slide was planning the structural engineering. The construction itself took only three months, and the costs were relatively low for such a mega-project, at 1.5 million euros. The idea to create this superlative slide was there from the beginning. “We were surprised at how straightforward the planning process was compared to some of our other projects.”
Germany Has the Largest Movie Screen in the World
The Little-Known Beauty of the Oker Valley in the Harz Mountains
The tragic story behind the heaviest building in the world
(Still) No Guinness Record
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Schlossberg Slide remained open as an outdoor operation. “Visitor numbers quickly recovered after the pandemic.” The super slide is especially popular with families, though the oldest visitor was well over 80 years old. Additionally, the company operates a 4D cinema on the Schlossberg, where a 10-minute flight over the city of Graz is simulated, complete with special effects like moving seats.
BILD Travel: Discover the best hotels in Styria now!
According to Brandner, media from around the world still come to report on the Schlossberg Slide. “We even had temporary contact with the Guinness World Records committee, but that somehow fizzled out.” Austrian modesty. Anyone wanting to try the Schlossberg Slide must be at least 1.3 meters tall. Admission currently costs 6.50 euros per person. The same price applies for the cinema, and a combo ticket costs 10.90 euros. The attraction is open to visitors 365 days a year.