As of January 2023, the oldest running roller coaster in the world was Leap the Dips, located in Lakemont Park, Pennsylvania (USA), which was opened in 1902. Meanwhile, the world's second oldest coaster, Scenic Railway, opened 10 years later in Melbourne, Australia.

The oldest operating roller coaster in the world is the Scenic Railway, located at Luna Park in Melbourne (St Kilda), Victoria, Australia. It first opened to the public on December 13, 1912, and has remained in continuous operation ever since. This traditional wooden coaster is unique not just for its age, but because it still requires a "brakeman" to stand in the middle of the train to manually control its speed throughout the dips and turns. While earlier "Russian Mountains" or the 1884 Switchback Railway in Coney Island served as progenitors, they are long gone, leaving the Scenic Railway as the undisputed record holder. If you are looking for the oldest coaster in the United States, that title belongs to Leap-the-Dips at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1902 but has experienced periods of closure. In 2026, the Melbourne Scenic Railway remains a protected heritage site and a "bucket list" destination for theme park enthusiasts globally, offering a rickety, authentic experience that modern steel "Giga-coasters" simply cannot replicate.