June to August attracts the most visitors to the Vienna Zoo. With most schools and colleges on summer break, hundreds of families visit the zoo around this time. Most enclosures are crowded nearly every hour of the day. Start your tour early in the morning to lessen your wait time outside the exhibits. March to May, September, and October are comparatively cooler with milder temperatures and manageable crowds.
Inside Schonbrunn Zoo ViennaWeekdays are less crowded than weekends. On weekends, expect longer wait lines outside the enclosures. Invest in skip-the-line tickets to avoid standing in long lines outside the Vienna Zoo entrance. If you plan a visit during the summer months, you may find weekdays equally swamped with tourists. The best way to ensure a quieter visit is to arrive early in the morning. A majority of the big felines also prowl about in the morning, when the temperatures are slightly cooler.
Vienna Zoo restaurant detailsAddress: Maxingstraße 13b, 1130 Wien, Austria
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The Schonbrunn Zoo is situated in the Hietzing district, known for its scenic green spaces and historic buildings. The zoo is situated near the Gloriette and Neptune Fountain within the Palace Grounds. The main zoo premises are only a kilometer away from the Royal Apartments of the palace, making it convenient for visitors to walk over to the zoo.
Closest landmarks: Schonbrunn Palace, Chocolate Museum, St. Charles’ Church, Museums Quartier Vienna, and others
Vienna Zoo parking informationDriving route: The distance between the Vienna International Airport and the Schonbrunn Vienna Zoo is around 26.5km. Drive along the A4 highway. Exit Landstraße from A23. Follow along Landstraßer Gurtel on B221. Turn towards B1 and head to Maxingstraße, a few minutes away from the Schonbrunn Zoo premises.
Nearest parking:
Wild Republic Shop
Address: Maxingstraße 13B, 1130 Wien, Austria
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Opening hours: 9:30am to 6:45pm
The Schonbrunn Vienna Zoo houses a wide selection of animal species, numbering around 700, spread across 17 hectares. You can see giant pandas, rock-hopper penguins, polar bears, Siberian tigers, African Bush elephants, orangutans, anteaters, capybaras, and several other mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The zoo provides a closer look at the incredible biodiversity of our planet.
The Vienna Zoo is situated within the Schonbrunn Palace Grounds, around a kilometer away from the Main Royal Apartments of the palace. The zoo was founded in 1752, initially as an imperial menagerie, and has now emerged as a leader in animal conservation.
If you are traveling from Vienna Hauptbahnhof (main train station), take the U1 subway line in the direction of Leopoldau and transfer at Karlsplatz to the U4 line towards Hutteldorf. Get off at Hietzing, the nearest metro station to the Schonbrunn Zoo. A single ticket costs around €2.40 for adults.
The Schonbrunn Zoo skip-the-line tickets offer access to all the animal enclosures, including the Panda World, Rainforest House, Elephant Park, Insectarium, Polar Bear World, and others. You need separate tickets to explore the nearby palace. The Schonbrunn Zoo combo tickets allow you to explore the Palace Grounds as well as its interiors, providing a comprehensive view of the Habsburg opulence.
Yes, you can exit the Schonbrunn Zoo and enter again with the same ticket, provided you get it stamped from any of the visitor information centers near the three entrances. Remember that if you are planning to eat at Gasthaus Tirolergarten or Landtmann’s Park cafe, you have to get your tickets stamped, as these outlets are outside the zoo’s perimeter.
The Schonbrunn Vienna Zoo is largely barrier-free and easily accessible. Visitors in wheelchairs can navigate the premises comfortably. You can rent wheelchairs for your visit free of charge. There are accessible restrooms at the Cafe ORANG. erie and near the Tyrolean garden.
There are a variety of dining options inside the Schonbrunn Zoo. Head to the Kaiser Pavillion or Gasthaus Tirolergarten for a heart, traditional, Austrian feast. Try Kasspatzin (cheese noodles), apple strudel, and Tafelspitz (boiled beef). If you want a light refreshment like a salad or a sandwich, head to Cafe ORANG. erie, close to the orangutans and tropical birds.
You can cover the bigger enclosures, like the Elephant Park, Big Cat House, and Rainforest House in around an hour or two. However, we recommend you set aside at least 3 hours for a detailed exploration of the Schonbrunn Vienna Zoo.
You are not allowed to bring pets inside the Vienna Zoo premises. Only trained guide dogs with an identity card and recognition vests are allowed in the zoo.