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Vienna: Skip-the-line Tickets for Schönbrunn Zoo
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Schönbrunn Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is a unique attraction: it is the oldest zoo in the world still in operation, founded in 1752, and at the same time one of Europe’s most modern and award-winning zoos. Located in the magnificent park of Schoenbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the zoo offers an extraordinary combination of culture, nature and imperial history.
Founded as an imperial menagerie at the behest of Emperor Franz I Stephen of Lorraine, consort of Maria Theresa of Austria, the zoo was initially reserved exclusively for the imperial family and its aristocratic guests. In 1779, it was opened to the public, but only on Sundays and only for ‘persons dressed with decorum’. Today the zoo covers 17 hectares and is home to more than 700 animal species from all over the world, many of them endangered.
Tiergarten Schönbrunn has been awarded Europe’s best zoo for six consecutive years and is an international benchmark for species conservation and zoological research. The zoo’s special charm derives from the perfect harmony between the original Baroque architecture, with the characteristic octagonal central pavilion from 1752 still dominating the heart of the zoo, and the modern facilities created to ensure the animals’ well-being.
The most popular animals among visitors are undoubtedly the giant pandas, which have returned to the zoo since May 2025, along with koalas, orangutans, African elephants, Siberian tigers and sea lions. The zoo is particularly renowned for its successes in breeding endangered species, such as the world’s first breeding of the Batagur tortoise and the frog fiddle, achievements that have made Schoenbrunn famous far beyond Austria’s borders.
The shape of Schönbrunn Zoo vaguely resembles that of a bicycle wheel, with the avenues as spokes and an octagonal pavilion in the centre of the wheel. The park occupies 17 hectares within Schoenbrunn Palace Park, whose total area is 160 hectares, and is divided into thematic areas, each dedicated to specific ecosystems and habitats.
The Polarium is home to polar bears, seals and penguins in an environment that recreates Arctic conditions, while the Rainforest House immerses visitors in a dense tropical jungle with controlled temperatures and humidity, where otters, molting pythons, exotic birds and a wide variety of insects live. The facility also includes an atmospheric bat cave where these nocturnal mammals can be observed up close.
The ORANG.erie is one of the zoo’s most innovative structures, an 11-metre-high luxury environment where the orang-utans can jump from branch to branch just as they would in their natural habitat of Borneo. The attached café allows visitors to observe the anthropomorphic apes while enjoying a drink, creating an almost immersive experience. The Giraffe House allows visitors to meet these African giants at eye level via elevated platforms, while the new lion enclosure and hippo pool demonstrate the zoo’s ongoing commitment to improving the animals’ living conditions.
The South American Park is home to tapirs, anteaters and other species from the American continent, while the Aquarium (under expansion with completion scheduled for 2028) will include a huge shark tank and Europe’s largest jellyfish swarm.
The animals in Schönbrunn Zoo maintain their natural behaviour and in order to recreate it, places are provided for shelter, just like in nature. For this reason, it can happen that some animals cannot be seen.
It is good to know this in advance, especially if you are travelling with children, to avoid disappointment. There is no best time to see the animals, but morning is recommended because many species wake up early and are very active in the early hours of the day.
For unforgettable moments or breathtaking photographs, don’t miss the animals’ meals: posters inside the park will tell you who eats and at what time, so you can plan in advance which meal to attend!
The zoo is one of the nine stations of the Schönbrunn panorama train, which travels at a speed of 10 to 15 km/h in about 50 minutes along a scenic route through the palace park. It is possible to get off and on several times.
If you are not interested in the full tour, you can hop on another, cheaper train, which takes a tour inside the zoo, between the Emperor’s Frühstückspavillon, the elephant house and the Tirolerhof. The Schönbrunn Zoo panorama train runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (times may vary depending on the season) and departs every 45 minutes.
For an original meal, surrounded by greenery and animals from all over the world, stop for lunch at Schönbrunn Zoo: there are several options including bars, restaurants and cafés that can satisfy both those who want a quick snack and those who want to indulge in a more refined meal.
You could choose a rustic inn with a beautiful, shady garden serving traditional Tyrolean dishes or the baroque elegance of the Imperial Pavilion, where you can enjoy Austrian and international dishes while observing some of the zoo’s most friendly animals such as giant pandas, giraffes, hippos and antelopes from the terrace.
For a sweet snack of cake and coffee, the small café-bar at the entrance is perfect, while adults will love the convivial atmosphere of the biergarten.
If you don’t want to pay the zoo entrance fee, you can be content to watch the rhinos from Landtmann’s Parkcafé, outside the garden.
Tickets for Schönbrunn Zoo can be purchased online at questa pagina or at the ticket offices located at the main entrances: Hietzing (main entrance near the Hietzinger Tor portal), Tirolerhof and Neptun. Buying online is strongly recommended to skip the queue at the ticket office, especially during weekends and high season when attendance can be very high.
It is important to note that the zoo ticket does not include admission to Schönbrunn Palace and vice versa: separate tickets are required to visit the two attractions.
The zoo offers several advantageous combination tickets: a popular option is the ticket that includes both the zoo and the Prater Ferris Wheel, which can also be used on two separate days. During the winter months (November to early March), the Winter Pass is available, valid for one month, which allows access to both the zoo and the castle at a particularly attractive price.
The entrance ticket to Schönbrunn Zoo offers several savings options: it is completely free of charge for Vienna Pass holders, while those with a Vienna City Card can take advantage of a discount on the standard adult price. This distinction is important to consider when choosing between the tourist cards, as the Vienna Pass includes free admission to more than 90 attractions, while the Vienna City Card offers discounts on more than 200 partners as well as unlimited public transport.
Schönbrunn Zoo is open 365 days a year, including all public holidays, with opening times varying according to the season to follow the natural rhythms of the animals and take advantage of the daylight hours. Timetables can be found on the official website and are updated regularly. The cash desks close and the last entry takes place 30 minutes before the zoo’s closing time.
During the summer months, the zoo stays open longer to allow visitors to enjoy the cooler evenings, when many animals are particularly active. In winter, the hours are reduced in line with daylight hours, but the visit retains all its charm with a quieter atmosphere and the chance to see the cold-adapted animals at their best.
To visit the zoo completely, calmly observing the different thematic areas and watching some of the meals, at least 3-4 hours are recommended, although many families choose to spend a whole day exploring all the habitats, taking advantage of the numerous refreshment points scattered around the park and taking a break in the children’s play area.
Schönbrunn Zoo is located within Schönbrunn Palace Park and is easily accessible by public transport. The most convenient underground station is Hietzing on the U4 line (green), from where you can access the park through the Hietzinger Tor gate and reach the zoo’s main entrance with a pleasant 5-7 minute walk through the gardens.
Alternatively, the Schönbrunn stop on the same U4 line leads directly to the palace, from where the zoo can be reached by walking through the park. Tram lines 10, 52 and 60 also stop at Hietzing U-Bahn (Kennedybrücke), while buses 56A, 56B, 58A and 58B serve the Am Platz stop near the zoo entrances.
Those who prefer a more relaxing way to explore the park can use the Schönbrunn Panorama Train, which connects all the main attractions of the complex with nine stops, including the zoo, the Gloriette, the Obelisk Fountain and the Hietzinger Tor portal. The train is especially popular with families with small children or those who want to save energy to enjoy a visit to the zoo.
Schönbrunn Zoo is located in Schloßpark Schönbrunn in Vienna's 13th district, with the main entrance near the Hietzinger Tor gate.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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