Vienna Zoo: A Complete Guide

Have you been planning a trip to one of the world’s most beautiful zoos that has a huge variety of animal species in a wonderful atmosphere??

Well, you’re lucky as Vienna makes it possible!

The Vienna Zoo or Schonbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world and is located in the gardens of the beautiful Schonbrunn Palace. Being part of the palace complex it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It’s home to over 700 different species of animals – such as the giant pandas, koalas, elephants and lions – a Schonbrunn tour is surely an experience of its kind for the whole family.

It has been regularly voted Europe’s best Zoo and attracts more than two million tourists every year.

In this post we share everything you must know before you book your Vienna Zoo tickets. Find out what to see and do there, where to eat, how to visit and much more.

Brief History of Vienna Zoo

Vienna Zoo is the oldest operating zoo in the world. Although the zoo was officially opened in 1752, a smaller menagerie had already existed on the grounds since 1540.

It was founded by Francis I – the husband of Empress Maria Theresia, and in the beginning, it operated as the royal menagerie. A menagerie was an earlier model to the modern zoo that was home to a collection of captive animals held for display. In those days they organised a few expeditions to Africa and the Americas to procure a few animal specimens for the zoo.

In 1778 the zoo was opened up to the public every Sunday. By the end of the 18th century, visitors to Schonbrunn could see big cats, polar bears, wolves, hyenas, elephants and kangaroos. The first giraffe, a gift from the viceroy of Egypt, arrived in Vienna in 1828 and had a great impact on the city. Clothes and accessories with a giraffe print became very popular in the city, and this led to a large number of visitors at the zoo. In fact, the zoo has been influencing life in Vienna since that time.

Vienna Zoo had its share of ups and downs. The best period was before the world wars when the zoo was home to more than 700 species and 3,500 specimens. The wars had a deep impact on the zoo, as due to shrinking food supplies and bomb raiding of World War II many animals were killed and the animal specimens were reduced to only 400. It’s only in the 1990s the zoo was privatised and soon got back on track.

Today, Vienna Zoo is famous for its extensive and thriving collection of exotic animals, including polar bears, lions, tigers, and wolves. There are many of the buildings that still use the historical structures dating back to the Habsburg Era. And also features a modern site that includes a desert house, an aquarium, rainforest house, polarium, and a bird pavilion.

Vienna Zoo Animals – What to See

The zoo showcases a variety of animals, birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes, and much more. It is home to around 8,500 animals of more than 700 different species.

The must-see attractions of Vienna Zoo are:

Regenwaldhaus (Rainforest House)

This is a giant enclosure, giving the visitor the feel of the Amazon Forest. You’ll see the artificial thunderstorms, the floor, canopy, etc that depict a natural tropical forest. Inside this forest you’ll see animals like birds, bats, etc living freely, giving it an authentic feel. Don’t miss the ‘flying foxes’, you can see them at the top-level of this forest house.

Elephant House

As the name suggests, this house is dedicated to keeping and caring for the elephants. One of the most exciting attractions is the elephant shower routine. If you’re planning to visit with kids, check out the timings of the cleaning and feeding sessions. Children simply love the cleaning and feeding sessions in this part of the zoo.

Big Cat House

Members of the big cat family – tigers, cheetahs, and leopards – live in the rooms and outdoor areas in the big cat house. Visitors of all ages are very excited visiting this section.

Rhino House

This big Rhino house is home to an Indian pair of rhinoceros. These rhinos were a gift from the Kingdom of Nepal to the zoo.

Polarium

This section is home to Penguins in their natural habitat and also has an extended pool for sea lions. It’s always a great experience to see these large sea animals jump about and spray water at the visitors.

Tirolerhof

This is a farmhouse from the mountainous Tyrolean region of Austria. Here you’ll see rare breeds of farm animals such as horses, sheep, goats, etc. This place also serves as an excellent place to enjoy some food and drinks.

Other Animals

Besides these main centres, there are other animals like zebras, giraffes, antelope, and birds. There’s even a petting zoo for children, where they can stroke and play with the animals. The other attractions include a koala house, an insect house, polar bears, a monkey and ape house, meerkats, reindeer, camels, giant pandas, a Gibbon Island, and much more.

Aquarium

The aquarium at the zoo consists of three sections. The first section features fish, crocodiles, birds and butterflies. There is also a butterfly breeding station in this section.

The second section is a huge 80,000-litre reef aquarium filled with fishes, anemones, and corals. While the third section is the Terrarium – a 7.5 m (24.5 ft) long glass tunnel that resembles a flooded Amazon Forest floor. This section showcases frogs, snakes, lizards, ants, spiders, and a dark area where you can see bats and scorpions.

Desert House

This is a botanical house within the zoo that showcases the life of plants and animals in a desert. The highlight of this house is the 70m glass tube labyrinth with desert mole rats. While the must-see attraction amongst the plants is ‘Fockea’, an offspring of the oldest pulpy potted plant in the world.

Panorama Train

Spread over an area of 160 hectares of land, Vienna Zoo is part of the Schonbrunn Palace. And the Panorama train is the best way to explore this massive park. Starting out at 10 am to 6 pm, this train shuttles through the Palace Park at a slow pace. The train’s one tour around the palace has nine stops and lasts for 50 minutes. It passes through the zoo between the Emperor’s Breakfast Pavilion, the Elephant House, and the Tirolerhof. So, if you want to explore only the zoo on this train, you can buy tickets at the zoo.

Visitors Information

Opening hours

The Vienna Zoo is open daily from 9 am – 365 days a year and also on public holidays. The closing time varies according to the seasons and is between 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm

January 9 am – 4:30 pm
February 9 am – 5 pm
March 9 am – 5:30 pm
April – September 9 am – 6:30 pm
October 9 am – 5:30 pm
October – December 9 am – 4:30 pm

The Aquarium and the Tyrolean farm house close at the end of visiting hours. The Bird House closes an hour before. All other animal houses close half an hour before.

Best time to visit Vienna Zoo

It’s best to visit the zoo as soon as they open at 9 am. During the early hours most animals are active and more visible, and as the day gets hotter, they may recede to shaded areas.

Also, the temperature is moderate and you can explore most of the outdoor areas of the zoo. Going early means there will be fewer crowds and you don’t need to stand in any queue. You also get more time to explore the zoo at leisure. Avoid weekends or school holidays as it can get crowded.

How much time does Vienna Zoo take

If you’re visiting with family and kids and plan to see all animal enclosures, attend feeding sessions, etc then you’ll need at least four to five hours to explore the zoo.

However, if you’re visiting with a group of adults, you can cover most animal enclosures and other exhibits within two to three hours.

Feeding in Vienna Zoo

The most popular is the feeding activity of animals which attracts visitors of all ages every day. About every 30 minutes between 10 am and 4pm you can watch animals being fed at different locations. You can plan your visit according to the feeding and training times of the animals, but sometimes for various reasons feeding may not take place in public.

Children in Vienna Zoo

There are many theme parks spread across the zoo that are fun and offer a lot of variety with their climbing frames, slides and swings. This gives children an opportunity to climb an elephant, a salamander, or crawl through a spider-net tunnel.

There is a horse-riding track where children can do their rounds on Haflinger or Shetland ponies and even stroke dwarf goats in the Petting Zoo. If you’re tired and need some rest, you can take the Panoramic train, which commutes between the emperor’s breakfast pavilion, the elephant house and the Tirolerhof.

There are two shops that offer a huge selection of soft toys of more than 2000 animals and natural items – from flamingos to sloths and pandas. Your little one can take their favourite animal (soft toy) home and bid goodbye to the residents of the zoo.

Vienna Zoo in winter

If Summer is a good time to visit the zoo, Winter isn’t bad either. Visiting during winter is more fun as there are fewer crowds and you also get a closer look at the animals.

The animals are active in their warm indoor enclosures. And cooler temperatures make no difference to many animals, especially those from Africa or South America. In fact, many exotic animals can be seen playing in their enclosures, depending on their mood.

Food and Drink

Vienna Zoo has two eateries – Tiroler Garten tavern and Kaiserpavillon. They both have a rich history. The site of the Tiroler Garten tavern dates back to the 19th century when Archduke Johann established a Tyrolean style log cabin, where he held cattle and ran a little farm.

Today’s Tyrolean house goes back to the 1990s when it was re-built from the original parts of an 18th century Tyrolean farmhouse. Inside it’s a cosy tavern and has a lovely shady garden to hang out during warmer months.

Meanwhile, the 300-year-old Kaiserpavillon in the middle of the zoo reflects Schonbrunn’s imperial glamour, and is decorated with frescoes, chandeliers and a domed roof.

There is also an alternative restaurant and cafe in Schonbrunn park – Landtmann’s Jausenstation and Gloriette Cafe. Both provide a good option for lunch or a snack.

Visit with Rosotravel

As Schonbrunn Palace is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Austria and Schonbrunn Zoo gets one of the most crowds, it is natural that there will be long waiting lines in front of the ticket booking offices.

Keeping that in mind and with so much to see and do in Vienna Zoo within a few hours, is seriously a waste of time. You can book skip the lines by buying the ticket in advance with Rosotravel.

Our Schonbrunn tour includes a private transfer with a driver to Schonbrunn Zoo, who will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. Also, a skip-the-line Vienna Zoo ticket. So, you don’t need to worry about anything, simply relax and enjoy your ride and visit the Schonbrunn Zoo.

Finally, there are many reasons why you must visit Vienna Zoo.

It’s not only the oldest but the best zoo in the whole world as it is located in the fascinating surroundings of the Schonbrunn palace and the imperial gardens.

So, during your Schonbrunn tour you can easily enjoy a whole day of fun activities when visiting this attraction.