Hightlight
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Cafe
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Events
Edinburgh Zoo is a gateway to the natural world where people can experience nature, learn about the challenges facing wildlife and discover how we harness the unique power of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) family – our teams, supporters and partners – to save animals from extinction.
We are open seven days a week (but closed on Christmas Day) and we recommend that everyone apart from RZSS members should book tickets online in advance to save money and avoid disappointment.
Tickets are limited and may sell out during school holidays and weekends – we recommend that you book your ticket at least two hours before your visit, unless you are an RZSS member or their guest. As usual, RZSS members must accompany guests who can pay for discounted admission on the gate –please see the members section below for more information and sign up for member emails for the latest updates.
It is really important to be aware of what to expect on the day, including our very limited car parking spaces, queues for entry, popular viewing areas and more – please watch the ‘What to expect’ video or read the information in the FAQs below.
Please respect the ‘rules of the road’ at the zoo and our dedicated teams who are there to make sure everyone has a safe and fun day out.
We really appreciate your support and kindly ask that you read the information below before getting in touch (you can find contact details at the bottom of this page).
Hopefully you can visit us soon – we look forward to seeing you!
FAQ's
Does everyone need to book online in advance?
To avoid disappointment on the day, we recommend visitors book in advance, including those with prepaid tickets (prepaid ticket holders include reciprocal zoo members, admission vouchers, corporate tickets, Blue Peter badge holders and adopter tickets). You'll also save 10% by booking online! Tickets are limited and may sell out during school holidays and weekends – please remember to book a ticket online in advance at least two hours before your visit, unless you are an RZSS member or their guest. RZSS members and their guests do not need to book in advance (please see the RZSS members section for more information on exceptions for members and their guests). Last entry is one hour before closing — though we recommend giving yourself at least two hours to get around the park.
Can I use the car park?
We are a city zoo, so parking spaces are very limited and only available on a first come, first served basis. Our car park is very popular and can fill up early in the day (before 11am during school holidays). All car park users need to take a ticket from the barriers on arrival and have this validated to exit the car park to avoid paying full price (£10) at the machine. Parking at the zoo is free for blue badge holders and RZSS members who can continue to park for free as part of their membership benefits. Parking for zoo visitors is £3. Travelling by bus is highly recommended where possible and our partners at Lothian Buses can drop you off right outside our gates with their regular services from the city centre (including Waverley and Haymarket train station) and surrounding areas.
Do you have dinosaurs at the zoo?
Yes! Our triceraTOP TIP this year is to explore our new Dinosaurs! at Edinburgh Zoo exhibition at the top of the hill - FREE with zoo entry (and well worth the climb or short wait for our mobility vehicle!) 🦖
Does severe weather affect our visit?
Sometimes! We always do everything we can to stay open and welcome you to the zoo, but extreme weather can take this decision out of our hands (and paws...) and mean closing parts of the park to visitors for everyone's safety. We will always email all pre-booked ticket holders and update our website and social media channels if we had to close or make significant changes in the park. Tickets for daytime visits and events are only refundable if the zoo has to close or an event is cancelled, but we understand you may need to rearrange your visit if extreme weather means travelling is unsafe, or if you have an emergency. If you need to change the date of your visit, please email info@rzss.org.uk with your booking details with as much notice as possible. Our small team work very hard to get back to everyone as quickly as they can but this could take up to 72 hours at the moment. We will of course rearrange your visit to a day with availability if you need to self-isolate or have another emergency and really appreciate your patience - do not worry if you do not receive a reply before your original booked date.
