Welcome to ZSL London Zoo, a world-renowned conservation zoo nestled in Regent’s Park. It’s a vibrant hub of wildlife and a fantastic destination for educational trips, family outings, and group events.
London Zoo group transport at a glance
- Address Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY.
- Coach drop-off In the zoo car park, next to the entrances, when space allows. The zoo has no coach parking, so the coach then parks elsewhere.
- School entrance Changes day to day depending on how busy the zoo is. All entrances are close to Barclay Court, where school groups gather to start the day.
- Opening hours From 10:00 daily. Closing times vary by season.
- Group sizes Minibuses for 9–16 passengers, midi coaches for 17–37, full-size coaches for 38–70. Larger groups travel in multiple vehicles.
- Busiest periods The summer term, when the zoo may open a dedicated school entrance, plus weekends and school holidays for family groups.
- Prices See our pricing page for current coach and minibus prices. You get a fixed written quote for every booking.
Why take a coach to London Zoo?
London Zoo is one of the harder London attractions to reach by public transport with children. The nearest Underground stations, Camden Town and Regent's Park, are each around a 15 to 20-minute walk away, which is a long way with a class of five-year-olds or a group carrying packed lunches.
A private coach takes your group from the school gate to the zoo car park, next to the entrances. There's no Tube, no road crossings through Camden and no counting heads on a platform, and bags and coats can stay on the coach until you need them.
How group coach hire to London Zoo works
The London Coach Company is a licensed London coach operator. Our drivers run your trip from pickup to return, and we plan every London Zoo booking around your arrival time and any booked education activities.
You get one point of contact, one fixed quote and one booking. Most school groups arrive in the morning, so we time your drop-off to get you in before the queues build up.
Typical London Zoo bookings:
- School day trip. Nursery, primary and secondary science visits on habitats, adaptation and conservation, with pickup from school and a return before the end of the school day.
- SEND school visit. Minibuses and accessible vehicles, with drop-off close to the entrance and a calm, unhurried pickup.
- Family, community and youth group day out. Weekend and school holiday trips for clubs, churches, Scouts, Guides and community groups.
- Zoo and London day. The zoo combined with a walk in Regent's Park, or a stop at a central London museum on the way home.
Typical journey times to London Zoo
Times are for a full-size coach on a weekday morning, door to set-down.
We build London traffic into every quote, so your group arrives in time for its slot.
| From | Approx. journey time |
|---|---|
| Guildford | 60–75 mins |
| Reading | 60–80 mins |
| St Albans | 60–75 mins |
| Luton | 60–80 mins |
| Chelmsford | 75–90 mins |
| Maidstone | 75–90 mins |
| Milton Keynes | 80–100 mins |
| Brighton | 90–110 mins |
London Zoo school visit rules (what trip organisers need to know)
The zoo's school rules decide how many adults you need, when you pay and where you go on arrival, so check them before you book transport.
- Pay two weeks ahead. School trips must be paid at least two weeks before the visit by BACS or card, and numbers can't be changed once payment is made.
- Adult ratios apply. Every trip needs at least one adult for every 12 primary or secondary students. The zoo gives one free adult for every 3 paying Early Years children and one for every 5 paying students in Key Stages 1 to 4. Students with a diagnosed learning need or disability can bring an extra 1:1 adult free of charge.
- Arrive together. Education groups must arrive and enter the zoo together with the lead teacher. Security runs bag checks at every entrance, so have adults ready to help children open their bags.
- Gather at Barclay Court. All entrances are close to Barclay Court, the best place to split into groups. Alternative school entrances open in the mornings only, so groups arriving after midday use the main entrance.
- No bookable lunch space. Groups eat packed lunches at the lunch spots marked on the schools map. Teachers and teaching assistants on educational tickets get 10% off in the cafés.
- Free planning help. Once booked, schools get a free familiarisation visit (one teacher per class) and a free 20-minute online pre-visit consultation with the zoo's learning team.
What this means for your coach booking: we time your drop-off to allow for the bag checks and the walk to Barclay Court, and we plan the pickup around the end of your last activity. Tell us your arrival time, any booked sessions and whether you'll need bags on the coach during the day.
Rules are set by ZSL London Zoo and can change. Always confirm your booking details on the zoo's education visit page.
Coach access, drop-off and waiting
- Set-down point: the zoo car park on the Outer Circle of Regent's Park, next to the zoo entrances, when space allows.
- Where the coach waits: the zoo has no coach parking, so after drop-off the coach moves to a TfL-listed coach park and returns for your agreed pickup time. Any parking charges are included in your quote.
- Minibuses: minibuses of 16 seats or fewer can park in the zoo car park for a daily fee, subject to availability. This can't be booked in advance, unless your group has specific access needs.
- Free zoo entry for drivers: coach drivers accompanying a group to London Zoo get free entry to the zoo.
- No engine idling. Leaving an engine running while stationary can be fined by the local council. Our drivers switch off at every stop.
- Congestion Charge: London Zoo is outside the central London Congestion Charge zone.
- Emissions: coaches and buses over 5 tonnes are subject to the London-wide Low Emission Zone (Euro VI standard), not the ULEZ. Minibuses under 5 tonnes are subject to the ULEZ. All vehicles we supply are LEZ and ULEZ compliant.
Public transport, for anyone meeting the group there: Camden Town (Northern line) and Regent's Park (Bakerloo line) are the nearest Underground stations, each around a 15 to 20-minute walk from the zoo.
Accessibility
The zoo has a Changing Places facility in its Animal Adventure area, visual and sensory stories for SEND groups, and quieter areas marked on the schools map. There is a disabled parking bay in front of the zoo entrance, and specialist SEND schools using it are welcome to go in through the main entrance.
Parking for groups with access needs: if your group has specific access needs and travels in a vehicle of 16 seats or fewer, the zoo will do its best to arrange parking in its own car park. Contact the zoo as far in advance as possible, and tell us so we can supply a suitable vehicle.
Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Please tell us about any wheelchair users or mobility requirements when you request a quote, so we can confirm a suitable vehicle for your group.
Combining London Zoo with other London visits
| Combined with | How the coach helps |
|---|---|
| Regent's Park and Primrose Hill | Right on the doorstep. Good for an outdoor lunch or a run-around before the journey home. |
| British Museum | A short coach move south to Bloomsbury. See our British Museum page. |
| Natural History Museum | A coach move to South Kensington for a two-venue science day. See our Natural History Museum page. |
| Tower of London | A coach move across central London. Journey times vary with traffic, so we build the transfer into your itinerary. See our Tower of London page. |
Vehicle options
| Vehicle | Passengers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Minibus (standard or executive) | 9–16 | Nursery groups, SEND groups, small classes and family groups |
| Midi coach (standard or executive) | 17–37 | A single class with adult helpers |
| Full-size coach (standard or executive) | 38–70 | Two classes, youth and community groups |
| Multiple vehicles | Any size | Whole-school trips and very large groups |
See our full fleet options. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Availability depends on the date, and summer-term weekdays book up first.
About ZSL London Zoo
ZSL London Zoo, on the northern edge of Regent's Park, is run by ZSL, the Zoological Society of London, an international conservation charity founded in 1826. The zoo is home to hundreds of species, and its three colour-coded routes take groups past giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers, western lowland gorillas, penguins, the Komodo dragon and the Reptile House.
For schools, the zoo offers curriculum-linked education activities, daily animal talks and free teaching resources. For full visitor information, opening times and bookings, see the official London Zoo website.
Who books London Zoo transport with us
- Nurseries and primary schools: science and habitats trips from across London and the Home Counties. See our education transport.
- Secondary schools and colleges: biology, conservation and animal care trips.
- SEND schools: minibuses and accessible vehicles by request. See our minibus hire.
- Family, community and youth groups: Scouts, Guides, churches, clubs and community organisations on weekend and holiday days out.
- Corporate and event groups: transport for private events at the zoo. See our corporate transport.
Get a quote for London Zoo group transport
Send us your date, pickup address, group size and zoo arrival time, and we'll come back with a fixed written quote.
- Call +44 20 3457 2071
- Email [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a coach drop off at London
Zoo?
Coaches can drop off and pick up in the zoo car park on the Outer Circle of Regent's Park, next to the zoo entrances, when space allows. After setting down, the coach moves to a coach park and returns for your agreed pickup time.
Is there coach parking at London
Zoo?
No. The zoo car park is too small for coach parking, so coaches drop off and then park elsewhere. Any parking charges are included in your quote. Minibuses of 16 seats or fewer can sometimes park in the zoo car park for a daily fee, subject to availability.
Which entrance do school groups use at
London Zoo?
The school entrance changes day to day depending on how busy the zoo is, but all entrances are close to Barclay Court, where groups gather to start the day. Alternative entrances open in the mornings only, so groups arriving after midday use the main entrance.
How many adults do we need for a school
trip to London Zoo?
Every trip needs at least one adult for every 12 primary or secondary students. The zoo gives one free adult for every 3 paying Early Years children and one for every 5 paying students in Key Stages 1 to 4. Students with a diagnosed learning need or disability can bring an extra 1:1 adult free of charge.
Is there somewhere to eat packed lunches
at London Zoo?
Yes. There is no bookable lunch space, but there are lunch spots around the zoo marked on the schools map. Teachers and teaching assistants on educational tickets also get 10% off in the zoo's cafés.
Do coaches pay the Congestion Charge or
ULEZ at London Zoo?
London Zoo is outside the central London Congestion Charge zone. Coaches over 5 tonnes are subject to the London-wide Low Emission Zone rather than the ULEZ, and minibuses under 5 tonnes are subject to the ULEZ. Vehicles we supply are LEZ and ULEZ compliant, and any applicable charges are included in your quote.
How much does coach hire to London Zoo
cost?
See our pricing page for current coach and minibus prices. The final price depends on group size, pickup location, waiting time and any extra stops. You get a fixed written quote before booking.
Who operates the coaches?
The London Coach Company is a licensed London coach operator. Your trip is run by our own professional drivers, with the vehicle matched to your group size and itinerary.
Do you have wheelchair-accessible coaches
for London Zoo visits?
Yes, wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Tell us about any wheelchair users or mobility requirements when you request a quote, so we can confirm a suitable vehicle for your date. For groups with specific access needs in vehicles of 16 seats or fewer, the zoo will try to arrange parking in its own car park if contacted well in advance.