Nuremberg Zoo is one of the city’s main attractions. As well as its traditional exhibits, it boasts a dolphinarium that is unique in Central Europe, designed to resemble the marine environment as closely as possible.

The best family-friendly hotels in Nuremberg

You can look forward to regular shows featuring dolphins, as well as sea lions and manatees.

A visit to the zoo takes at least half a day, and with children you can easily spend most of the day there.

Nuremberg Zoo at a glance

• Admission for adults: 21 eur
• Family admission: 47,50 eur
• Dolphin show: usually daily at 11.00 and 15.30
• Entry to the dolphinarium and the show: included in the zoo admission price
• Recommended duration of visit: at least 4 hours
• Parking at the zoo: free

Nuremberg Dolphinarium

The dolphin lagoon has 6 tanks containing 5.5 million litres of salt water. There are between 5 and 8 dolphins and between 6 and 10 sea lions.

The entire dolphinarium complex was built to resemble a natural environment as closely as possible. For example, no concrete was used in its construction at all; instead, natural materials – primarily stone, wood and sand – were used in the vast majority of cases.

The dolphin lagoon features outdoor viewing stands for visitors, as well as an underground walkway from which you can observe life underwater through thick glass.

Dolphin shows

The main attraction of the dolphinarium is, of course, the dolphin shows. These take place twice a day, every day of the week, at the following times:

• 11:00
• 15:30

Official information can be found on the websitetiergarten.nuernberg.de/show-times-at-the-dolphinlagoon.

There is no additional charge for entry to the dolphinarium or for the dolphin shows. Everything is included in the standard zoo admission ticket.

Nuremberg Zoo

However, the Tiergarten – as the zoo is known in German – is by no means limited to just the dolphinarium.

Spanning 67 hectares, you can look forward to seeing more than 300 species of animals, totalling several thousand individuals.

In terms of area, Nuremberg Zoo is one of the largest in Europe, whilst its species diversity is about average (there are roughly half as many animals here as, for example, at the popular Prague Zoo).

One of the zoo’s great strengths is the size of its enclosures and the fact that they are designed to be as natural as possible.

How much time should you set aside for a visit?

Allow at least 4 hours for a visit to Nuremberg Zoo. If you want to explore the whole site, see the dolphin show and are travelling with children, it’s best to set aside most of the day.

It’s only possible to combine a visit to the zoo with the historic city centre in a single day if you’re on a very tight schedule. It’s more comfortable to stay in Nuremberg for at least one night and explore the city centre the following day. You’ll find inspiration in our guide to what to see in Nuremberg.

Admission and opening hours

Admission to Nuremberg Zoo

A ticket is always valid for the entire zoo grounds. There is no additional charge for the dolphinarium or the dolphin show.

The current prices, valid from 1 February 2026, are as follows:

• Family admission, 2 adults with their own children: 47,50 eur
• Family admission with only 1 adult: 26,50 eur
• Adults aged 18 and over: 21 eur
• young people aged 14 to 17: 15,80 eur
• children aged 4 to 13: 9,80 eur
• Children under 4: free
• Students, senior citizens, ZTP card holders and other eligible groups: 19 eur

You can find the current price list and prices for group or annual tickets on the Nuremberg Zoo’s official website.

You can buy tickets at the ticket office or in advance via the official online shop.

Is the Nürnberg Card worth it?

If you’re only visiting the zoo by car, a standard or family ticket will work out cheaper.

However, for a two-day visit to Nuremberg, the Nürnberg Card may be the better option.

An adult card costs 38 eur and is valid for 48 hours. The price includes:

• entry to Nuremberg Zoo
• unlimited travel on public transport in Nuremberg, Fürth and Stein
• entry to around 30 other museums and attractions
• discounts on selected other attractions

Children aged 6 to 11 pay 12 eur. Children aged 5 and under receive the card free of charge when accompanied by an adult.

Admission to the zoo alone, plus two days’ travel on public transport, would cost an adult more than the Nürnberg Card. The card therefore makes the most sense if you’re staying overnight in Nuremberg and, as well as the zoo, plan to visit the city centre or some of the museums.

Buy the 48-hour Nürnberg Card

Opening hours

The zoo is open every day of the year, including public holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Opening times vary depending on the season.

From 29 March to 4 October 2026, the following times apply:

• Open: 8.30 am to 6.00 pm
• last admission: 17:30
• Pavilions close: 17:30

During the winter months, the zoo closes earlier. Therefore, please always check the current opening times before your visit.

Practical information

• Dogs: not permitted on the zoo grounds.
• Zoo map: you can download the latest map from the official website.
• Online tickets: these aren’t compulsory, but on busy weekends they can save you time queuing at the ticket office.
• Footwear: the grounds are very extensive and hilly in places, so be prepared for a long walk.

How to get to the zoo?

Nuremberg Zoo is situated on the edge of a large forest to the east of the city.

By car

Free parking is available on Am Tiergarten, which leads right up to the entrance, and also in the large central car park north of the main entrance.

• Address for sat-nav: Am Tiergarten 30, 90480 Nuremberg
• Location of the zoo and car park on the map

Public transport

You can also reach the zoo from Nuremberg city centre by public transport. Tram line 5, which runs from the main railway station (approx. 20 minutes), terminates right at the entrance, with services every 7–10 minutes, including at weekends. The terminus is called “Tiergarten”.

Bus route 45 also runs to the zoo every 20 minutes; you can catch this, for example, from the Frankenstr. underground station or the Mögeldorf and Dutzendteich S-Bahn stations.

You can find detailed information on ticket prices and timetables in the Transport section.

By bus or train from the Czech Republic

If you’re travelling without a car, you can reach Nuremberg by direct buses from Prague, Plzeň and, on some routes, from Brno too.

Long-distance buses stop at the ZOB bus station opposite the main railway station, from where you can take tram number 5 directly to the zoo.

• Buy a ticket on Flixbus.com

Hotels nearby

If the zoo is your main destination in Nuremberg, consider staying nearby.

About 1.5 km from the zoo is the affordable and clean Jägerheim ** hotel.

Alternatively, stay near the main railway station, from where tram number 5 runs to the zoo – one of the cheapest and most popular hotels is the InterCity Nürnberg ***.

You can find more specific tips and a comparison of locations in the section ‘Where to stay in Nuremberg’.

What else is there to visit with children?

If you’re staying in Nuremberg for longer, set aside a whole day for the Playmobil FunPark. It’s in the town of Zirndorf, about 15 km from the city centre, and is best enjoyed by children aged 3 to 10.

We do not recommend planning a visit to the zoo and the Playmobil FunPark on the same day.

Both sites are extensive and each will take at least half a day to explore.

You’ll find plenty of inspiration for other things to do in our guide to Nuremberg and in our round-up of 16 places to see in Nuremberg.

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