How to get to London Zoo from the UK's largest cities

Becky blog author avanti social team

By Avanti Web Team

clock icon

10 min read | April 24, 2023

London Zoo is one of the UK's major tourist attractions. One million people a year visit to enjoy attractions like Land of the Lions, Tiger Territory, Into Africa, and Penguin Beach, which features England’s largest penguin pool.

There's lots to do all year round like feeding the penguins, meeting the monkeys, and watching the resident colony of Humboldt penguins from the immersive underwater viewing area.

Below, find out how you can get to London Zoo from the UK's largest cities by train.

Trains to London Zoo

London Zoo is in central London at the northern edge of Regent's Park is in Central London. The nearest train station to London Zoo is Euston Station.

Liverpool to London Zoo

Trains from Liverpool Lime Steet to London Zoo take you to London Euston, the closest station to London Zoo. The journey takes around two hours and 21 minutes.

  • Number of trains a day: Over 20
  • Earliest departures: Around 5:25 am on weekdays and 8:10 am at weekends
  • Last train back from London to Liverpool Lime Street: Around 10:00 pm

Bristol to London Zoo

Trains from Bristol Temple Meads to London Zoo take you to London Paddington, one of the nearest stations to London Zoo. The 104-mile trip takes around one hour and 34 minutes.

  • Number of trains a day: At least 51
  • Earliest departures: Around 4:53 am on weekdays and 7:45 am at weekends
  • Last train back from London to Bristol Temple Meads: Around 11:40 pm

Manchester to London Zoo

Trains from Manchester Piccadilly to London Zoo drop you off at London Euston, the mainline station near London Zoo. It takes around two hours and 47 minutes to travel the 161 minutes of the journey.

  • Number of trains a day: At least 54
  • Earliest departures: Around 5:05 am on weekdays and 8:05 am at weekends
  • Last train back from London to Manchester Piccadilly: Around 10:03 pm

Sheffield to London Zoo

Trains from Sheffield train station to London Zoo stop at London St Pancras. The trip will take you around two hours and two minutes.

  • Number of trains a day: At least 36
  • Earliest departures: Around 4:58 am on weekdays and 8:36 am at weekends
  • Last train back from London to Sheffield train station: Around 10:32 pm
  • Leeds to London Zoo

    Trains from Leeds train station to London Zoo end at London King's Cross. The journey takes an average of two hours and 16 minutes.

    • Number of trains to London Zoo a day: At least 43 trains
    • Earliest departures: Around 5:05 am on weekdays and 8:05 am at weekends
    • Last train back from London to Leeds train station: Around 11:33 pm

    Edinburgh to London Zoo

    • Trains from Edinburgh Waverley to London Zoo stop at London King's Cross stop. You'll arrive at your destination in around four hours and eight minutes.
    • Number of trains a day: At least 45 trains
    • Earliest departures: Around 5:40 am on weekdays and 9:00 am at weekends
    • Last train from London back to Edinburgh Waverley: Around 11:33 pm
    giraffe zoo.PNG

    Catching Tube trains from London Zoo

    Now you're in London, you choose how you want to get to London Zoo.

    Taking the Tube to London Zoo from Camden Town

    Camden Town is the nearest Tube station to London Zoo. Camden Town Tube station is a 15-minute walk away from the Zoo.

    Here's how to get there depending on the mainline station you arrive at.

    London Euston to Camden Town

    At London Euston station, walk past the Avanti West Coast First Class Lounge and follow the signage for London Underground.

    Take the Northern Line to Camden Town. Tube trains to London Zoo come every five minutes and the journey takes just two minutes.

    London King's Cross to Camden Town

    Walk out to the front of the King's Cross mainline station to find the underground station. Take a Northern Line train to get to Camden Town. The journey takes around six minutes.

    lizard zoo.PNG

    London St Pancras to Camden Town

    • Exit St Pancras station onto St Pancras Road. There are two entries to the Tube station.
    • One is on King's Cross Square. The other is near the bottom of Pancras Road on your right just before the road splits into two.
    • Catch a Northern Line Tube and you'll be at Camden Road station, the nearest Tube to London Zoo, in just six minutes.

    London Paddington to Camden Town

    The entrance to Paddington Tube is inside the railway station. Take the Circle Line and change at King's Cross St Pancras.

    Catch a Northern Line to take you to Camden Town, the tube station nearest to London Zoo. The journey will take around 20 minutes.

    Directions to London Zoo from Camden Town tube station

    It takes 16 minutes to walk from Camden Town to London Zoo. It's a great opportunity to take in visit Camden Lock and take in some of the capital's most vibrant streets.

    Here's the route you need to take when you leave the station:

    • Walk along Parkway for about six minutes
    • Turn right at Prince Albert Road and walk for five minutes
    • Cross left when you get to a pedestrian crossing that's controlled by traffic lights
    • Turn right and London Zoo is 200 metres away on your left.

    Other Tube stations near London Zoo

    Camden Town might be the nearest Tube to London Zoo but you don't have to get off there. Here are some other options you can take:

    penguin zoo.PNG

    Chalk Farm station to London Zoo

    Camden Town station gets very busy at the weekend. The second nearest station to the London Zoo entrance on the Tube network is Chalk Farm, an 18-minute walk away.

    This offers a quieter route to the Zoo through the terraced streets of Primrose Hill and Primrose Park. The directions from Chalk Farm to London Zoo are:

    • Walk left for around 250ft on Adelaide Road
    • Turn left onto Bridge Approach for 200 feet
    • Turn left onto Gloucester Road
    • Turn right onto Princess Road
    • Take a left onto St Mark's Square carrying on to Broad Walk
    • Turn right onto the outer circle then left
    • Keep walking and the entrance will be on your left around 650ft away

    Regent's Park station to London Zoo

    Although not London Zoo's nearest station, Regent's Park Station is popular with visitors. It's a 20-minute walk to the Zoo from here.

    To get to the Zoo from Regent's Park station:

    • Turn right when you leave the station
    • Cross Marylebone Road
    • Turn left straight away onto Park Square East
    • When you get to the entrance of Regent's Park, head to Broad Walk heading north
    • Turn left onto the outer circle and the entrance to London Zoo is 200 metres away from you

    Baker Street station to London Zoo

    Many visitors get off at Baker Street to take in the shops before visiting the Zoo. You could jump on the 274 bus to Ormonde Terrace, near the Zoo, which takes about 10 minutes.

    If you want to walk, it'll take 30 minutes and here are the directions:

    • Turn right when you leave the station
    • Walk to the end of Baker Street
    • Cross over Park Road turning left on the outer circle
    • Keep walking and the entrance to London Zoo will be on your right

    Great Portland Street station to London Zoo

    Great Portland Street Tube station is a 27-minute walk away from London Zoo. Follow these directions:

    • From the station, walk west on Marylebone Road towards Albany Street for around 300 feet
    • Turning right onto Park Square East
    • Talk the Broad Walk through Regent's Park
    • Turn left onto the Outer Circle
    • Keep walking for a short distance and you'll see the entrance on your left.

    Getting the bus to London Zoo from the train station

    If you'd prefer to hop on the bus, here are your options depending on which station you arrive at.

    London Euston to London Zoo by bus

    Turn left from Euston Station onto Evershot Street to catch the 168 bus to Camden High Street (five mins). Get off at Mornington Crescent Station then turn left off Camden High Street onto Delancey Street.

    Then catch bus number 274 towards Victoria Gate. It takes the bus six minutes to get to the main Zoo entrance on Prince Albert Road (six minutes) passing by Marble Arch and Baker Street.

    London King's Cross to London Zoo by bus

    Exit onto Pancras Road and catch the 214 bus to Camden Town Station (11 minutes). Then catch bus number 274 (six minutes) to get to London Zoo getting off at Avenue Road.

    London St Pancras to London Zoo by bus

    As with King's Cross, exit onto Pancras Road and catch the 214 bus to Camden Town Station (11 minutes). Then catch bus number 274 (six minutes) to get to London Zoo getting off at Avenue Road.

    London Paddington to London Zoo by bus

    Turn left when you leave the station onto Praed Street. Around six minutes later, you'll arrive at Baker Street Station.

    Hop on the 205 bus for 10 minutes getting off at Old Marylebone Town Hall. Then jump on the 274 bus to Primrose Hill for eight minutes getting off at Avenue Road.

    Nearest London Overground station to London Zoo

    To get to London Zoo, the nearest station on the Overground network is Camden Road station. Walking to the Zoo takes about 20 minutes.

    Follow these directions:

    • Take a right onto Parkway (A4201) from Camden Road
    • Turn right onto Gloucester Ave
    • Make a left around 350 yards later onto St Mark's Square
    • Continue onto The Broad Walk
    • Turn right onto the Outer Circle
    • Follow the path and the entrance will be on your left on your left.

    Getting to ZSL London Zoo by boat from Camden Town

    In both directions, the London Waterbus Company runs a regular canal boat service via Regent's Canal between Camden Town and Little Venice.

    The trip takes 45 minutes in total and it has a stop outside London Zoo. Make sure to book in advance!

    How to get to London Zoo FAQ

    The nearest train station to London Zoo

    The nearest mainline station to London Zoo is London Euston station.

    Is the car park opposite the entrance to London Zoo in the congestion charging zone?

    No. The car park opposite the London Zoo's main entrance is not in the congestion charging zone. You can find it in the outer circle of Regent's Park.

    What about disabled parking at London Zoo?

    There is a disabled parking bay at the Zoo entrance. You can park for up to four hours on the main road too.

    Which bus do I catch from Victoria Station?

    Catch the number 2 or 390 bus from Victoria Station. Then hop on the 274 bus at Primrose Hill. The C2 bus that ran from Victoria Station to ZSL London Zoo via Oxford Circus, Gloucester Gate and Great Portland Street was withdrawn in 2019.

    How long does it take to walk from the tube station to ZSL London Zoo?

    London Zoo is a 15-25 minute walk from Camden Town and Regent's Park stations. It takes a bit longer from Baker Street Station but you can catch the 274 from there.

    sloth zoo.PNG

    Can I get a taxi to London Zoo from London Euston station?

    You can get a taxi to London Zoo from London Euston. The taxi rank is situated on Euston Road.

    Can I bike to London Zoo?

    Yes. London Zoo has a bike shed with a large number of cycle stands.

    Enjoy London Zoo by train

    Take in one of the best zoos in the world in the heart of London. Whether you stay a day or longer, take the train. Book your tickets well in advance to get the best savings so you have more to spend when you're away.

    To save even more, book as a group or buy a Railcard. You can order your train tickets now from Avanti West Coast.

Getting to London Zoo by train

We think every amazing journey starts with an Avanti West Coast train.

You can buy your tickets to London Zoo via Euston through Avanti West Coast. Buy your tickets directly to save on fees. You can save even more by booking as a group, booking in advance or buying a Railcard.

Avanti West Coast App

Read more of our blogs

promo-image

The best beaches near London

Whether you're looking for a quick day trip or a weekend getaway, there are plenty of beautiful beaches close to London.

Find out more
promo-image

What to do in Leamington Spa

Sitting between Birmingham and London, Leamington Spa is a great day out if you’re looking for something different. Here are the best places for families to visit. 

Find out more
promo-image

Amazing UK destinations for long weekends away

Find out more