HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM OUR NEW,

FLEXIBLE PRICING MODEL

SAVE MORE

· If you buy your ticket online in advance,
it’ll be significantly cheaper
· The earlier you buy online, the greater your savings
· Applies to everyone – families, students, seniors
· Free rides on the VRS are included with all
day passes purchased online

MORE FUN
· thanks to better visitor distribution, which leads to less crowding
and faster service at the entrance and food stands
· thanks to an even better visitor experience and sense of well-being at the Cologne Zoo

Q&A

Which tickets are covered by the new pricing model?
· The new flexible pricing model applies exclusively to day passes for adults, children, and teens. A fixed price continues to apply to all other ticket categories.
What is the maximum price now – is there a cap?
The maximum price for an adult day pass is now 29.50 euros; for a reduced-rate day pass (schoolchildren, college students, apprentices, seniors, and youth passes), it is 23.00 euros; and for a child day pass, it is 15 euros. Conversely, the lowest fares for the categories mentioned are now 22.50 euros, 16.10 euros, and 10.50 euros, respectively – which are lower than the previous prices.

Booking online as early as possible generally reduces the purchase price significantly.

You can view the current price list here: www.koelnerzoo.de

What factors determine pricing, and how does this work technically?
· Factors used to calculate online ticket prices include: occupancy, weather, time of booking, and date of visit – all of which are assessed by specialized software.
What about the previous discounts and special rates, such as those for season tickets, KölnPass holders, seniors, and school groups?
The standard discounts, the benefits of the annual pass, and the services at the box office will remain in place. This also applies to special offers for school groups.

In addition, a specially discounted day pass for people aged 63 and older will be introduced.

Why are only online tickets flexible in price?
As the share of online ticketing increases, this leads to greater predictability and better use of resources. Greater predictability is necessary and sustainable. Prices for personnel, energy, and goods have risen significantly in recent years. Only by managing these resources more efficiently can the zoo operate on a break-even basis.

As a general rule, even people who do not have online access know someone in their circle who can purchase and print an online ticket for them with just a few clicks.

The special benefits of the senior season pass remain in effect.

As part of the new pricing model, the zoo has introduced a day pass for seniors aged 63 and older. It costs 23 euros at the ticket office and, at its cheapest, can be purchased online for 16.10 euros. Until now, there were no discounts on day passes for seniors.

Why did the zoo introduce the new model?
On the one hand, the new dynamic pricing model offers zoo visitors more flexibility in pricing. Under the new system, those who buy tickets online early secure price advantages.

On the other hand, it gives the zoo much greater predictability, leading to even more sustainable operations. Knowing how many visitors are coming allows the zoo to better organize many services related to the visit. This applies to staffing for visitor admission and the opening of food and beverage stands, as well as to the provision of food and drinks and the energy required for these operations. This makes many aspects more predictable, efficient, and sustainable.

This saves money and resources that the zoo urgently needs to allocate elsewhere in light of declining public funding – namely, for animal care, facility modernization, educational programs, and our species conservation efforts.

We expect that the new pricing model will lead to a moderate overall increase in revenue. However, thanks to the newly introduced dynamic online discounts, every guest now has the opportunity to influence pricing and, in some cases, visit the zoo at a lower cost than before.

Without the dynamic pricing model, the zoo would have had to raise ticket prices significantly. This is necessary due to ongoing cost increases – such as for energy and feed – and declining public subsidies.

In this way, the zoo ensures that it can continue to operate on a self-sustaining basis and fulfill its responsibilities in the areas of recreation and visitor experience, education, research, and species conservation.

The Cologne Zoo, which is financed more than 80 percent by its own revenue, last adjusted its prices in 2022 – four years ago.

To our knowledge, no other municipal or privately run organization has maintained stable prices for so long.

Since then, costs for electricity, water, and animal feed – to name just a few areas – have risen significantly. The inflation rate has also increased during this period. For the economic reasons cited, a moderate price adjustment is essential for the zoo.

What is the model for this approach – how do comparable institutions handle it?
· So-called “dynamic pricing” has long been standard practice in many industries, such as tourism, and is now also common practice at other zoos and leisure companies

Are there also new offerings and attractions?
In recent years, the Cologne Zoo has invested heavily in enhancing its appeal, for example: in the modernization of the lion and tiger enclosures, the restoration of the “Arnulf and Elizabeth Reichert House” in accordance with historic preservation guidelines, and new enclosures for black rhinos. In addition, there have been numerous improvements to walking paths, park areas, playgrounds, and seating and rest areas.

In 2026, two more new highlights will open: the new giraffe enclosure and the Dragon House. We’ll also be featuring the dinosaur exhibition.

What happens to my existing day pass voucher?
· Day pass vouchers that are currently valid will, of course, remain valid.