Located in Hermann Park, just minutes from downtown Houston and the Museum District, the Houston Zoo is home to exotic wildlife from around the world. If you're looking for a fun adventure, take METRORail or local bus to the Houston Zoo. On this page you'll find:
The Houston Zoo is easily accessed from the METRORail Red Line. If you don't have direct access to the Red Line, you may need to use one of the other services listed below. Click or tap on any of the tabs for a brief overview of the service and how you can use it to travel to the Houston Zoo.
The Red Line travels along Main Street through downtown Houston, providing access to the Houston Zoo at the Memorial Hermann Hospital / Houston Zoo station or the Hermann Park / Rice U station.
The Green Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District, EaDo (East Downtown) and the Second Ward.
The Purple Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District and the Third Ward (southeast of downtown).
If you're coming from areas along the Green or Purple Line and need to get to the Houston Zoo, you'll need to make a transfer from Central Station Rusk or Central Station Capitol to Central Station Main. At Central Station Main, you'll board the Red Line heading southbound.
You'll be onboard for approximately 18 minutes.
All METRORail vehicles are ADA accessible and come equipped with video surveillance security cameras.
Learn MoreTwo METRO bus routes stop within walking distance of the Houston Zoo:
The Ride METRO section below shows a listing of the routes, with maps and nearest stops. Transfers to the routes shown are available at many city street intersections. Transfers are also available at select METRO transit centers, which are sheltered waiting areas typically found at the beginning and/or end of a bus route.
All METRO buses are ADA accessible, offer free Wi-Fi and come equipped with video surveillance security cameras.
METROLift provides curb-to-curb transportation for people with disabilities who meet certain eligibility requirements. Service is provided with ADA-accessible vans and minivans that accommodate persons using wheelchairs, scooters and walkers. Boarding chairs are available to assist any patron unable to access the van using the stairs. All vehicles offer free Wi-Fi.
If you're a current METROLift customer, you can schedule, verify and pay for your trip to the Houston Zoo the same way you would for other trips.
You'll find METRORail and local bus routes to the Houston Zoo in the tabs below. You can click or tap on each route to see a map of stops.
| Route Name | Service | Frequency* | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line | METRORail | Every 6-12 min. | Memorial Hermann Hospital / Houston Zoo Hermann Park / Rice U |
*The frequency listed is approximate and may vary.
| Route Name | Service | Frequency* | Bus Stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 OST-Wayside | Local Bus | Every 30 min. | Ben Taub Loop @ Cambridge Street (eastbound) Ben Taub Loop @ Cambridge Street (westbound) |
| 56 Airline / Montrose | Local Bus | Every 20-30 min. | Main Street @ Sunset Boulevard (northbound) Main Street @ Sunset Boulevard (southbound) |
*All frequencies listed are approximate and may vary.
Below are fares to ride.
| Service | Regular Fare | Discounted Fare* |
|---|---|---|
METRORail | $1.25 to board | 60 cents to board |
Local Bus | $1.25 to board | 60 cents to board |
*Discounted fares apply to students, seniors 65-69, or people with disabilities who aren't METROLift customers that already have a pre-approved discounted fare card.
The following individuals ride free on all services:
With the exception of METRORail tickets and cash, all ways to pay shown below include free transfers between any METRO service of equal or lesser value for up to three hours in any direction.
You can obtain a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money Card at any of the following:
You have the option of loading money on your card when you first obtain it. Reload options vary by fare card and location.
Additional payment options to ride METRO can be obtained through other sources.
More details can be found on the All About Fares page.
First, you’ll need an internet connection.
Download the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing App and set up an account. Then, mobile tickets may be purchased in one of two ways:
If you’ve purchased one or more mobile tickets that you haven’t used, they’ll be listed under Available in the Use section of the app. From there, you can activate a ticket.
Once activated, your ticket is valid for up to three hours.
If you pay your fare using a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Q Mobile Ticket, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money card, you’re entitled to free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours in any direction:
Only regular fare mobile tickets are available for purchase.
Local bus and METRO curb2curb:
A route selector is accessible directly on the website home page, linking you directly to a page for the route of your choice.
At the top of each individual route page, you’ll find:
METRORail:
Frequency of service, a stop-by-stop schedule, a PDF schedule and a linear route map for each METRORail line are found on the METRORail page.
METRORapid:
Frequency of service, a stop-by-stop schedule, a PDF schedule and a linear route map for the METRORapid Silver line is found on the METRORapid page.
On the METRO website, there’s a route map on:
You can also use the website's Interactive System Map (best viewed on a desktop or laptop computer). In the map, you can check a box next to any METRO bus route or rail line and the map will draw a line showing where it runs.
If you’d prefer a physical map, we include a map image in the printed brochure for each individual bus route or rail line. Brochures are available for free at all METRO RideStore locations:
Trip planning tools are available on:
METRO local buses make stops at the following locations
All METRO buses have large, bright destination signs on the front of the bus above the windshield and along the passenger’s side, near the front door. These digital displays include the route number and destination.
We encourage you to do your part to keep yourself and those around you safe throughout your entire trip on a METRO bus. Learn more about rider safety.
METRORail trains make stops at rail station platforms along city streets in and around downtown Houston. You can also board a METRORail train at the following transit centers:
All METRORail trains have large, bright destination signs on the front of the train above the windshield and along the side of the train as it pulls into the station.
Red Line trains would say one of the following:
Green Line trains would say one of the following:
Purple Line trains would say one of the following:
We encourage you to be safe, be seen around trains and stay alert throughout your entire trip on METRORail. Learn more about rider safety.
Estimated arrival times can be found on:
If you know your stop number (it's posted on the bus stop sign at every bus stop location), you can text that stop number to 697433. We'll text you back the estimated arrival time of the next bus for all routes that stop at your location.
To help make the journey pleasant and safe for everybody, METRO has developed a Code of Conduct for riders.
For example, smoking is prohibited in covered or enclosed facilities, including transit centers, bus stop shelters and platforms. And consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on METRO property.
Please review the full METRO Code of Conduct.
METRO accepts six payment options:
Our experienced riders tell us that the most convenient way to pay is by using the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing app, available by downloading the app for your smartphone.
When you first open the app, you’ll need to create a secure, password-protected
account. That will allow you to purchase and activate mobile tickets. The tickets are valid for two years from the date of purchase.
When traveling by local bus or METRORail we recommend the following:
Below are some tools to make your METRO riding experience easier and more convenient so you can drive less and do more.
Explore METRO transit services near you
Valuable information to help you ride
Compare your cost of driving vs. what it would cost to ride METRO - and see how much money you'd save each month.
Plan and manage your trip on METRO Local bus, Park & Ride bus, METRORail or METRORapid using an interactive map.
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