Accessibility for Disabled Visitors

We’ve incorporated a range of services and facilities to make Chester Zoo as accessible as possible for everyone, including visitors with disabilities.

• 60 disabled parking bays at the front of the car park, near the main entrance

• Free wheelchair and electric scooter hire with a refundable £10 deposit. Please pre-book by calling 01244 389 482. And if you need a scooter, please call before you set off, just in case there are maintenance problems.

Wheelchairs and scooters not already reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Apologies, but we can’t take wheelchairs on the waterbus, or scooters on the monorail.)

• Concessions on admission for those with disabilities and carers.

• Registered Assistance Dogs are welcome in the zoo. (See details below.)

• Hearing loops in our cafés, shops and at the main entrance.

• Accessible toilet facilities, including a changing places facility inside the Jubilee toilets. Here, we have a height-adjustable sink with soap dispenser, automatic paper hand-towel dispenser, and warm air hand-dryer. There are also easy-access hand-rails and a hoist that lets you get to everything easily.

• Wheelchair lifts at Oakfield House and in the Realm of the Red Ape.

• Glass panels at the enclosures to make it easy to see the animals.

Registered Assistant Dogs

If you’d like to bring your Registered Assistant Dog, please arrange this with us in advance (just call 01244 389 482).

Please make sure your dog is up-to-date on all his or her inoculations, on the lead and under control at all times, and that he or she doesn’t foul the pathways.

Unfortunately, we can’t allow Registered Assistant Dogs or puppies into any of the indoor animal buildings, or the outdoor walk-through exhibits.

If any of our animals behaviour is affected by the presence of your dog, we may have to ask you to move away from the area. This is just to make sure everyone – visitors, dogs and zoo animals alike – is safe and happy.

We're open every day from 10am, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.