Getting to Werribee Open Range Zoo: Free Parking, Train Plus Bus 439, Opening Hours and Ticket Prices as of November 2026 (Melbourne, VIC)

Parking at Werribee Open Range Zoo is free, and without a car you take a train to Werribee station and then bus 439 Werribee South to the zoo. The zoo is open daily from 9am to 5pm with last entry at 3:30pm, and a single-day adult ticket starts at $58 as of November 2026. This guide pulls together the zoo’s Getting Here, Tickets and Free Safari Bus pages and the Visit Werribee and Surrounds transport page, all checked on 7 November 2026.

Is there free parking at Werribee Open Range Zoo?

Yes. Zoos Victoria’s Getting Here page says there are free parking spaces for visitors at the zoo. During peak times, such as school and public holidays, it says it does its best to get you parked and into the zoo as quickly as possible and asks you to follow the instructions of the parking attendants when it is busy. The page does not give a number of spaces or say which entrance to use.

The zoo says it is 35 kilometres west of Melbourne’s city centre, on the Princes Freeway, and describes it as a short 30-minute drive from the city over the Westgate Bridge or via the Geelong Road. The page tells drivers to take the Werribee South exit to K Road. From Avalon Airport it says to take the M1 towards Melbourne Airport and Melbourne, and that the drive takes around 25 minutes.

Starting point	How the zoo says to get there
Melbourne CBD	Princes Freeway, over the Westgate Bridge or via the Geelong Road; Werribee South exit to K Road; about 30 minutes
Avalon Airport	M1 towards Melbourne; about 25 minutes
Melbourne by train	Werribee Line to Werribee station, then bus 439 Werribee South
Geelong by train	Train towards Melbourne to Wyndham Vale station, bus 190 to Werribee station, then bus 439 Werribee South

How do I get to the zoo by train and bus?

From Melbourne, the zoo says to catch a train from the CBD to Werribee station on the Werribee Line, then take bus 439 Werribee South to the zoo. The Visit Werribee and Surrounds transport page describes route 439 as a popular route connecting Werribee station with the Werribee Park Precinct and Werribee South, and links to the Public Transport Victoria timetable. Neither page gives how often the bus runs. The zoo points to Public Transport Victoria for timetables.

From Geelong, the zoo says to catch a train towards Melbourne to Wyndham Vale station, take bus 190 from Wyndham Vale station to Werribee station, and then take bus 439. The zoo’s advice for timetables is to use Public Transport Victoria’s journey planner and enter Werribee Zoo as the destination. Our myki fares guide explains what the trip costs.

Is there a shuttle from Avalon Airport or the town centre?

The zoo says SkyBus Avalon City Express runs between Avalon Airport and the Werribee town centre, and that from there you catch a local public bus to the zoo. It says SkyBus meets every major flight arriving and departing Avalon, with no need to book. The Visit Werribee and Surrounds page adds that SkyBus also connects Melbourne Airport with Werribee. That page puts Avalon Airport at a 15-minute drive and Melbourne Airport at 30 minutes, while the zoo’s own page says about 25 minutes from Avalon. The two pages give different drive times from Avalon.

The zoo’s page says a free Werribee and Surrounds visitor shuttle bus trial has concluded. It ran on select dates from 4 April to 23 June 2025 and has finished. The zoo’s page describes it as finished. Private day tours are listed through Australian Bus Charters, which the zoo says offers charters to the Werribee Park Precinct, including the zoo, the Victoria State Rose Garden and the Werribee Mansion; its contact number on the zoo’s page is +61 3 9393 1399.

What are the opening hours and ticket prices?

The zoo’s Plan Your Visit page says it is open daily from 9am to 5pm, with last entry at 3:30pm. The tickets page lists these single-day entry prices and membership options:

Ticket	Single day	Membership
Adult	from $58.00	$12.42 a month for 12 months, or $149 a year
Concession	from $44.00	$9.33 a month for 12 months, or $112 a year
Seniors	from $52.50	$11.17 a month for 12 months, or $134 a year
Children	Free on weekends and holidays; on weekdays ages 0 to 3 are free and ages 4 to 15 are from $29.00	Free every day with an adult membership

The page says children are free on Victorian Government school holidays and public holidays, and must be accompanied by an adult or someone aged 16 or over. Concession prices apply to holders of an Australian Pensioner Concession Card, full-time Student Card, Healthcare Card, Disability Concession, or DVA Gold or White Card. Seniors prices apply to holders of an Australian Seniors Card, a Seniors Business Discount card or a Victorian Carer “We Care” card. Prices start “from” the figures shown, so the exact price is set when you book. The page says that if you plan to visit any of the zoos three times or more in the next year, a membership is cheaper.

The zoo’s home page says “Kids visit free!”, while the tickets page limits free entry for ages 4 to 15 to weekends and holidays. The ticket page lists the conditions for free entry.

When does the free safari bus run?

The Free Safari Bus page says the safari runs daily, 365 days a year, with regular departures until 3:30pm. It is included in your admission price, is wheelchair accessible and is suitable for all ages. The zoo says departure times may change without notice, so check the schedule at the Safari Station or Ticket Office when you arrive. For accessibility needs, contact the ticket office on entry.

The Junior Safari Bus is for children aged 0 to 6 with a supervising adult, and runs on weekdays outside school holidays and public holidays. It is free, takes 30 minutes, needs no booking, and is limited to 142 people per service. The zoo lists a 9:50am departure, with boarding at 9:40am. From 4 November 2026 it says there is a new schedule of 10am (boarding 9:50am) and 10:40am (boarding 10:30am). The page does not say how the two lists relate; it says to arrive early and tell the staff at the gate you would like the Junior Safari Bus.

Can I charge an electric car near the zoo?

The Visit Werribee and Surrounds page says a growing number of electric vehicle charging stations are located across the region, including at Holiday Inn Werribee, Pacific Werribee and Stockland Point Cook, and points to PlugShare for the latest locations. It does not list chargers at the zoo itself. Wyndham City Council’s own chargers are listed in our guide to council EV chargers.

Sources

• Zoos Victoria — Werribee Open Range Zoo: Getting Here (parking, directions, public transport, shuttles; checked 7 November 2026)
• Zoos Victoria — Werribee Open Range Zoo: Plan Your Visit (opening hours; checked 7 November 2026)
• Zoos Victoria — Werribee Open Range Zoo: Tickets (prices, concessions; checked 7 November 2026)
• Zoos Victoria — Free Safari Bus (safari and Junior Safari times; checked 7 November 2026)
• Visit Werribee and Surrounds — Transport (route 439, SkyBus, EV chargers; checked 7 November 2026)

Featured image: Werribee Open Range Zoo (photo: Chris Phutully from Australia / CC BY 2.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Zoos Victoria, Public Transport Victoria or SkyBus. Prices, hours and timetables can change; check the zoo’s pages before you go.