If this weekend’s warm weather and blue skies are any indication of the beautiful spring in store for us, it’s safe to say that Beijing families are once again, planning small outdoor family activities. By now the videos of the adorable penguins waddling around the Shedd Aquarium have got viral, and while you can’t hang out with a bunch of cute penguins, you can start visiting some other ones at the Beijing Zoo again. While the Beijing Zoo isn’t the greatest zoo in the world and all the indoor exhibits are still currently closed, it’s still a great place for a simple stroll to enjoy this beautiful spring weather.
Yesterday Beijing News announced that the Beijing Zoo will reopen its outdoor areas on March 23. But before you start ordering a Didi, like with most places in Beijing, there are new regulations to follow. The zoo will be operating at 30% capacity, which means that visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets and time slots at least a day in advance through their WeChat account (ID: beijingzoo-ticket). While tickets can be purchased at the door, you won’t be guaranteed entry if the zoo is already at capacity for the day.
The zoo’s indoor areas, science museums, and exhibition halls will continue to remain closed for now, and if the pandas are what you’re hoping to get up close and personal with, currently the Panda House can only be seen from the outside. The viewing cars, Children’s Zoo, and kids’ entertainment areas will still remain closed.
Purchasing a ticket is relatively easy. Select e-ticket on the menu tab.
Though the mini-program is in Chinese, there is enough information to get by. Select the type of ticket you’d like to purchase. Anyone over 18 years old will need to purchase a General Admissions Ticket (RMB 10 or RMB 14 if you’d like to visit the Panda House). Seniors over the age of 60 can enjoy free admission to the zoo but will need to present a valid ID. Children between the ages of 7-18 years old can purchase the Discount Ticket (RMB 5), and anyone under 7 years old is free.
Select the day you want to visit, and either morning (上午) or afternoon (下午). Select the number of tickets you want to purchase and fill in at the phone number for the contact person in charge of leading the group that day and their Chinese ID information. This person needs to be present at the entrance and the group must enter the zoo together
For foreign families who don’t have a Chinese ID, tickets can be purchased at the door by presenting their passport (presuming that they haven’t been sold out for the day or made changes to the new policy).
Ticket sales for Beijing Zoo starts tonight (March 21) at midnight. The zoo is open from 7.30am to 5pm. Currently only the South, Southwest, and North gates are open. The Northwest gate will remain temporarily closed.
While inside, all visitors must wear masks and expect body temperature checks at the entrance and at various points inside the zoo as well as volunteers with signs reminding visitors not to gather in large groups.
Before you start making plans with friends and neighbors, the Beijing Zoo reminds visitors that each group can have a maximum of six people and to keep a safe distance of at least 1.5 meters from other visitors.
Photos: Michael Wester, unsplash
