Gdańsk Animal Activities: Zoo and Seal Costs
A family of four can spend 150 PLN on one high-season day at Gdańsk’s zoo, or almost nothing watching birds on Sobieszewo Island. Those are the two ends of the city’s animal options, and the seal station at Hel sits in between, with most of its cost in the journey.
Gdańsk Zoo in Oliwa
The zoo is the biggest animal attraction in the city and the biggest zoo in Poland by area, covering 125 hectares of woodland at ul. Karwieńska 3 in Oliwa. The zoo itself lists 164 species. It is open every day of the year from 09:00.
High-season prices, May to September, were:
- Regular: about 45 PLN
- Reduced: about 40 PLN
- Family ticket (2 adults, 2 children): about 150 PLN
Outside those months the zoo runs a cheaper low-season tariff, so an October visit costs less. The family ticket is the one to buy for two adults and two children, since it beats four separate tickets. Prices and hours are on zoo.gdansk.pl .
Getting there is part of the budget. Take the SKM to Gdańsk Oliwa, then city bus 179 to the gate. A ZTM single ride is 4.80 PLN, and the 75-minute ticket at 6.00 PLN is the one to buy if you change vehicles. Fares and routes are on ztm.gda.pl .
Bring a packed lunch. The zoo is large enough to fill most of a day, and a picnic keeps a family’s costs down.
The Fokarium at Hel
The Fokarium is the University of Gdańsk’s seal station in the town of Hel, caring for Baltic grey seals. Entry is charged separately, but for most visitors the bigger cost is getting 100 km around the bay.
- Water tram (in season): about 30 PLN regular or 18 PLN reduced each way, and about 1h50 on the water.
- Fast catamaran: about 105 PLN one way.
- Train: 2 to 2.5 hours from Gdańsk Główny.
Feeds are the free show inside: 11:00 and 14:00 from October to June, plus 12:30 and 15:30 in July and August. Check hours on fokarium.ug.edu.pl . If you would rather pay one price for transport and a guide, compare Hel trips on GetYourGuide with the cost of doing it yourself.
Free: Sobieszewo’s birds
Sobieszewo Island, on the eastern edge of Gdańsk, holds two bird reserves, Ptasi Raj and Mewia Łacha. There is no ticket, and the only cost is the city bus out. Walk the marked paths, keep off the dunes, and bring binoculars. The island’s beach is also where raw amber washes up after strong autumn and winter gales, so one trip can cover both.
Costs side by side
| Option | Main cost |
|---|---|
| Zoo, one adult in high season | about 45 PLN plus transport |
| Zoo, family of four in high season | about 150 PLN plus transport |
| Fokarium at Hel | entry plus about 30 PLN each way by water tram |
| Sobieszewo bird reserves | bus fare only |
The verdict
On a budget, the zoo with a family ticket is the best-value animal day in Gdańsk. The seals are worth it only if you were going to Hel anyway, and Sobieszewo is the free choice for anyone happy with wild birds and wind.
Read more: the family days guide for more with children, or the day trips guide for the full Hel timetable advice. For a room near Oliwa and the zoo, search Gdańsk stays on Booking.com .
Before you go
Buy the bus and SKM tickets in the Jakdojade app before you set off, so a family of four is not queuing at a machine at Oliwa station.