Get Here on TriMet

Use your ZooLights ticket to ride TriMet FREE to and from the event.

  • Use the TriMet Trip Planner to find the best route from your neighborhood to Washington Park/Oregon Zoo.

    • MAX Blue and Red Lines both stop right inside Washington Park, just steps from the Oregon Zoo entrance.

    • A train arrives at Washington Park/Oregon Zoo about every 8 minutes.

    • Just enter your starting address and choose either Washington Park (ID 10121) or Oregon Zoo (ID 10299) as your destination. Make sure to edit the Travel Options section to see your best options, including nearby Park & Ride lots.

    INSIDER TIP:Consider starting at the Sunset Transit Center Park & Ride. It’s just one stop from the zoo and has 630 free parking spaces. From there, hop on the MAX with other zoo-goers for a fun, 5-minute journey through the Robertson Tunnel to the deepest transit station in North America—Washington Park Station, located 260 feet below ground. Kids love this! Some even consider it part of the zoo experience.

    JUMP TO MAP

  • Washington Park and Metro have partnered with TriMet to provide transportation to ZooLights!

    • Your ZooLights ticket is valid for rides on TriMet buses, MAX, LIFT and Portland Streetcar on your admission date.

    • Valid for 2 hours before ZooLights starts and 2 hours after it ends.

    • Show your ticket to the train operator or Customer Safety Supervisor when you board.

  • Hop on the Red or Blue Line—both stop at Washington Park/Oregon Zoo.

    • Exit at Washington Park (the only underground stop in the region!).

    • Take the elevator up to street level, where you’ll be steps away from the Oregon Zoo entrance. On select nights, get a free beanie, water bottle, or raffle ticket before exiting the tunnel!

    • MAX trains and stations are well-lit, secure, and stroller-friendly.

The TriMet MAX train drops you off right at the Oregon Zoo entrance—without the headache that comes from finding a parking spot.

PLAN YOUR TRIP ON TRIMET

Rewards for Taking TriMet

  • Free Washington Park Beanies

    December 12 • 4:30–6:30 PM

    We’re giving away exclusive beanies to the first 200 riders!

    A friendly staff member will be in the MAX tunnel at Washington Park station, near the elevators closest to the Oregon Zoo, handing them out.

  • $100 Oregon Zoo Gift Cards

    December 13 • 4:30–6:30 PM

    Every rider gets a raffle ticket to win a $100 gift card to the Oregon Zoo! We’ll announce 10 winners.

    Get your ticket at the SWAG table in the MAX tunnel, right before you get on the elevator leading to the zoo.

  • Free Washington Park Water Bottles

    December 19 • 4:30–6:30 PM

    We’re giving away premium water bottles to the first 60 riders!

    A friendly staff member will be in the MAX tunnel at Washington Park station, near the elevators closest to the Oregon Zoo, handing them out.

PLAN YOUR TRIP ON TRIMET

FAQs

  • You can use the TriMet Trip Planner to find your closest MAX station and plan your full route. Just enter your starting address and choose either Washington Park (ID 10121) or Oregon Zoo (ID 10299) as your destination. Make sure to edit the Travel Options section to see your best options, including nearby Park & Ride lots.

  • The trip from downtown Portland to Washington Park Station takes about 10 minutes.

    If you’re coming from Beaverton, it’s roughly 15 minutes from the Beaverton Transit Center. And from the east side, about 20–25 minutes from the Hollywood Transit Center.

    Trip tip for new riders: Consider starting at the Sunset Transit Center Park & Ride. It’s just one stop from the zoo and has 630 free parking spaces. From there, hop on the MAX with other zoo-goers for a fun, 5-minute journey through the Robertson Tunnel to the deepest transit station in North America—Washington Park Station, located 260 feet below ground. Kids love this! Some even consider it part of the zoo experience.

    You can plan your route and check schedules with the TriMet Trip Planner.

  • Yes! MAX trains are well-lit, regularly patrolled, and equipped with security cameras. During ZooLights season, you’ll also be riding alongside families, friends, and fellow animal-lovers all headed to the same destination. For added peace of mind, you can check real-time updates and track your train’s arrival with the Transit Tracker.

  • If you have a ZooLights ticket, it costs nothing! This season, your ZooLights ticket serves as your TriMet ticket to ride to and from the event on the day of your reservation.

  • We totally get it—but sometimes securing a parking spot can take as long as the train ride itself. On the busiest nights, when all lots are full, you may even be directed from the parking lots to the Sunset Transit Center and asked to take MAX back to the zoo, car-free.

    A great middle ground is to start at a TriMet Park & Ride and hop on the MAX from there. Every train has space for strollers, and the station elevators make it easy to roll right off and into the zoo.

    Use the TriMet Trip Planner to find your closest Park & Ride and get to ZooLights stress-free.