Is that Zoo? Yes, & it's easy to get into

Girard Avenue's No. 1 attraction, the Philadelphia Zoo, has lost three beloved residents this year: Puzzles and Twigga the giraffes and Petal the elephant.

That's sad news. But there's another old friend that's on its way out - the long, poky entry line - and we can all do a little happy dance for its demise.

Here's why the line is doomed: As of this summer, visitors can go online to print their own zoo tickets before leaving home, paying by credit card. Then, when they arrive, they can bypass the line and proceed directly to the entrance gate. Go to philadelphiazoo.org and click on "Buy Tickets" to take advantage of PYO option.

You can also buy a last-minute membership online before setting out, with instant free-parking benefits (a welcome development, because the zoo has turned the "secret" free parking strip along the Amtrak tracks into a pay lot and now charges $12 a day to park there). Print out your confirmation letter as a temporary membership pass.

In other getting-to-the zoo news, an express zoo trolley will operate daily all summer, picking up and dropping off at the Independence Visitors Center (6th and Market streets) and 30th Street Station.

It's scheduled to depart from the Visitors Center every hour on the hour, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and from the zoo every hour on the half hour, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The zoo-bound trolley stops at 30th Street Station 20 minutes after the hour. On the return loop from the zoo to Center City, it stops at the train station 40 minutes after the hour.

Trolley fare is $2 one-way, free for children under 2 years old. *