A Madrid city pass is well worth considering if you’re planning a trip to Madrid and you want to visit most of the main tourist attractions.
With a Madrid pass, you’ll save yourself both time and money because a Madrid city card generally works out cheaper than purchasing individual attraction tickets, and you won’t need to bother with lining up for tickets at the various attractions.
A Madrid tourist card usually includes top museums and famous landmarks like the Prado Museum, Royal Palace, Reina Sofía Museum, Real Madrid stadium, Thyssen Museum, and more.
I’ve put together this Madrid Pass Comparison to help you decide which is the best Madrid pass for your upcoming trip. Take your pick and decide which is the best city pass for Madrid that suits your needs.
Madrid Card
The Madrid Card is a city pass or tourist card designed to enhance your experience while visiting Madrid. It offers access to the city’s top tourist, cultural, and leisure attractions, including skip-the-line access and self-guided audio tours at the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. Additionally, it includes a 1-day or 2-day pass for a panoramic tour on the Red hop-on hop-off tourist bus and a city tour app with audio guides from local experts.
The card is 100% digital, allowing you to book dates and times for attractions online and receive tickets via email. This eliminates the need for physical ticket collection or printing, enabling you to start exploring Madrid immediately upon arrival. The card also provides a digital discount code for 10% off major purchases like museum tickets, guided tours, flamenco shows, and amusement parks.
The Madrid Card is particularly beneficial for those planning to spend an extended time in the city and see many attractions. It offers significant savings, the convenience of skipping long lines, and the flexibility of not having to collect physical tickets. However, for short stays or specific interests, the Madrid Museum Pass paired with a Madrid Travel City Pass for transport might be more suitable.
Key points to note:
- The card doesn’t include public transport.
- You must select visiting dates for attractions to receive your tickets.
- The card offers a 10% discount on subsequent attractions, which can lead to substantial savings.
In summary, the Madrid Card is a valuable option if you’re looking to explore Madrid’s attractions conveniently and cost-effectively, especially if you have a packed itinerary and want to avoid long queues.
Madrid Museum Pass
The Madrid Museum Pass is an ideal tool for art enthusiasts visiting Madrid, allowing them to bypass long lines at the city’s top three museums: the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Center, and the Thyssen Museum. This pass offers skip-the-line access to the permanent collections and some temporary exhibitions at these museums, potentially saving you up to 20% on admission fees.
The pass is entirely digital, eliminating the need for physical ticket collection or printing. You can book you pass online and simply display the tickets on your smartphone upon arrival. This convenience allows for a more spontaneous and flexible visit, as there’s no need to book specific times for each museum, and the pass is valid for one year after redemption.
The Madrid Museum Pass is particularly beneficial if you have limited time in Madrid, as it grants priority access to the best museums, significantly reducing wait times. However, it may not be worth it for visitors planning to see only one museum or those with different priorities.
Key points to note:
- The pass doesn’t include public transport.
- You must select a redeeming date to receive your tickets.
- The pass is valid any day of the week, except Mondays at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza.
- The pass is valid for one year after redemption, offering flexibility in scheduling museum visits.
In summary, the Madrid Museum Pass is a convenient and cost-effective option if you’re an art lover looking to explore Madrid’s renowned museums without the hassle of long lines and rigid scheduling.
Madrid Travel City Pass
The Madrid Travel City Pass, also known as the Tourist Ticket or Billete Turístico, is a convenient option for unlimited travel on public transport in Madrid. It’s a personal card that allows unlimited trips using regular public transport services in the region. To obtain the pass, you first need to purchase a Madrid Multi Card, which costs 2.50€, but the price is included in the Billete Turístico if it’s the first charge on the Multi Card.
The pass is available for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 days and comes in two zones: A and T. Zone A covers the area within the municipal boundaries, while Zone T includes the entire public transport network both within the city and surrounding areas, allowing travel to places like Toledo, Segovia, and Ávila.
Benefits of the Madrid Travel City Pass include:
- Free unlimited rides on all public transport services (subway, light rail, buses, and trains) in Madrid and the region.
- Validity from the time of first use for the consecutive calendar days selected.
- Night services usage until 5:00 AM on the last day.
- Cost-effectiveness, especially for Zone A for more than 2 days and any combination of Zone T.
- 50% discount for children younger than 11.
The pass is simple to use, activated by placing it on the ticket reader. Once expired, the Multi Card can be recharged with single and 10-trip tickets. However, it’s important to note that the pass cannot be used on high-speed trains or Renfe Operadora regional trains.
It’s an excellent value for money and provides convenience. Among a variety of different tickets and passes issued, Madrid Travel City Pass is an ideal choice if you want to use public transportation extensively during your stay in Madrid.
Go City Madrid tourist card
The Go City Madrid tourist card is a comprehensive pass that simplifies exploring Madrid by offering access to over 20 museums and monuments. It’s available in various packages, including the All-Inclusive Pass and the Explorer Pass, catering to different durations and preferences. The All-Inclusive Pass provides virtually unlimited access to many attractions for a fixed number of days, while the Explorer Pass allows you to pre-pay for a fixed number of attractions with a 60-day validity.
The card is entirely digital, and once purchased, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on how to download and activate it. You can print it, download it to your phone, or sync it with the app on your smartphone. The card is activated the first time you use it, not at the time of purchase, and each card is personal and non-transferable.
The Go City Madrid tourist card offers several benefits:
- It’s cost-effective, as it’s cheaper than buying all the tickets separately.
- It gives you free entrance to over 20 museums and monuments.
- It allows you to bypass long ticket lines, saving time.
- It can be used on tourist buses.
- It guarantees admittance to attractions, as tickets are booked in advance.
- The All-Inclusive Pass is valid for consecutive days from the first use, while the Explorer Pass has a 60-day validity from the first attraction visit.
- Non-activated passes are valid for two years from the date of purchase and are eligible for a refund within 90 days if not activated.
The Go City Madrid tourist card does not include public transport, and you’ll need a separate travel city pass for that.
It’s an ideal tool if you’re looking to explore Madrid’s attractions conveniently and cost-effectively, especially with children, as their passes are discounted.