Quick answer: Berlin has three products and a lot of free history. The Berlin WelcomeCard (zone AB: €28.50 for 48 hours, €39.50 for 72, €49.50 for 4 days, €53.50 for 5, €58.50 for 6) is a transport ticket with 25–50% discounts at 180+ partners; the WelcomeCard Museum Island (€62, 72 hours) adds free entry to the five Museum Island museums; the WelcomeCard all inclusive (from €99) adds 30+ free attractions including the TV Tower and a hop-on hop-off bus. Separately, the Museum Pass Berlin (€32, 3 consecutive days) covers 30+ state museums — Museum Island, the Gemäldegalerie, the Jewish Museum, the Berlinische Galerie — and is the best-value ticket in the city. With a 24-hour AB ticket at €11.20, the Reichstag dome, the Holocaust Memorial, the Topography of Terror, the East Side Gallery and the Berlin Wall Memorial all free, the sensible combination for most three-day visits is a Museum Pass plus a plain transport ticket; the WelcomeCard only pays if you use its discounts, and the all-inclusive only for a packed attraction sprint.
Berlin Passes at a Glance
| Pass | Price (2026) | Validity | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin WelcomeCard (AB) | €28.50 (48h) / €39.50 (72h) / €49.50 (4 days) / €53.50 (5) / €58.50 (6); ABC (airport) slightly more | Hours/days from first use | BVG transport in zones AB (or ABC) + 25–50% discounts at 180+ museums, tours, restaurants; up to 3 children 6–14 travel free | Visitors who ride transport daily and use 3+ discounts |
| Berlin WelcomeCard Museum Island | €62 (72h, AB) | 72 hours | Transport + free entry to the Pergamon Panorama, Neues, Altes, Bode and Alte Nationalgalerie, plus the discounts | Museum Island in one go plus transport |
| Berlin WelcomeCard all inclusive | from €99 (2 days) up to 6 days | Consecutive days | Transport + free entry to 30+ attractions (TV Tower, hop-on hop-off, Madame Tussauds, DDR Museum, Berlin Dungeon, boat tours) + Museum Island on some tiers | Attraction sprints of 3+ paid items a day |
| Museum Pass Berlin | €32 (reduced €16) | 3 consecutive days | 30+ state museums: Museum Island, Gemäldegalerie, Neue Nationalgalerie, Hamburger Bahnhof, Jewish Museum, Berlinische Galerie, Museum für Naturkunde and more | Museum lovers — the best ticket in Berlin |
| BVG transport tickets | 24h AB €11.20; 7-day AB ~€45 | Calendar validity | S-bahn, U-bahn, trams, buses | Everyone not buying a WelcomeCard |
| Individual tickets | Neues / Altes / Bode / Alte Nationalgalerie ~€12–14 each; Museum Island day ticket ~€24; Pergamon Panorama ~€14; TV Tower from ~€25; DDR Museum ~€15; Berlin Cathedral ~€10; Topography of Terror, Reichstag dome, Holocaust Memorial, Wall Memorial, East Side Gallery free | — | Reichstag dome needs a free online reservation; TV Tower timed | Everyone |
Prices checked September 2026. The Pergamon Museum’s main building is closed for renovation until at least 2027 (the Pergamon Panorama nearby shows the altar), so “Museum Island” currently means four museums plus the Panorama. The WelcomeCard discounts are real but require you to show the card at each ticket desk; the Museum Pass is the cleaner deal for anyone visiting three or more state museums.
Top-Rated Berlin Tours & Skip-the-Line Tickets
What the Main Attractions Cost — and Whether the Pass Covers Them
| Attraction | Adult ticket (2026, approx.) | In the pass? | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reichstag dome | Free (online reservation, passport) | — | Book 2–3 weeks ahead |
| Holocaust Memorial / Topography of Terror / Berlin Wall Memorial / East Side Gallery | Free | — | Half of Berlin’s must-sees are free |
| Museum Island (Neues, Altes, Bode, Alte Nationalgalerie) | ~€12–14 each; day ticket ~€24 | Museum Pass; WelcomeCard Museum Island; discounts on the standard WelcomeCard | Neues (Nefertiti) is the one to book |
| Pergamon Panorama | ~€14 | Museum Pass | Until the Pergamon reopens |
| Gemäldegalerie / Neue Nationalgalerie / Hamburger Bahnhof | ~€10–14 each | Museum Pass | Kulturforum and Moabit |
| Jewish Museum Berlin | ~€10 (permanent exhibition) | Museum Pass | Kreuzberg |
| TV Tower (Fernsehturm) | from ~€25 (timed; fast-track more) | WelcomeCard all inclusive; discount on standard | Sunset slots sell out |
| DDR Museum | ~€15 | All inclusive; discount | Interactive; near the cathedral |
| Berlin Cathedral (dome walk) | ~€10 | Discount | Museum Island |
| Spree boat tour (1 hour) | ~€20 | All inclusive; discount | Afternoon |
| Hop-on hop-off bus | ~€30 | All inclusive | The 100 and 200 buses do it for a BVG fare |
| Berlin Zoo / Tierpark | ~€22 | Discount | Children |
| Sachsenhausen Memorial | Free (tour ~€25) | — | Half a day by S-bahn |
Berlin splits into free history (the Reichstag, the memorials, the Wall), €10–14 state museums (all on the €32 Museum Pass) and a handful of €15–30 private attractions (the TV Tower, the DDR Museum, boats). The Museum Pass covers the middle tier so cheaply that the WelcomeCard’s job is really transport plus a few discounts on the top tier.
The Break-Even Maths
| Itinerary | Individual tickets | Pass | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum Pass 3 days: Neues + Altes + Alte Nationalgalerie + Gemäldegalerie + Jewish Museum | ~€60 | €32 | Museum Pass wins by ~€28 |
| WelcomeCard 72h vs 3 × 24h AB tickets + 3 discounts (TV Tower, DDR Museum, boat) | €33.60 + ~€18 saved | €39.50 | Roughly even — the card needs 3+ discounts |
| WelcomeCard Museum Island 72h vs Museum Pass + 3 day tickets | €32 + 33.60 = €65.60 (covers 30+ museums) | €62 (5 museums) | Museum Pass + tickets wins on coverage |
| All inclusive 2-day: TV Tower + DDR Museum + boat + hop-on hop-off + Madame Tussauds + transport | ~€25 + 15 + 20 + 30 + 28 + 22.40 = ~€140 | from €99 | All inclusive wins by ~€40 at a fast pace |
| Free-history trip: Reichstag + memorials + Wall + East Side Gallery + one museum | ~€14 + transport | Any card | No pass |
The Museum Pass is the one Berlin product that pays almost automatically. The standard WelcomeCard breaks even only if you use three or more discounts on top of daily transport; the all-inclusive pays only for a two-day sprint through the private attractions; and a free-history itinerary needs nothing but a BVG ticket.
| Tour | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica | $23 | ★ 4.6 (15,358 reviews) |
| Skip-the-Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s | Small Group | $115 | ★ 4.9 (8,324 reviews) |
| Skip the Line: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour + Basilica | $38 | ★ 4.7 (6,520 reviews) |
| Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Basilica Guided Tour | $87 | ★ 4.6 (4,329 reviews) |
| Skip the line Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peters Tour | $21 | ★ 4.7 (3,388 reviews) |
| Skip the Line: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel Tour & St. Peter’s | $36 | ★ 4.8 (1,752 reviews) |
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Museum Pass if you will visit three or more state museums in three days — Museum Island alone justifies it. Buy the standard WelcomeCard if you are staying outside the Ring, will use transport daily and want TV Tower, DDR Museum and boat discounts; families note that up to three children travel free on it. Buy the all-inclusive only if you have two packed days of paid attractions.
Who Should Skip It
Skip the WelcomeCard if you are staying in Mitte and walking most days — a couple of 24-hour tickets is cheaper. Skip the Museum Island variant when the Museum Pass plus plain tickets covers more for similar money. Skip every pass on a free-history itinerary, which is how most first visits to Berlin actually go.
How to Get the Most Out of It
Reserve the Reichstag dome first (free, weeks ahead). Activate the Museum Pass on a Museum Island morning (Neues first, at opening), add the Gemäldegalerie or the Jewish Museum the same afternoon, and use day three for Hamburger Bahnhof or the Naturkunde museum. Buy 24-hour BVG tickets as needed, and book the TV Tower sunset slot separately if you want it.
Guided Alternatives
A small-group Third Reich and Cold War walking tour, a Sachsenhausen memorial tour and a street-art or food tour in Kreuzberg are the three most-booked Berlin experiences on Viator; see private vs small-group tours in Berlin for the format choice. For passes and tickets in general, see best sites for attraction tickets and timed-entry tickets explained. Everything else Berlin: our Berlin tours hub, what tours cost in Berlin, 48 hours in Berlin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Berlin WelcomeCard worth it?
Only if you ride transport daily and use three or more of its 25–50% discounts (TV Tower, DDR Museum, boat tours). Otherwise 24-hour BVG tickets (€11.20) plus a €32 Museum Pass Berlin is cheaper and covers more.
What is the Museum Pass Berlin?
A €32 ticket valid for 3 consecutive days at 30+ state museums including Museum Island, the Gemäldegalerie, the Neue Nationalgalerie, Hamburger Bahnhof and the Jewish Museum — the best-value ticket in the city.
Is the Pergamon Museum open?
The main Pergamon building is closed for renovation (expected until at least 2027). The Pergamon Panorama nearby is open and included in the Museum Pass.
Is the Reichstag free?
Yes — the dome and roof terrace are free with an online reservation (bring your passport); book two to three weeks ahead in summer.
Does the Berlin WelcomeCard include the TV Tower?
The standard card gives a discount; only the WelcomeCard all inclusive (from €99) includes TV Tower entry. Individually, timed tickets start around €25.
Kratos Review is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Prices and policies were checked on 28 September 2026 and can change.
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