Berlin WelcomeCard: is it worth it?
The Berlin WelcomeCard is a transport-and-discount card, not a free-entry pass — a distinction that matters most on Museum Island, where a cheaper dedicated pass usually beats it outright. Its real strength is unlimited public transport plus a flat 25% off a long list of attractions.
Also searched as: Berlin Welcome Card · Berlin Card · Berlin City Pass · WelcomeCard Berlin
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links — it never changes the ranking. · Verified 2026-07-01
At a glance
How does the Berlin WelcomeCard work?
- It is a card, not an all-you-can-visit pass. A limited number of entries are free and everything else is discounted — so spend the free entries on the most expensive sites.
- Public transport is included.
- It does not include priority entry.
How much does the Berlin WelcomeCard cost?
These are the official adult prices we last verified on 2026-07-01. Children, youth and seniors often pay less, and the calculator applies each attraction’s own age rules to your group.
Cheapest way in: €27
Prices change without notice — always confirm on the operator’s site before paying.
Prices by duration
What’s included
- Pergamon Museum · Cheapest tier
- Neues Museum (Nefertiti Bust) · Cheapest tier
- Altes Museum · Cheapest tier
- Bode Museum · Cheapest tier
- Alte Nationalgalerie · Cheapest tier
- Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm) · Cheapest tier
- DDR Museum · Cheapest tier
- Checkpoint Charlie / Mauermuseum · Cheapest tier
- Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) · Cheapest tier
- Zoo Berlin · Cheapest tier
- Aquarium Berlin · Cheapest tier
- Charlottenburg Palace · Cheapest tier
- Spree River Cruise · Cheapest tier
What’s not included
- Reichstag Dome
Is the Berlin WelcomeCard worth it?
The WelcomeCard is worth buying for the transport alone if you're moving around Berlin daily — the 25% discount on museums and attractions is a genuine bonus, not the headline. For Museum Island specifically, the dedicated Berlin Museum Pass at €32 for three days gives free entry to five museums and comes out well ahead of the WelcomeCard's discounted admission.
Where it wins
- Unlimited public transport included for the card's full duration
- Flat 25% discount across museums, the TV Tower, DDR Museum, Zoo Berlin and more
- Multiple durations (2, 3 or 5 days) to match your trip
- Broad discount coverage across most paid sights in the city
Where it falls short
- Discount only, never free entry — a common misconception
- For Museum Island, the dedicated Museum Pass is usually cheaper outright
- No skip-the-line access included
- The Reichstag Dome is already free on its own, so the card adds nothing there
Best for: Visitors who'll use public transport daily and want a modest discount on sights, not a Museum Island itinerary.
What you get
The Berlin WelcomeCard bundles unlimited public transport with a flat 25% discount across a long list of attractions — Museum Island’s five museums, the TV Tower, DDR Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, Zoo Berlin, Aquarium Berlin, Charlottenburg Palace and a Spree river cruise. Prices run from €27 for two days up to €49 for five, and the discount applies uniformly: a Pergamon Museum ticket drops from €19 to about €14.25, the TV Tower from €24.50 to about €18.40, and Checkpoint Charlie’s Mauermuseum from €17.50 to about €13.10.
Stack a few of those discounted prices together on a busy day — the TV Tower, DDR Museum and Checkpoint Charlie — and you save roughly €14 off full price before the transport savings are even counted, which is where the card’s value mostly sits.
The catch
This is a discount card, not a free-entry pass — worth stating plainly, since it’s the assumption most visitors bring to it. Nowhere does the WelcomeCard waive an admission fee; it shaves 25% off the list price, full stop.
That distinction matters most on Museum Island. Paying full price for the Pergamon, Neues, Altes, Bode and Alte Nationalgalerie museums totals roughly €69; with the WelcomeCard’s 25% off, that drops to about €52 — plus whatever you paid for the card itself. The dedicated Berlin Museum Pass, by contrast, costs €32 for three days and includes free entry to all five, no discount math required. If Museum Island is the point of your trip, the Museum Pass is the better buy, full stop.
The Reichstag Dome, meanwhile, is free on its own with a registered timed slot — the WelcomeCard doesn’t touch it, so its absence from the card’s list changes nothing to your budget.
Our verdict
Buy the WelcomeCard for the transport, and treat the 25% discount as a bonus on attractions outside Museum Island — the TV Tower, DDR Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, the zoo. For Museum Island itself, skip the WelcomeCard’s discount and buy the Berlin Museum Pass instead; run both against your actual itinerary in the calculator to confirm.
Alternatives to consider
Frequently asked questions
Does the Berlin WelcomeCard include free museum entry?
No — it gives a flat 25% discount, not free entry. The Pergamon Museum, for instance, drops from €19 to about €14.25 with the card. If you specifically want Museum Island's five museums, the dedicated Berlin Museum Pass (€32 for 3 days, free entry to all five) is usually the better deal.
Berlin WelcomeCard or Museum Pass — which is better for Museum Island?
For Museum Island alone, the Museum Pass wins. Full-price entry to the Pergamon, Neues, Altes, Bode and Alte Nationalgalerie museums totals around €69; the Museum Pass covers all five for €32. The WelcomeCard only discounts those tickets by 25%, so you'd still pay roughly €52 for the same five plus the card's own price.
Is the Berlin WelcomeCard worth it in 2026?
Mostly for the transport. Unlimited public transport for 2–5 days plus a 25% discount on attractions like the TV Tower, Zoo Berlin and Checkpoint Charlie adds up if you're moving around daily. It's not the right choice if Museum Island is your main goal — buy the Museum Pass for that instead.