The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive: Is it a good deal?
Recently, Visit Berlin introduced a new discount card for tourists: The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive. This new card is different from Berlin’s other, scaled back “WelcomeCard” (which offers free transit and discounts at attractions), in that the new “All Inclusive” card offers you free entrance to over 30 Berlin attractions, free public transportation, a free 1-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour and several guided tours. There are discounts on many other sights, shows, activities, and restaurants, as well.
So is it a worthwhile investment for budget-conscious travelers? To answer this question, let’s break down the costs by looking at a few examples.
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Details of the Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive
Cost
Although the benefits sound great, the card is a bit on the pricey side. The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive costs:
• 2 days: €95 (€49 for children 3-14 years old)
• 3 days: €109 (€54 for children)
• 4 days: €129 (€59 for children)
(See all prices for the All Inclusive card)
Comparatively, the regular old Berlin WelcomeCard is much cheaper. A 2-day WelcomeCard is €19.90 and a 3-day is €27.90. A three-day WelcomeCard with entry to Museum Island museums is €44. (See all options.) Remember, however, that the normal WelcomeCard only covers transportation and discounts of up to 50% at attractions.
Sightseeing and tours included
The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive includes dozens of perks not included in their other “WelcomeCard”. We’ve chosen a few sightseeing offers to help you break down the costs:
You can choose either a 3.5-hour guided bike tour that includes a bike rental or a 48-hour bike rental.
Regular full price: €21 for tour, €10 for 24 hours per adult, prices for children depends on age and transportation needed (bike, bike seat, trailer bikes, etc.)
(BBS, BEROLINA, BVB, BEX): Includes a Yellow ticket for the hop-on-hop-off bus tour.
Regular full price: €22 for a day ticket or €26 for a 2-day ticket per adult, €11 for a day ticket or €13 for a 2-day ticket per child ages 7 to 14
Discover Berlin is a 3.5-hour walking tour in English.
Regular full price: €14 per adult or €12 for people 26 and under
Stern und Kreisschiffahrt Boat Tours
River Spree city tour (1 hour) or Havel World Heritage Tour (2 hours).
Regular full price: Between €11-14
Museums and attractions included
The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive also grants you free admission to 19 different museums, including museums on Museum Island, like the Pergamon Museum, art museums like the Gemäldegalerie, and museums of history, such as the German Historical Museum.
Without the card, ticket prices for most of these museums range between €12/€6 (Pergamon Museum), €10/€5 (Gemäldegalerie) and €8/€4 (German Historical Museum). For most state museums, admission for children 18 and under is free of charge.
Several attractions are also included in the card, such a trip up to the top of the Berlin TV Tower (regular price €13 for adults, €8.50 for children age 4 and up), free entry to Olympiastadion Berlin (regular price, €7/€4) and a trip to the Berlin’s Madame Tussaud’s (regular price to €16 to €20, depending on when you book).
Theater ticket discounts and more
The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive also provides 25-30% discounts off tickets for theaters such as Friedrich-Stadt Palast and Wintergarten Varieté, various restaurants and shops.
Notably, it also includes the price of a day ticket for regular public transportation (€7/€4.70 within Berlin, group discounts available).
Is it a good deal?
So is the Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive worth the dough? The answer really depends on what type of tourist you are. If your goal is to hit as many museums and sights as possible, take walking or bus tours, and maybe even check out a Vegas-style show, this card will most likely help you save.
If, however, you’re really just looking for a card that will cover public transportation plus admission to the top museums on Museum Island, we’d forget the “All Inclusive” ticket and consider the WelcomeCard “Museum Island” ticket, good for three days at the five museums located on the island.
Meanwhile, there are cheaper (and in our opinion, sometimes better) ways to save than just falling in line with every other tourist. Here are some cheapo alternatives:
Biking
If you’d rather just rent a bike and explore on your own (instead of a bike tour), you can find bike rentals lower than the €10 per day that Berlin on Bike charges. Check out our guide to cheap bike rentals in Berlin.
Transportation
Since they follow more or less the same route as Berlin’s Bus 100 line, in our opinion, the hop-on-hop-off buses are are not worth the added price. A trip across one of Berlin’s many rivers is admittedly a delightful experience, but to save, you can also take a ride on one of the regular public ferries that travel from Wannsee to several locations. These public ferries are included in the price of a regular public transportation ticket.
Museums and entertainment
As for museums, most offer nicely priced tickets to begin with, as well as free admission for children 18 and under. As mentioned above, the Berlin WelcomeCard “Museum Island” ticket covers admission to those five museums and is much cheaper.
The ticket price for shows at variety, music and cabaret shows will still be on the pricey side even with the discount the card offers, and the restaurants listed are mainly overpriced tourist traps.
Last but not least, in our opinion, there’s absolutely no reason to go to Madame Tussaud’s in Berlin — unless the kids insist.
Final thoughts
So, in a nutshell, if you’re a really ambitious tourist, go ahead and spring for the Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive — the 4-day card offers the best deal and will allow you to pack in tons of sights and activities. We’d be much more likely to buy the WelcomeCard “Museum Island” ticket — and use it for discounts at museums and attractions not covered by the card.
And if you’re more of a relaxed tourist who would like to pick and choose your activities or find alternative ways to explore Berlin, then hold onto your wallet, as this card is probably not for you.
For a full list of all the benefits and discounts the Berlin WelcomeCard all inclusive offers, click here.
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