Berlin WelcomeCard or BVG ticket: what you pay for buses and trains
·
The BVG does not sell a pure 72-hour ticket without discounts. We compare the WelcomeCard with 24-hour tickets, single tickets, the small group ticket, the CityTourCard and the Deutschlandticket.
The tickets at a glance
| Ticket (fare zone AB) | Price | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | €4.00 | one direction, 120 minutes; child 6 to 14: €2.50 |
| 4-trip ticket | €12.40 | 4 single rides, €3.10 per ride |
| 24-hour ticket | €11.20 | 1 adult and up to 3 children aged 6 to 14 |
| 24-hour small group ticket | €35.30 | up to 5 people |
| Berlin WelcomeCard | €28.50 to €58.50 | 48 hours to 6 days, 1 adult and up to 3 children aged 6 to 14, plus discounts |
The BVG ticket overview has no pure 48-hour, 72-hour or 7-day ticket. The only multi-day products there are the WelcomeCard and the CityTourCard, both with discounts. For several days you therefore compare the card with one 24-hour ticket per day; the CityTourCard follows further down. Prices as of 24 Sep 2026. On 1 Jan 2027 the VBB raises its prices. The AB 4-trip ticket will then cost €13.20, for example. We will recalculate with the new prices as soon as they apply.
From how many rides the 24-hour ticket is cheaper
Two single rides cost €8.00, three cost €12.00. From 3 rides a day, the 24-hour ticket at €11.20 is cheaper. The 4-trip ticket saves €3.60 compared with four single tickets, but at €12.40 it also costs more than the 24-hour ticket. We have not checked whether it is valid over several days. If it is, 3 rides a day are cheaper with it than with the 24-hour ticket (€9.30).
WelcomeCard versus 24-hour tickets
| Card (AB) | Price | 24-hour ticket per day | Difference | Cheaper than single tickets from ride no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 hours | €28.50 | €22.40 | Card €6.10 more expensive | 8 |
| 72 hours | €39.50 | €33.60 | Card €5.90 more expensive | 10 |
| 4 days | €49.50 | €44.80 | Card €4.70 more expensive | 13 |
| 5 days | €53.50 | €56.00 | Card €2.50 cheaper | 14 |
| 6 days | €58.50 | €67.20 | Card €8.70 cheaper | 15 |
For up to 4 days you pay more for the card than for public transport alone. The discounts have to cover that extra cost. At 5 and 6 days it is already cheaper as a transport ticket, if you would need a 24-hour ticket every day. If you travel less, compare with single tickets: the 5-day card is only cheaper from 14 rides in total. How the discounts add up is explained under Berlin WelcomeCard prices and in the calculator.
The CityTourCard: cheaper transport ticket, different discounts
The BVG also sells the CityTourCard to tourists, a different product with its own discounts. The BVG quotes from-prices without a fare zone.
| Duration | WelcomeCard AB | CityTourCard | WelcomeCard more expensive by | CityTourCard versus 24-hour tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 hours | €28.50 | from €23.80 | €4.70 | €1.40 more expensive |
| 72 hours | €39.50 | from €35.60 | €3.90 | €2.00 more expensive |
| 4 days | €49.50 | from €47.50 | €2.00 | €2.70 more expensive |
| 5 days | €53.50 | from €49.80 | €3.70 | €6.20 cheaper |
| 6 days | €58.50 | from €51.00 | €7.50 | €16.20 cheaper |
As a transport ticket, the CityTourCard is cheaper than the WelcomeCard for every duration. Compared with 24-hour tickets it costs €1.40 to €2.70 more for 2 to 4 days, and for 5 and 6 days it is €6.20 and €16.20 cheaper respectively. According to the BVG it gives up to 40% off at around 30 partners. We have not yet recorded which partners these are or whether children can travel with it. That is why we do not calculate it yet.
For two people or a group
According to the issuer, the WelcomeCard is valid for one adult, and there is no group ticket. Two adults pay €79.00 for 72 hours, or €67.20 with 24-hour tickets. The discounts therefore have to make up €11.80.
The small group ticket at €35.30 is cheaper than individual 24-hour tickets (€44.80) from 4 adults. Four adults pay €105.90 for 3 days with it, against €158.00 with four WelcomeCards. That is €52.10 more, or around €13.03 per person that the discounts have to bring in. Two adults with two children aged 6 to 14, by contrast, travel with two 24-hour tickets for €22.40 a day, because each ticket takes up to 3 children along.
With a Deutschlandticket
The Deutschlandticket costs €63.00 a month as a subscription at the BVG and is also valid in Berlin. With it you do not need the transport ticket of the WelcomeCard. The issuer sells Der Klassiker without a transport ticket, but only for 72 hours (€10.00) and 6 days (€15.00). Even for 2 days, the 72-hour option without a transport ticket is cheaper than the 48-hour card (€28.50). In the example with the Berlin Cathedral, the Humboldt Forum and the Technikmuseum (€13.75 in discounts), you save €3.75 that way.
With children the sums work out differently. According to the BVG, children under 6 travel with the Deutschlandticket, but no other person does. The option without a transport ticket includes no rides, so no free travel for children either. With a reduced 24-hour ticket (€7.40) per child and day, the 72-hour option without a transport ticket costs €32.20 with one child. With two children, one regular 24-hour ticket per day (€11.20) is cheaper than two reduced ones, because it takes up to 3 children along. That comes to €43.60 in total. The regular 72-hour card costs €39.50. With one child the option without a transport ticket comes out ahead, with two children the regular card does.
What is cheaper when
- Little travel, few admissions: single tickets, up to 2 rides a day.
- Lots of travel, 2 to 4 days, few discounts: a 24-hour ticket per day. The WelcomeCard costs €4.70 to €6.10 more.
- 5 or 6 days with lots of travel: the WelcomeCard, already €2.50 and €8.70 cheaper than 24-hour tickets without any discounts. As a pure transport ticket, the CityTourCard is cheaper still, by another €3.70 and €7.50 respectively.
- From 4 adults: the small group ticket, unless the discounts bring in more than around €13.03 per person at 72 hours and 4 people.
- With a Deutschlandticket: the WelcomeCard without a transport ticket, €10.00 for 72 hours.
The card's discounts are listed under Berlin WelcomeCard attractions. Whether the card pays off with your admissions is shown by the Berlin WelcomeCard calculator.
Work out the Berlin WelcomeCard for my trip
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Berlin WelcomeCard cost compared with the BVG 24-hour ticket?
The WelcomeCard AB costs €28.50 for 48 hours, €39.50 for 72 hours, €49.50 for 4 days, €53.50 for 5 days and €58.50 for 6 days. With a 24-hour ticket at €11.20 per day you pay €22.40, €33.60, €44.80, €56.00 and €67.20 (as of 24 Sep 2026, unchanged on 29 Oct 2026).
Does the BVG have a 72-hour ticket?
The BVG ticket overview has no pure 72-hour ticket. The only multi-day products there are the WelcomeCard and the CityTourCard, with discounts. As a pure transport ticket, what remains is the 24-hour ticket at €11.20 (fare zone AB). For 72 hours that comes to €33.60. The WelcomeCard for 72 hours costs €39.50 (as of 24 Sep 2026).
Do children also travel free with the BVG 24-hour ticket?
Yes. According to the BVG, the 24-hour ticket is valid for one adult and up to 3 children aged 6 to 14, like the WelcomeCard (as of 24 Sep 2026).
Sources
- Berlin WelcomeCard prices and conditions (issuer visitBerlin, with FAQ), checked on 29 Oct 2026
- BVG: ticket overview (tourists, CityTourCard), checked on 29 Oct 2026
- BVG: single ticket, checked on 28 Oct 2026
- BVG: 4-trip ticket, checked on 28 Oct 2026
- BVG: 24-hour ticket, checked on 28 Oct 2026
- BVG: 24-hour small group ticket, checked on 28 Oct 2026
- BVG: Deutschlandticket, checked on 28 Oct 2026
- berlin.de: VBB raises ticket prices from 2027, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Prices can change. Admission and card prices change, sometimes at short notice. We check admission prices at the official source and card prices with the ticket provider you book through. We show the date for every price and check all prices again once a month. The price shown to you at checkout is always the one that applies. If you spot an outdated price, let us know at info@citycardcheck.com.
Data source: Berlin WelcomeCard prices (Der Klassiker, fare zone AB, with and without transport ticket) from the issuer, BVG fares (single ticket, 4-trip ticket, 24-hour ticket, small group), CityTourCard and Deutschlandticket according to the BVG. Checked on 24 Sep 2026, checked again on the official websites on 28 Oct 2026 and 29 Oct 2026.
Photo: Heye Jensen / Unsplash