Paseo del Arte pass

When the pass saves you money

The three general tickets add up to €41 (€15 for the Prado, €12 for the Reina Sofía and €14 for the Thyssen). The pass costs €32.80, so you save €8.20.

That only works if you'd pay for all three. Before buying, see if any of these apply:

• You'll use a free slot. See the Thyssen on a Monday from 12:00 to 16:00 and the other two come to €27.
• You're under 18. You get into all three free.
• You're a student aged 18 to 25. Free at the Prado and Reina Sofía, €10 at the Thyssen.
• You're over 65. €7.50 at the Prado, €10 at the Thyssen, free at the Reina Sofía.

The guide to free museums in Madrid has every free slot.

Where to buy it

The official route wins. It's €32.80 on the Thyssen's ticket website and at the ticket offices. Tiqets and Headout charge more, and Tiqets' pass can't be cancelled. If you'd still rather buy there, compare the final price first.

The small print

Your first visit must be at the museum where you bought the pass, according to the Reina Sofía's website. If you buy online from the Thyssen, plan to start there. Its website promises direct entry with the pass, no waiting.

You get one visit per museum, so it won't get you back into the Prado on another day.

It includes the collections and some temporary exhibitions at the Reina Sofía or the Prado. At the Reina Sofía, those with a time slot or special rate are excluded.

Keep the calendar in mind when you plan: the Reina Sofía closes on Tuesdays and the Thyssen opens only from 12:00 to 16:00 on Mondays. They're under 10 minutes' walk apart, but don't try all three in a day: the Prado takes two or three hours, the Reina Sofía about two and the Thyssen about two and a half.

More on each one: Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen.