The Valencia Tourist Card promises free public transport and discounted (or free) entry to a long list of museums and attractions. It comes in 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour versions.

Is it worth it? The honest answer is: sometimes. Here's how to work it out for your trip.

What the Card Covers

The Valencia Tourist Card includes:

Transport (unlimited):

• Metro (all zones, including airport)
• EMT buses
• Tram (lines 6, 8, and 10 — useful for the beachfront)
• Valenbisi bike share (first 30 minutes free per ride)

Attractions (free entry):

• City of Arts and Sciences — Hemisfèric (IMAX)
• City of Arts and Sciences — Museu de les Ciències Príncep Felip
• Bioparc Valencia (zoo)
• L'Albufera Natural Park boat trip
• Natural History Museum (MUVHN)
• Several smaller museums and galleries

Discounts (not free, but reduced):

• Oceanogràfic (around 15–20% off)
• Palau de les Arts opera house tours
• Various walking tours and bike tours

You can buy the card at the airport, at tourist offices, and online in advance.

What It Costs

These are rough figures — prices update periodically, so check the official Valencia Tourist Card site when booking.

The Maths: Does It Pay Off?

Here's where it gets real.

A lot of Valencia is free regardless of the card. The Cathedral, the Central Market, Turia Gardens, Barrio del Carmen wandering, the beaches — none of these cost anything. If your trip is built around those (common for first-time visitors who just want to absorb the city), the card's museum inclusions don't add much.

Worked example — 48-hour trip, city-focused:

• Metro from airport: around €4.90
• Metro around city (3–4 journeys): around €6–8
• Hemisfèric (IMAX): around €9
• Museu de les Ciències: around €8

Total without card: around €28–30. The 48-hour card is around €22. You save around €6–8 and also get the bike share and tram included.

Worked example — 48-hour trip, attractions-heavy:

• All of the above, plus Bioparc (around €24) and L'Albufera boat trip (around €7)

Total without card: around €55–60. The 48-hour card at around €22 saves you over €30. Clear winner.

When to Buy the Card

Buy it if your trip includes:

• Bioparc — at around €24 entry, this alone almost justifies the 48h card
• L'Albufera boat trip
• Two or more City of Arts and Sciences venues
• Regular metro use, especially if arriving by airport metro

Skip it if your trip is:

• Mostly walking the Old Town, beach days, and free attractions
• A single day with only one paid attraction
• Built around Oceanogràfic specifically — it's discounted but not free, and you'd need the rest of the card to pay off too

The Free Attractions Worth Knowing About

A lot of visitors buy a tourist card without realising how much is free. Before you decide, know that these cost nothing:

• Valencia Cathedral — free entry (small charge for the tower climb)
• Mercado Central — free to browse
• Turia Gardens — free, entire 9km
• El Carmen neighbourhood — just walk it
• Malvarrosa and Patacona beaches — free

The City of Arts and Sciences complex exterior, the dramatic Calatrava architecture — also free to admire from outside. You only pay when you enter the buildings.

Practical Notes

The card clock starts when you first use it, not when you buy it. So if you buy it at the airport, activate it when you take the metro into town — that's day one started efficiently.

If you're on the fence, the 72-hour card is the easiest to justify for a three-night stay because the transport savings alone cover a good chunk of the cost.

For the complete breakdown of which neighbourhoods are closest to which attractions, and how to sequence your days without backtracking, the Valencia ConciseTravel guide maps it all out for you.