Philadelphia City Pass Price: 10 Essential Tips for Travelers

The Worth-It Math: à-la-Carte vs Pass Price

We priced the main Philadelphia paid attractions individually in 2026 to give you a real break-even number — not a guess.

• Franklin Institute — $27 (general admission, special exhibits extra)
• Philadelphia Zoo — $28
• Eastern State Penitentiary — $26
• Adventure Aquarium (Camden) — $35
• Big Bus Philadelphia Hop-On Hop-Off — $32
• Museum of the American Revolution — $24
• Philadelphia Museum of Art — $30

Scenario A: Go City All-Inclusive 1-Day ($59)

You need to visit at least 3 paid attractions in one calendar day to break even. Hit the Franklin Institute ($27) + Eastern State ($26) + Big Bus ($32) = $85 à-la-carte vs $59 with the pass → saves $26 (31%). Do 4 attractions and savings jump to $55+. Do only 2 and the pass loses $6–$10.

Verdict: Buy it if you're doing a full day with 3+ stops. Skip it for a half-day or if 2 attractions is your pace.

Scenario B: Go City All-Inclusive 2-Day ($89)

Franklin Institute ($27) + Zoo ($28) + Eastern State ($26) + Adventure Aquarium ($35) = $116 à-la-carte vs $89 → saves $27 (23%). Add a 5th attraction and you're saving $50+. Best value option for a long weekend.

Scenario C: Philadelphia CityPASS ($74)

The CityPASS fixed bundle includes the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Zoo, Adventure Aquarium, Big Bus tour, and the Museum of the American Revolution (or Philadelphia Museum of Art as a swap). À-la-carte total: $27 + $28 + $35 + $32 + $24 = $146 vs $74 → saves $72 (49%). This is the strongest savings ratio — but only if you actually want all 5 included venues. If you'd skip 2 of them, the Explorer or All-Inclusive can beat it.

Verdict: CityPASS wins on raw savings if the fixed lineup matches your wishlist. Go City wins on flexibility.

When no pass makes sense

If you only want to see the Liberty Bell (free), Independence Hall (free), walk Elfreth's Alley (free), and browse Reading Terminal Market (free entry), you can spend a great day in Philadelphia spending $0 on admissions. Passes don't cover any of these. In that case, buy individual tickets only for the one or two paid museums you actually want.

Buy It If / Skip It If

Buy a Philadelphia city pass if:

• You plan 3+ paid attractions in 1–2 days (All-Inclusive pays off fast)
• The CityPASS fixed lineup matches at least 4 of the 5 venues you actually want
• You have 60 days and want flexibility to pick any 3 paid attractions at your own pace (Explorer 3-Choice)
• You're traveling with kids — children's discounts are built in, and the Zoo + Aquarium + Franklin Institute combo is near-perfect for families

Skip it if:

• Your itinerary is mostly free Historic District sites (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Elfreth's Alley)
• You only want 1–2 paid attractions — buy individual tickets instead
• You're visiting mainly the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Reading Terminal Market — buy a PMA ticket directly (~$30)
• You're here for just half a day — the All-Inclusive clock starts at first scan and runs on calendar days, not 24-hour windows

For a deeper breakdown by traveler type, see our full Philadelphia city pass comparison.

Go City Philadelphia: All-Inclusive vs Explorer

Go City runs two structurally different products and conflating them is the most common mistake. They are not the same pass at different prices.

All-Inclusive Pass (time-based): Unlimited visits to all included attractions for 1, 2, or 3 consecutive calendar days. The clock starts the moment you scan at your first attraction. Best for sightseers who move fast and want to cram in as many venues as possible per day. Break-even is 3 paid sites per day.

Explorer Pass (count-based): Choose 2, 3, 4, or 5 attractions from the full Go City list; valid for 60 days from first use. No daily pressure — you can spread visits across a weekend or even a return trip. Best for selective travelers who have a specific short list. We priced these in 2026 from Go City's site directly.

Neither product includes transport (SEPTA) — that's a separate purchase. The Big Bus hop-on hop-off is an included attraction on both products, so if a tour bus is your primary transport tool, it counts toward break-even. Check what's included in the Philadelphia pass for the full current attraction list.

Philadelphia CityPASS: The Fixed Bundle

CityPASS Philadelphia ($74 adult, $59 child as of June 2026) gives you a fixed bundle of 5 top attractions valid for 9 consecutive days. There's no daily pressure and no choices to agonize over — you get a physical or digital booklet and redeem attractions at your own pace.

The standard bundle includes: Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Zoo, Adventure Aquarium, Big Bus Philadelphia, and one choice between the Museum of the American Revolution or Philadelphia Museum of Art. At $146 à-la-carte value, the $72 savings (49%) is the best raw percentage of any Philadelphia pass — provided you actually want all five venues.

Note: CityPASS does NOT include Eastern State Penitentiary, which is one of Philly's most distinctive attractions. If that's on your list, the Go City Explorer or All-Inclusive covers it and CityPASS does not. Buy at citypass.com/philadelphia.

Practical Tips Before You Buy

• Book online, not at the gate. Both Go City and CityPASS are cheaper online. Gate prices (where they exist) carry a premium.
• All-Inclusive clock = calendar day, not 24 hours. A pass scanned at 3 PM expires at midnight, not 3 PM the next day. Plan your first attraction early.
• Timed entry reservations still apply. Some Go City attractions require a separate timed-entry reservation even with a pass — book slots in the Go City app the morning of your visit.
• Adventure Aquarium is in Camden, NJ — a 10-minute PATCO ride from Center City. Factor in travel time and the $5 PATCO fare.
• The Sightseeing Pass is gone. The company went bankrupt in June 2025. Any site still listing it is out of date.
• Children's pricing: CityPASS child (3–11) runs $59; Go City child rates are typically 25–30% below adult. Ages 2 and under are free at most Philly attractions regardless of pass.

For a side-by-side of how Philadelphia compares to other US cities by savings percentage, see the best US city passes ranked for 2026.