Which Prado Museum entrance should you choose?

Nestled in central Madrid and home to over 25,000 priceless pieces of art and Spanish paintings, Prado Museum is one of the most visited museums in Madrid. Often referred to as the ‘Museum of Masterpieces’ - the Prado Museum displays collections dating back to the 12th century that includes sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings and other valuable documents.

Spread across approximately 166,000 sq. ft., this massive museum has not just one, but five entry points - namely Puerta de Goya Baja, Puerta de Goya Alta, Puerta de Velázquez, Puerta de los Jerónimos and Puerta de Murillo.

Prado Museum Entrances - All 5 Entrances Explained

There are a total of five entry points to the museum. Depending on whether you’ve booked your tickets online or are buying on the spot, you can choose the following entrances. The average waiting time before you enter the museum is at least one hour. To avoid the long waiting time, it’s recommended to buy skip-the-line tickets online.

The opening hours of all the entrance points are from 10 AM to 8 PM on all days except Sunday and on public holidays (10 AM to 7 PM).

Entrance 1 - Puerta de Goya Baja

If you’re on a budget, head to this entrance as the ticket counter at this entrance is known to offer concessions and discounts. But make sure you head early, as the ticket line here is long.

Entrance 2 - Puerta de Goya Alta

If you’ve not booked your tickets online and are looking to buy tickets quickly on the spot, you can head straight to this entrance. Equipped with an automated ticket machine, you can quickly get yourself a ticket without waiting much. But, you’ll have to pay the full price here.

Entrance 3 - Puerta de Velázquez

If you’ve purchased your tickets online, you can use this entrance for a speedy entrance. No queues, just scan your ticket and walk in.

Entrance 4 - Puerta de los Jerónimos

Located at the eastern side of the museum, you can use this entrance too if you’ve booked your tickets online.

Entrance 5 - Puerta de Murillo

This entrance is said to have the shortest line and should be your go-to if you’re in a hurry or have a packed day.

Getting To Prado Museum Entrance

Car - You can rent a car and drive to the museum, however, there’s no parking available within the museum premises. So, you can opt for public car parking facilities around the museum.
Bus - Cibeles is the nearest bus stop to the museum. You can board bus numbers E1, N2 and N3. From the bus stop, it’s a quick 5 minutes walk to the museum.
Taxi - Taxis in Madrid are inexpensive and easily accessible, so if you don’t want to rent a car you can simply hop into a cab and get dropped right outside the entrance of your choice.
Metro - There’s a subway station next to the Prado Museum with Retiro being the nearest station (just a 5 minutes walk from there). There’s also a train station called Recoletos which is another option if you’re travelling via train.

Tips for your Prado Museum visit

• It is advised to book your tickets online at least 24 hours in advance.
• If you’ve booked your tickets online, you can pick the following entrances at Prado Museum: Puerta de Velázquez, Puerta de los Jerónimos & Puerta de Murillo.
• Each entry point has a mandatory temperature check (should be less than 37.5ºC)
• If you’re looking for a speedy entrant, opt for Puerto de Murillo. This entrance also leads you to classical Italian Renaissance galleries/art.
• If you’re looking for a good deal or discount, opt for the Puerta de Goya Baja entrance, as the ticket office there offers tickets at discounts.
• After each entrance point, you’ll spot an information desk that provides a free plan/guide that gives details about the room numbers and the art displays in those, information about the artists, classic sculptures and more.

All Your Questions Answered About Prado Museum Entrances

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