Why should you book skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum?

Your skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum save you anywhere between 1-2 hours during the peak season, giving you plenty of time to explore the art on display.

Do I still need to go through security if I book skip-the-line tickets?

Yes, your skip-the-line tickets only let you bypass the long ticket lines. However, you will still need to go through the museum’s security screening. However, this will take you no more than 15-20 minutes.

What happens if you don’t book skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum?

Given how popular the Prado Museum is, not booking skip-the-line tickets means you could end up waiting in ticket lines for an hour or two during the peak season. If you visit later in the evening, you might even have to rush through the experience as a result.

Can I buy skip-the-line tickets at the Prado Museum’s entrance or gate?

Unfortunately, the only way you can buy skip-the-line tickets is to pre-book them in advance, as there isn’t a separate queue for this at the museum. You should book them at least a week in advance during the peak season.

Is there a separate entrance at the Prado Museum for skip-the-line tickets?

Yes, if you have pre-booked your tickets, you can enter the museum via the *Puerta de Velázquez* (the main entrance) or the *Puerta de los Jerónimos* (ground floor, on the museum’s eastern side

Why do the Prado Museum skip-the-line tickets cost more?

The key benefit of skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum is the time they save—**often an hour or two during peak season**. So, while others wait in the hot Madrid sun, you can spend your time exploring all the art on display.

Is a guided tour of the Prado Museum better than a skip-the-line ticket?

It depends on your preference—if you simply want to skip the lines and explore at your own pace, skip-the-line tickets are your best bet. The <experience type="Popup" tgid="4082" title="Prado Museum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour" id="3v7F6286" />, however, also gets you an expert guide who offers fascinating insights into the museum’s collection.

Skip the Lines at the Prado Museum | Save Up To 90 Minutes

How long are the queues at the Prado Museum’s entrance?

Tourists exploring the famous Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain, showcasing unique art collections

The Prado Museum has five different entrances, each catering to different visitor groups. Puerta de Murillo and Puerta de Goya Baja entrances are typically used by those without pre-booked tickets. Wait times can sometimes range from 30 minutes in the low season to even 2 hours during the peak season between April to June & September to November.

While the museum opens at 10am, crowds start building from around 11am at these entrances, and you’ll find really long queues till around 3 or 4pm.

On the other hand, the Puerta de Velázquez and Puerta de los Jerónimos entrances are reserved for visitors with pre-booked tickets. Wait times, as a result, are a maximum of 30 minutes during the peak season—much better than spending 2 hours in Madrid’s heat, isn’t it?

How can you skip the queues at the Prado Museum?

Even with skip-the-line tickets, your experience will depend on when you visit the museum, the weather, and the season, among other factors. Here’s how to make the most of your time during your visit.

Book timed entry tickets in advance

Timed entry tickets give you the benefit of reserving a slot for your visit to the museum. You must book your tickets well in advance, as they sell out rather quickly during the peak season.

Book a skip-the-line guided tour

This ticket lets you skip the long ticket lines, significantly cutting down on your waiting times. The icing on the cake is that you get to tour the museum with an expert local guide leading the way.

Book a guided tour combo

A combo guided tour is a brilliant way to skip the lines at the Prado Museum and squeeze more into your day. The Royal Palace of Madrid & Prado Museum combo gets you priority entry to both attractions, letting you explore them with an expert guide in a single day.

Avoid free entry hours

The Prado Museum offers free entry from Monday to Saturday between 6pm and 8pm, and on Sundays and holidays between 5pm and 7pm. This is when the museum is at its most crowded—not the ideal time for a relaxed visit.

Book skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum

Your skip-the-line tickets to the Prado Museum let you breeze past the long ticket lines, especially during the peak season. After a quick security check, you’re free to enter the museum and explore it at your own pace or with an expert guide. Less waiting, less stress, and more time to enjoy the best of European art. No waiting equals less stress and more time to explore the best of European art.

Museo del Prado Tickets

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Museo del Prado Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

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1 hr. 30 min. - 2 hr.

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Art Walk Pass: Museo del Prado + Thyssen Bornemisza + Reina Sofia Entry Tickets

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Combo (Save 5%): Royal Palace of Madrid Skip-the-Line Tickets + Museo del Prado Entry

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Museo del Prado & Royal Palace of Madrid Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

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What are customers saying?

Loved by 47 million+

Trustpilot rating: 4.5 out of 5

Luiz

Jan 2026

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Buy tickets in advance and securely, quickly access the website, which has a smart design that makes it easy for anyone to understand and make a purchase. And arriving at the venue without having to wait in line is the best!

Gregory

United States

Jan 2026

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In the to I'm sure because p I'm sure because he 5 museums in the world. No line in early January. Great placing in lighting.

Garbagni

Italy

Jan 2026

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Great initiative, we skipped the lines, especially at the Prado. I suggest a premium version that allows you to enter museums multiple times.

Gianfranco

Dec 2025

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+1 more

Entrance to all three museums without a line , you just have to change tickets to enter. The service provided was done professionally and fairly. We also saved money on the total price of the three museums

Carlos

Brazil

Jan 2026

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+1 more

We enjoyed the tour very much. We took line 2 (Modern Madrid) and then line 1 (Classic Madrid). We want to congratulate the manager Salvatore. He guided us wonderfully and had a great last minute idea: he suggested us to get off and take line 2 (the back bus) first; this way we could enjoy both lines in a row. Congratulations!

Fabiola

United States

Jan 2026

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Very good tour! Juan Antonio was very knowledagble and added great humor to the paintings to keep the tour interesting! Would absolutely recommend and do again. We truly skipped all lines and were able to do both the palace and Museo del Prado in 5 hours exactly.

Donovan

Kuwait

Jan 2026

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The Palace was majestic and having booked our tickets online saved us from standing in a 3 hour line. Every room within the Palace was indicative of the gradeur and royalty of the Spanish monarchy. We did a self guided tour which allowed us to go about and explore at our own pace. Thank you Headput for the smooth experience.

Nadia

Italy

Dec 2025

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I saw the Royal Palace in Madrid. Great experience, the skip the line ticket very helpful. Only flaw I didn't realize that the audio guide was only available on the app and not physically provided during the visit.