Go City vs CityPASS
Which sightseeing pass is right for your trip?
- 30+
- Cities
- Global
- Coverage
- Explorer + All-Inclusive
- Pass types
- You choose
- Flexibility
- 30 days (Explorer)
- Validity
- 30 days if unused
- Refund
- 17
- Cities
- US + Canada
- Coverage
- Booklet (3–5 attractions)
- Pass types
- Fixed bundle
- Flexibility
- 9 days from first use
- Validity
- 365 days if unused
- Refund
They look similar from the outside. They are not the same thing.
Both Go City and CityPASS offer discounted admission to a city's top attractions for one upfront price. That's where the similarity ends. The way they work, the flexibility they offer, and the type of trip they suit are genuinely different — and choosing the wrong one costs money in both directions.
The short version: CityPASS decides for you. Go City lets you decide. Which of those is better depends entirely on whether you have a specific list of attractions in mind or whether you'd rather hand that problem to someone else.
The structural difference — two decision modes
CityPASS bundles a fixed set of 3–5 attractions — always the city's most iconic, highest-ticket options. In most cities you get 2 fixed "anchor" attractions plus a choice slot or two where you pick from a short list. In New York, the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History are fixed; you then choose 3 from 6 additional options. In Chicago, Shedd Aquarium and Willis Tower Skydeck anchor the pass. The bundle is opinionated by design — CityPASS has already decided what's worth seeing.
The upside: no analysis required. The attractions are pre-vetted, always high-value, and one pass covers the lot. The downside: if one of the fixed inclusions doesn't interest you, you're paying for it anyway. CityPASS assumes you want the classics. If you do, it works brilliantly. If you don't, it doesn't.
Go City's Explorer Pass lets you buy a fixed number of credits (2–7 in most cities) and redeem them against a wider menu of 25–40+ attractions. You choose which, and in what order, across a 30-day window from first activation. No consecutive-day requirement, no daily pressure. The flexibility has real value if you're going to exercise it — if you end up visiting the same top-5 attractions CityPASS includes, CityPASS will almost always be cheaper per attraction.
Where each operates
CityPASS operates in 17 cities, all in the US and Canada: New York, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, San Diego, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Orlando, Tampa, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Outside those cities it does not exist.
Go City operates in more than 30 cities across five continents — London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona, Sydney, Dubai, Singapore, and more. For any European or international destination, the comparison is irrelevant: CityPASS isn't available there. Go City is your only branded pass option.
Go City is your only pass option — CityPASS doesn't operate outside North America. You can keep reading for the full comparison, or jump to the quiz for a destination recommendation.
When CityPASS wins on price
CityPASS wins when its fixed inclusions match your itinerary. Because it anchors to the city's most expensive individual admissions, the savings on those anchors are genuine and often significant. The key question: would I visit at least 3 of the inclusions anyway?
Chicago is the clearest illustration. The CityPASS anchors to Shedd Aquarium and Willis Tower Skydeck — two of the most expensive individual admissions in the city. If both are already on your list, CityPASS prices that combination below what you'd pay buying separately, and the remaining choice slots add flexibility on top. If neither interests you — if you're more drawn to the Art Institute, the Riverwalk, or neighbourhood exploration — the pass loses its core value immediately.
CityPASS also wins for visitors who find research genuinely burdensome. Handing the "what's worth seeing" decision to the pass is a feature, not a limitation, for a first-time visitor who wants to cover the highlights without spending an afternoon on TripAdvisor.
When Go City wins on flexibility
Go City wins when your shortlist doesn't match the CityPASS bundle. San Diego is the most instructive example. The CityPASS there anchors to SeaWorld and LEGOLAND California. If both are on your list, CityPASS is almost certainly the better deal. If you're more interested in the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park museums, and the USS Midway, Go City's Explorer Pass lets you build that itinerary without paying for theme parks you're skipping.
Go City also wins on validity. The Explorer Pass gives you 30 days from first activation — meaningfully longer than CityPASS's 9-day window. For a visitor spreading sightseeing across multiple weekends, that window is a practical advantage. And Go City wins whenever CityPASS doesn't exist — which is every destination outside the US and Canada.
The refund difference — more significant than it looks
CityPASS is designed for advance purchase — unused passes can be refunded for up to 365 days from the date you bought them (theme park tickets in Orlando and Southern California are exceptions). Go City's window is 30 days on unactivated passes. If you're booking months ahead with uncertain plans, that difference is material. Always check the cancellation terms on whichever platform you book through, as policies can vary by reseller.
Buy CityPASS if you're visiting a US or Canadian city for the first time and the bundle's anchor attractions are genuinely on your list.
Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, New York's Empire State Building, Seattle's Space Needle — if those are the experiences you're there for, CityPASS prices them better than Go City per attraction and wraps them in a single purchase. The planning is done for you. The 365-day refund window also makes it the lower-risk buy if your trip isn't confirmed yet.
Buy Go City Explorer if your shortlist doesn't match what CityPASS bundles, or if you're visiting any destination outside the US and Canada.
The 30-day validity window and the wider attraction menu give you the flexibility to build the trip you actually want. For any European or international city, Go City is the only option regardless.
Travelling with children? Both passes offer child pricing — the savings scale proportionally, so the same logic applies per ticket.
One exception worth knowing: families planning to visit Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, or the London Dungeon should look at the Merlin Pass before either of these — those attractions aren't on Go City or CityPASS, and the Merlin product often works out better for that specific combination. For US cities, run the family calculation with child ticket prices at each attraction before committing.
Skip both if you're only visiting 1–2 paid attractions. Individual tickets will cost the same or less.
Neither pass delivers meaningful savings below 3 attractions. Don't pay an upfront bundled price for a short trip built mostly around free sightseeing.
Destination guides
The right pass also depends on what's available in your specific city.
Common questions
Is Go City the same as CityPASS?
No — different companies, different products. Go City offers flexible credit-based or day-based passes across 30+ cities globally. CityPASS offers fixed attraction bundles in 17 US and Canadian cities. They compete directly in a handful of US cities but are not the same product or the same company.
Which is cheaper — Go City or CityPASS?
It depends on the city and your specific attractions. CityPASS is typically cheaper if its anchor attractions are already on your list. Go City's Explorer Pass is better value when your shortlist diverges from the bundle. Neither is universally cheaper — the quiz above routes you to the right one for your trip.
Does CityPASS work in London, Paris, or Europe?
No. CityPASS operates only in the US and Canada. For any European or international destination — London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona, Sydney and others — Go City is the relevant pass option. We have a full review of the Go City London Explorer Pass if that's where you're heading.
What is the refund policy for each pass?
CityPASS offers a full refund on unused passes within 365 days of purchase — theme park tickets in Orlando and Southern California are exceptions. Go City's refund window is 30 days on unactivated passes. If you're booking well ahead with uncertain plans, CityPASS carries significantly less financial risk.
What is the Go City Explorer Pass — how is it different from the All-Inclusive?
The Explorer Pass is credit-based: buy a set number of attraction credits (2–7) and redeem them across a 30-day window. No daily pressure, no consecutive-day requirement. The All-Inclusive Pass is day-based: unlimited attractions over consecutive days, ending at midnight each day. The Explorer Pass suits most travellers. The All-Inclusive only makes financial sense at 3+ attractions per day.
Which cities have both Go City and CityPASS?
Both operate in: New York, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, San Diego, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Orlando, Tampa, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Outside these cities, Go City is usually the only branded pass option.
Do I need to book attractions in advance?
Some popular attractions require timed-entry reservations regardless of which pass you hold. Both the Go City app and the CityPASS app flag which attractions need advance booking. Check requirements immediately after purchase and book slots before you travel, especially in peak season.