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Travel Europe on a Budget

The Savvy Backpacker

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Guide to using smartphones, sim cards, and data plans in europe.

What you need to know about using smartphones, high-speed data plans, and SIM cards in Europe — without spending a fortune.

phones and technology

Having a high-speed data plan while traveling Europe is almost a necessity these days—especially for using Google Maps and finding restaurants. Unfortunately, using iPhones and Android smartphones in Europe can be confusing and expensive  if you’re not careful.

In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about using smartphones in Europe—including how to buy cheap high-speed data plans, how to buy SIM cards in Europe, and other strategies for using your smartphone abroad.

Will Your Smartphone Work In Europe: The Basics

Virtually all modern smartphones (iPhone 7 and newer) are compatible with Europe’s mobile infrastructure and every major US carrier has international data plans—so your smartphone should automatically work once you arrive in Europe.

Furthermore, all the major US carriers have partnerships with local European carriers so your phone will connect to the internet.

However, many of these international plans offered by US mobile carriers are expensive so you might get hit with costly international data roaming if you’re not careful (and the speeds can be slow so you’re not getting much for your money).

Your other option is to buy a prepaid European SIM Card or eSIM data plan [Note: eSIM is quickly becoming the standard]. These prepaid data plans are a much cheaper option and you get better service, but there can sometimes be quirks and technical issues.

Both methods have pros and cons (as well as a few quirks) so keep reading as I’ll try to cover all the different options below.

Using Your American Mobile Data Plan In Europe

The easiest way to use your American phone in Europe is to add an international data plan to your current mobile service—every major carrier lets you do this. Simply call them up or go online and they’ll gladly upgrade your account to work with European carriers they have service agreements with. In many cases, your phone will automatically connect without you needing to do anything.

The major downside is extremely high costs and not great service—you often get slow speeds and limited data. For example, some of these data plans charge you $15 a day for 100MB of data at 3G or 2G speeds. Calls are still around $1/minute and texts can cost as much as $.25 per message. So yeah, it’s pretty terrible…

If you want actual high-speed data while traveling in Europe that won’t cost a fortune you’ll need a European prepaid data plan—don’t worry, it’s a very easy process. Click here to skip to the “ How To Buy A SIM Card With High-Speed Data in Europe ” section of this article.

I’ve listed out the international data plan details of the biggest US carriers:

NOTE: Many US carriers claim to give you 4G/LTE speeds in Europe with their International Plans but most users experience 3G or even 2G speeds (I can personally attest to this). For reference, even 3G speeds will struggle with Google Maps or even simple web browsing.

Using T-Mobile In Europe

T-Mobile made headlines a few years ago when it started offering free and unlimited international data, text, and cheap international calls with most of its plans. This made T-Mobile a very popular choice for budget travelers.

Customers with Magenta and Magenta MAX phone plans get unlimited texting and data in 210+ countries and up to 5GB of 4G LTE data (unlimited 2G speeds thereafter). 5GB of data is a good amount for web browsing, e-mail, social media, and the occasional use of certain features like GPS/maps. But, if you’re going on a longer trip then you might eat up all your data before your travel is finished.

If you need more data, you can add an International Pass to receive additional high-speed data:

• International Pass: 512MB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used for up to 24 hours, for $5/day.
• 5GB International Pass: 5GB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used for up to 10 days, for $35.
• 15GB International Pass: 15GB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used for up to 30 days, for $50.

Customers also get unlimited texting and Wi-Fi when they fly with Gogo in-flight on Alaska, Delta, and American Airlines flights to/from/within the US.

Visit the T-Mobile website for more information.

Using Verizon In Europe

Verizon isn’t great when it comes to international data travelers because their plans are expensive and you don’t get much data.

• For an extra $10/day you can take your normal Verizon plan and use it in Europe. You do get 4G speed on the first 2GB of data per day but then the speed is throttled down to 2G after that.
• Verizon’s monthly international travel plan is an extra $100/month and it gives you a total of 5GB of data for the entire month. After you hit your limit your speeds are throttled down.
• You can also pay as you go but it’s extremely expensive. Data is $2.05/MB and texts cost $.50 each.

Visit the Verizon website for more information.

Using AT&T In Europe

AT&T is decent when it comes to using their data plans in Europe but it still isn’t great.

• For an extra $10/day you can take your existing AT&T plan and use it in Europe. Data will be drawn from your domestic plan allowance with the same data and speed restrictions so that’s pretty nice if you have a good US plan. There are some other conditions so read up on those.
• AT&T automatically opts you into the Internation Day Pass as soon as your phone tries to access data (many apps connect to data in the background) so make sure you don’t accidentally use any data because you’ll be charged the $10/day.
• The AT&T Passport is a monthly plan that comes in two options — $70/month for 2GB of data or $140/month for 6GB of data.
• Note: They charge a hefty overage of $30/GB so watch your data usage.

Check out the AT&T website for more information.

How To Buy A SIM Card With A High-Speed Data Plan In Europe

You can also use your American smartphone in Europe by replacing your phone’s physical SIM card with a SIM card of a European mobile carrier so your phone will operate on a European network.

UPDATE: Most new phones are eSIM compatible—which doesn’t require you to install a new physical SIM card. You simply buy the prepaid data plan, scan a QR code that’s sent to your email to install the digital “card” instantly, and you’re ready to go. I’ll cover eSIM Data Plans later in this article or you can read my Guide To The Best eSIM Data Plans for Europe .

There are dozens of mobile phone carriers in Europe so competition is fierce—which keeps the prices down and the service competitive. That’s why using a European mobile carrier is much cheaper, the data speeds are much faster, and you’ll get much more data allowances compared to US plans.

For example, you can often find prepaid data plans that offer 20GB of high-speed data for €20/month and the service works in any EU country. Additionally, nearly every plan will also come with talk and text as part of the package.

NOTE: By law, there are no international roaming charges within the European Union so if you buy your SIM card within the EU then that service will work in any other EU country with no extra charges.

The downsides of buying a European SIM card are the hassle of buying the SIM, activating the service, and dealing with any potential tech issues (which are becoming rarer but they still happen). That said, getting your service set up is usually very straightforward and should only take a few minutes.

NOTE: Using a European SIM card will give you a European phone number so people won’t be able to call your US number until you reinstall your original SIM card (unless you have a phone with two SIM Card slots). Additionally, some apps and other services sometimes use two-factor authentication that’s tied to your phone number so these won’t work since your phone number will be changed when the new SIM is installed.

HOWEVER: This isn’t the case if you use an eSIM because eSIMs let you use both your original SIM card and the eSIM at the same time.

How To Unlock Your Smartphone

Many American mobile phone companies use software to “lock” their smartphones to their network so the phone won’t work if you install a SIM card from another company.

However, you can unlock your phone by calling your mobile carrier and asking them to unlock it because you’re going to travel abroad (you might need to visit a store to get it unlocked).

Unlocking your smartphone can be a hassle because some carriers make you jump through hoops and they have different criteria about which customers are “eligible” to unlock their phone. So contact your carrier to see what you need to do—I recommend not waiting until the last minute in case there are issues.

What If Your Mobile Carrier Won’t Unlock Your Smartphone?

Unfortunately, some mobile carriers refuse to unlock phones while they’re still under contract. In this case, I recommend using an old smartphone that you don’t use anymore or using the company’s international data plan.

Old phones make great travel phones since it’s not a huge deal if they get lost/stolen/broken. You can often find people selling factory-unlocked phones or cheap older-model smartphones online that will be perfectly capable of basic things like texting, Google Maps, and light web browsing.

Remember, you can still use your current smartphone in Europe for photos and then hop into a coffee shop to upload stuff via their WiFi.

Buying A SIM Card Before You Travel

The easiest option is to buy a prepaid European SIM card before you travel and have it mailed to your home address—this way you’re ready to go the second you arrive in Europe. The prices are typically a little higher than buying in Europe but it’s a more convenient option.

UPDATE: If your phone is eSIM compatible, I recommend buying an eSIM instead of a physical SIM card because it’s way more convenient, you get to keep your original SIM card in your phone, and delivery is instant so you don’t have to pay for shipping. Check out the eSIM data plans at SimOptions and Holafly  for popular eSIM plans.

As an added bonus, many of the SIM cards I’ve listed have little/no activation so the service starts the second you install the SIM card. But others might have you register them online when you get the card but it’s usually pretty simple.

I’m a fan of SimOptions because they are authorized resellers of multiple SIM card plans (and eSIM plans) from many of Europe’s largest mobile providers like Orange, Three UK, Bouygues Telecom, and 02.

ORANGE HOLIDAY EUROPE PREPAID SIM CARD

The  Orange Holiday Europe Prepaid SIM Card  is probably the best all-around option for SIM cards that can be purchased abroad because it offers a lot of data for a good price — and it includes a lot of worldwide calls and text.

Additionally, Orange is one of the largest mobile companies in Europe and they have great coverage throughout most of Europe (which isn’t always the case with smaller European carriers).

Plan Specs:

• PRICE:  $50
• DATA:  30GB
• CALLS:  Unlimted in Europe and 1200 minutes worldwide
• TEXT:  Unlimted in Europe and 1000 worldwide
• CAN BE USED AS A MOBILE HOTSPOT?:  Yes
• CREDIT VALID FOR:  14 Days

The Orange Holiday Europe plan is good because it gives you a lot of mobile data for a decent price but the only possible drawback is the 14-day validity period — which doesn’t matter if your trip is less than two weeks. That said, you can buy an extra 10GB of credit after the two weeks are up for around $25.

If you need less data and want to save a little money, check out the  $30 Orange Holiday plan  that gives you 8GB of data for 14 days.

The Orange Holiday plans are also available as an eSIM—which means you don’t have to wait for delivery or pay for shipping (assuming your phone is eSIM compatible). Check out the  eSIM data plans at SimOptions  to get the details on both the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM and the Orange Holiday Zen eSIM plans. Learn more about eSIM data plans and see if your phone accepts eSIM cards in my  Guide to Prepaid eSIM Data Plans in Europe .

BOUYGUES TELECOM VACATION PREPAID SIM CARD

The  Bouygues Telecom Vacation Prepaid Plan  is very similar to the Orange Holiday Zen but the Bouygues plan must be activated in France — so that’s a huge drawback.

• DATA:  20GB
• CALLS:  Unlimted in Europe
• TEXT:  Unlimted in Europe
• USED AS MOBILE HOTSPOT?:  NO
• CREDIT VALID FOR:  30 Days
• Must be activated in France but can be used anywhere in the EU.

Bouygues now offers their Bouygues My European eSIM prepaid data plan to compete with the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM. It comes with 30GB of data and it is valid for 30 days so it’s worth checking out. Visit  SimOptions.com  to get all the details.

Holafly Unlimited Data eSIM

Holafly is an eSIM startup I’ve also personally used in Europe—the service was great and I got very fast data speeds (read my Holafly eSIM Review to learn more). Unlike other companies, Holafly’s plans give you unlimited data but they might throttle your data if you use excessive data. Holafly’s plans come in set durations of 5 to 90 days so it’s convenient for multiple trip lengths.

Holafly eSIM plans now come with an Austrian phone number that gives you 60 minutes of calls to and from other European phone numbers. It doesn’t come with SMS text messages but you can send iMessages between iPhones or use WhatsApp.

• 5 Days: $19
• 10 Days: $34
• 15 Days: $47
• 20 Days: $54
• 30 Days: $64
• 60 Days: $84
• 90 Days: $99
• Service Speed: 5G/4G/LTE
• Calls: Includes an Austrian phone number that comes with 60 minutes of calls to/from European numbers (except Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Turkey).
• Texts/SMS: None
• Tethering: No

THREE UK PAYG AIO15

Three UK is another large European mobile carrier and their  PAYG AIO15  plan is a good value for people who don’t need the 20GB offered by the Orange Holiday Europe plan. I like how the plan has a validity period of 30 days so it’s good for longer trips.

• PRICE:  $30
• DATA:  10GB
• USED AS A MOBILE HOTSPOT?:  No

Where To Buy A SIM Card in Europe

Buying a European SIM card is easy because they’re sold virtually everywhere — including airports, vending machines, grocery stores, and more. If you have an eSIM, you can buy them online from SimOptions and Holafly .

Here are a few of the most popular places you’ll find SIM cards:

• Carrier-Specific Shops: The major mobile carriers will have their own stores where they’ll help get your service set up. Most employees should speak some English but they install SIM cards all day so they’ll be able to set you up without much communication needed.
• Third-Party Phone Shops: Many mobile phone shops sell a range of phone plans from multiple companies. Employees might be able to offer some help getting set up but service probably won’t be as good as carrier-specific shops.
• Newsstands, Tobacco Shops, Vending Machines, etc: You can find SIM cards in multiple smaller shops at airports, train stations, and randomly throughout most cities but don’t expect any customer service.

Types Of Prepaid Mobile Data Plans in Europe

There are dozens of mobile carriers and each will have multiple plans (either pay-as-you-go or bundled ) so just pick one that best fits your needs — I recommend sticking with the major carriers since they’re typically the most user-friendly and should give you the best speed/coverage.

Pay-As-You-Go Mobile Data

With Pay-As-You-Go plans, you buy a set amount of credit that you add to your account and then you reload more money onto your account once your credit runs out. Service with pay-as-you-go plans is more expensive but it’s the cheapest option if you use your phone sparingly.

Bundle Mobile Data Plans

A Bundle Mobile plan is the best option for extremely heavy data users since you pay a lot less per gigabyte of data. Most carriers offer multiple bundle plans so just pick the one that fits you best. That said, many Bundle Plans come with a monthly contract so it doesn’t make sense for the average traveler since it’s geared toward residents.

How Much Do Mobile Data Plans Cost in Europe?

Mobile data plan prices in Europe vary widely based on the country, plan options, and various deals at the time—so it’s hard to accurately predict how much you’ll pay. However, here are some example prices so you can have a better idea of how much you’ll potentially pay:

• SFR (French) offers a €20 plan with 25 GB of mobile data that’s good for 30 days or a €10 plan with 10 GB good for 8 days.
• Orange Prepaid Holiday SIM Card (French) costs around €40 and it gives you 20 GB of mobile data good for 14 days (you can add more credit as you go). While it is more expensive, you can have this SIM card shipped to your US address before you leave. Good throughout the EU.
• TIM (Italian) has a tourist-specific plan called  Tim Tourist  for €20 (+ €10 for the SIM) that includes 15 GB of data in Italy and up to 6 GB in the EU for 30 days.
• Vodafone (Italian) has its  Dolce Vita  tourist plan for €25/month which includes 30 GB in Italy (15 GB in the EU).
• Orange Holidays Spain (Spain) Orange’s Holidays Spain is their tourist plan that is €20/month for 30 GB of data in Spain/EU.

How To Install A SIM Card And Activate Your Service

Installing a SIM card is simple and only takes a minute — all you need to do is take the old SIM out and put the new one in.

• Installing SIM Card In An iPhone: On an iPhone, the SIM card is located in a little slot on the side of the phone. You pop it out with a SIM card tool or a paper clip. Simply take the old SIM out and put the new one in (put your old SIM card in a safe place).
• Installing SIM Card In An Android Phone: Android phones typically have the SIM card located where the battery is located or in a slot like the iPhone. Simply take the old SIM card out and put the new one in (put your old SIM card in a safe place).

Typically the phone will recognize the new SIM card and it should automatically connect to the new carrier’s network (it may prompt you to restart the phone after installing).

Your SIM card will come with instructions in English on how to finish setting up your service. Typically, you can either add credit to “pay as you go” or you can buy a pre-paid monthly plan that gives you a bundle of services (data, talk, text, etc.).

NOTE: Some countries require that you register your SIM card so you may have to show your passport and/or list a local address (you can often use your hotel or rental apartment address).

How To Top Up Your SIM Card

Once you run out of credit you’ll need to “top up” your SIM card to add more credit to your account. Most companies let you top up via their website or you can buy credit at newsstands, grocery stores, etc. Typically you’re given a code that you enter into your phone and that is how the credit is added.

Possible Problems Using A European SIM Card

As mentioned previously, some people have problems activating their European SIM cards/mobile service. Here are a few of the most common issues:

Needing An Address/Passport: Some countries require that all SIM cards must be registered and that usually means needing to give them a local address when you activate the service. Often you can just put in any address (like a hotel, etc.) but some places require you to show your passport as well.

Technical Trouble: For the best service, it’s recommended to buy your SIM directly from a mobile company’s physical store. This way they’ll be able to get everything activated right there. Some cheaper companies make you phone them to activate and they might not have any English speakers. The store might not have English speakers but it’s much easier to get stuff done in person.

Getting The Correct Size SIM Card: SIM cards come in different physical sizes so make sure you get the size that matches your phone’s specs.

Stick With Major Carriers: Europe has a ton of smaller mobile carriers but the major players usually have the best service and speeds. You might end up paying a little more but it’s probably worth the cost to avoid issues.

More Tips On Using Your Mobile Phone In Europe

Buy A Portable Battery Charger

Using apps like Google Maps and taking photos kills your phone battery so a portable battery is a must-have. I use  Anker PowerCore 10000  because it’s tiny and affordable but there are multiple options.

Using Free WiFi While Traveling Europe

I think people overestimate how easy it is to find free wifi in Europe. Yes, free wifi is becoming more prevalent throughout Europe. However, it’s hard to rely exclusively on free wifi since it can be a pain to find a free network when you need it.

The best places to find free wifi are McDonald’s, Starbucks, cafés, coffee shops, and hostels/hotels — but getting connected is rarely super convenient, reliable, or fast.

Relying on free wifi fails when it comes to day-to-day stuff like using Google Maps, looking up restaurant reviews via Google/Trip Advisor/Yelp, using random apps, using Uber, booking e-tickets, using email, etc. because these are things you typically do spur of the moment. That’s why I prefer to have the option of having mobile data because having to seek out a coffee shop every time I want to use the internet gets tiring very quickly.

How To Lower Your Mobile Data Usage

Data can be expensive and it’s extremely easy to unknowingly burn through a lot of data because many apps use data in the background. Facebook, email, Instagram, Snapchat… those all constantly use data throughout the day without you knowing it. That’s why it’s important to know how to limit your data usage.

Block Data to Specific Apps

Many smartphone apps continue to access data in the background so you can use data without even realizing it.

That’s why I go into the settings and disable data access to individual apps that I know I won’t be using.

Download Offline Maps

Google Maps lets you download entire city maps so they can be used offline. As a bonus, GPS doesn’t use data so offline Google Maps works fairly well (but not all functionality works). Here is a good YouTube video that explains everything.

Make Calls Over WiFi

WhatsApp is an excellent app for free calling and text messages — I’ve found that many Europeans exclusively use WhatsApp to communicate (including many Airbnb hosts).

More Europe Travel Advice From The Savvy Backpacker

I’ve written about budget travel in Europe since 2010 and here are a few articles to help you save money:

• How Much to Budget For Backpacking Through Europe
• How Much It Costs To Travel Europe  (For Multiple Travel Styles)
• Backpacking Europe Packing List
• Travel Europe Packing List for Women
• Guide to Prepaid eSIM Data Plans in Europe .
• Traveling outside Europe, too? Check out our guide to the best International SIM cards .
• Recent Posts

• How to Avoid Pickpockets in Europe — Tips for Outsmarting the Thieves - April 19, 2024
• Backpacking Europe Packing List — My Europe Travel Packing Guide - April 6, 2024
• Best eSIM For Europe Travel | Everything You Need To Know About European Prepaid eSIM Data Plans - March 24, 2024

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Thanks For Reading! — James

Questions? Learn more about our Strict Advertising Policy and How To Support Us .

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Using A Cell Phone In Europe Made Easy and Affordable

What you need to know about how to save money using a cell phone in Europe, SIM cards, and data roaming.

Here are our best travel tips for getting fast, reliable data in Europe as you travel.

Using A Cell Phone In Europe: How to Save Time, Money and Hassle

Having fast, reliable cellular data on your mobile phone is a must when traveling Europe.

Are you wondering “ Can I buy a phone in the US and use it in Europe ?” The short answer is yes, you can use your own phone and phone plan, but it might be incredibly expensive.

Can I use my American or Canadian cell phone in Europe?

Almost all modern mobile devices are compatible with European cellular networks, so you should be able to use your phone in European countries without interruption. So yes, you can buy a phone in the US and use it in Europe.

In a hurry? Try one of these quick solutions to start saving money.

• Solo traveler? Get an affordable Keepgo eSIM for pay-as-you-go wireless internet
• In a group? Pick up a Skyroam Solis WiFi Hotspot ! Use with up to 10 devices!

However, you may get dinged pretty hard with unwelcome, and expensive, roaming fees from your home cell phone plan.*

If you just want to use your American smartphone and buy a local SIM card, you’ll also need to make sure your phone is unlocked however more on that later.

* Some budget cell phone plans don’t allow European roaming, like our cell plan in Canada with Public Mobile (though they do offer USA-based roaming add-ons).

Can I use my Verizon cell phone in Europe?

Smartphones on the Verizon network in the USA should work perfectly well in Europe, using Verizon’s international roaming plans.

The problem is that Verizon’s roaming tends to be pretty darn expensive. You can get the Verizon TravelPass plan, which works in over 185 counties. The TravelPass plan currently costs $10 per line per day, which is great for really short trips, but adds up pretty quickly if you’re gone for a week or longer. On this international plan, you’ll get unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and whatever data allowance you had on your domestic plan.

There’s also an International Monthly Plan for longer trips that lets you add a bundle of minutes, texts and data. The International Monthly Plan costs $100 /line per month, which is definitely cheaper than the TravelPass for longer trips. You’ll get 250 minutes, 1000 sent SMS, unlimited received SMS, and 5 GB data total. Sure, 5 GB of data sounds like a lot for day to day things however Netflix says you’ll use 1 GB of data (per device) for every hour you stream a Standard Definition show.

Will my cell phone work in Europe on AT&T?

Your AT&T phone should work perfectly well in Europe, using an AT&T roaming plan. However, AT&T doesn’t offer a lot of roaming options, and the AT&T International Day Pass is a little expensive for my taste. You’ll pay $10/day for the AT&T International Day Pass, which gives you unlimited data, talk and text in over 210 destinations.

How to unlock a smartphone

If you want to avoid expensive roaming fees, you can remove your American or Canadian phone’s SIM card and replace it with a European carrier’s SIM card. For most travelers, this may be the best way to use your phone in Europe.

Back to basics: What’s a SIM card?

A SIM card is basically a thumbnail sized card or chip in a slot in your phone. Your SIM card is what stores your phone number and cellular data plan. If you remove your phone’s SIM card, you’ll no longer be able to make phone calls, or use your cellular data plan, but you can still use your phone on Wi-Fi (you just won’t have a cell number or data). You can remove your SIM, and replace it with a European SIM, which will give you a European cell number and data plan (assuming data is included).

International travel eSIM for Europe

Before we get into the basics of SIM cards, let’s talk about one of the best ways to save money with a local SIM in Europe: eSIMs.

An eSIM is exactly what it sounds like: an electronic SIM card. However, an eSIM is embedded in your phone (meaning it’s not removable), and it can be reprogrammed easily.

An eSIM lets you change your wireless carrier, data, or service plan through software, without removing a physical chip, and inserting a new one. Most times, all you need to do is scan a simple QR code to switch your eSIM from one carrier to another. An eSIM can also let you use two different cell lines on the same device (like a home and work line), or let you switch between different plans depending on where you are in the world.

Several companies offer eSIMs for travelers, such as Holafly.

However, not all phones are compatible with an eSIM unfortunately, though it is arguably the best way to use cell phone in Europe. All three major US carriers support eSIM on recent iPhone and Google Pixel models, but not on Samsung models sold in the USA or Canada. So, when choosing an International eSIM for travel, first make sure that your phone is compatible.

Here’s what’s cool though: iPads and some laptops support eSIMs. Apples iPads have an easy eSIM interface, where you can simply choose your plan and provider from a menu on the iPad. Some laptops from Dell, Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Samsung and Microsoft laptops support eSIM, but Apple laptops don’t support eSIM at this time.

Important: your phone must also be carrier-unlocked to use an eSIM.

Using an eSIM in Europe is pretty simple for most users. First, make sure your device is eSIM compatible, then buy the eSIM online, and finally scan a QR code and turn on data roaming from your settings. When signing up for a eSIM service, you’ll also need an email address to get your QR code.

After that, you can call and message all your existing contacts on a bunch of free chat providers like WhatsApp or Skype, as if you’re in the same country. You can even keep your original SIM for phone calls if you wanted to continue using your existing provider.

Buying a Physical SIM card for Europe

If your phone does not support eSIM technology, you still can buy a physical SIM card for your travels. You may need to swap out your existing SIM card, but if you’re lucky, your phone will have two SIM card slots.

If you get a foreign SIM , make sure:

• your phone has a SIM card slot, and that the European SIM you buy fits your phone.
• your phone is unlocked. If your phone is locked, you will have to choose from European cell phones rather than use your own.

So, how do you choose the best SIM card for Europe with data?

There’s a little more to choosing a good European SIM card than simply picking the cheapest option.

First, determine which size of SIM card your phone takes.

There are regular, micro, or nano sized SIM cards. Most European SIM card companies carry all three sizes, so that shouldn’t be a problem. A European SIM card for an iPhone will likely be nano or micro.

Next, buy extra texting, talk or data plans that you need.

It is possible to buy a bare bones SIM card without any data. If this happens, you may have a cell phone with a number, but no added minutes, no texting, and no internet data plan. Be sure you get the data and/or text and talk plan that fits your needs. The good news is that cell service in Europe is generally great, and high speed data plans for travelers are usually affordable.

Finally, insert your SIM card in your phone.

The location of the SIM card slot is different for different phones. However, it’s generally a small and fiddly process that requires good lighting, and a table so you don’t drop the SIM on the floor. SIM cards are tiny, and easily lost and damaged. You’ll likely need a paper clip, pin, or special tool to open the SIM card slot however all phones come with one and if you can’t find yours just grab a paperclip or you can buy them online fairly cheaply.

Looking for other options for how to use your cell phone in Europe?

If you don’t want to pay for roaming fees from your home carrier, and don’t want to fuss with getting a European SIM card, another option is to only use wifi on your phone.

While it can be tricky to get high speed Wi-Fi when traveling , it’s definitely possible. You can use apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Chat to get the most out of your mobile phone when traveling , rather than relying on a data connection.

To travel Europe using Wi-Fi only, just use Wi-Fi at hotels, airports, restaurants and even malls or you can bring along a Wi-Fi hotspot, like the Solis or Glocalme . A lot of apps these days from Netflix to YouTube to Spotify to Google Maps also allow offline saving so you while you can’t connect with family and friends while on the go like with an eSIM or regular SIM card, you can at least enjoy your media on the go.

Some European companies even rent cell phones in Europe, however since most modern North American phones will work fine with European carriers, it may just be easier to take your phone overseas and use an eSim.

Looking for some more travel tech tips? Read these articles:

• How not to fry your electronics overseas
• Ways to share your mobile data connection
• The best iPad drawing apps for kids

Great website! Thanks for hosting.

Hi. We are going to Paris and London next month for 10 days each. I can’t bring my phone or change the plan because work pays for my phone. My wife doesn’t work, so she just uses Tracfone, which doesn’t have an international plan. We are thinking of buying a prepaid phone for one month that works in both France and the UK. Would just be using to text home and use Google Maps. Any suggestions?

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5 Best Ways to Use Your Phone When Traveling Abroad

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We live in an ultra-connected world. Most Americans are now accustomed to always being online, with a majority of Americans (53%) admitting to regularly using their phone in bed before going to sleep, according to a 2021 study by Contentsquare, an analytics company. For some, the thought of disconnecting to go on an international trip may seem like a dream, but that idea might be a nightmare for others.

Those who want to stay connected have many options for data and text messages while overseas — from using international cell phone plans to getting a local SIM or eSIM card. Here are our tips on the best ways to use your cell phone while abroad.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

1. Sign up for Google Fi

Google Fi is a virtual cell phone service provider. That means that rather than owning its own towers, it partners with local cell phone providers to provide cell, data and text services. And Google Fi didn't just stop at partnering with U.S. cell phone providers. Google Fi provides service in over 200 countries, making it incredibly convenient for frequent international travelers.

When you land in an international country, you can simply turn off airplane mode and use your phone just like you do at home. You'll get unlimited free texting, and data costs the same as when you're back home and using Google Fi. The only thing that can cost extra is phone calls. You'll pay 20 cents per minute when calling overseas or traveling overseas. You'll pay this same rate whether you're calling friends or family back home or calling a hotel in the next country on your itinerary.

The downside to Google Fi: depending on the plan you choose, data prices can be quite high compared to other cell phone service options while you're in the U.S.

» Learn more: What to know about insurance for electronics

2. Get free overseas data using T-Mobile and Sprint

The budget option for staying connected while overseas is to use T-Mobile or Sprint as your cell phone provider. Many plans offered by these providers come with free text and data while traveling overseas. However, you get what you pay for when it comes to data speeds.

T-Mobile customers with can get unlimited 2G data, unlimited texting and calls costing 25 cents per minute across 210 destinations if they have the following plans:

New Classic.

Select Choice.

Simple Choice.

Don't expect to be able to do much on 2G data, as it’s only around twice the speed of dial-up internet. If you want faster data speeds, you'll need to purchase an International Pass that includes a limited amount of data and unlimited calling over a set number of days.

Similarly, Sprint customers get free text messages and 2G data and 25 cents per minute calling when traveling to more than 200 destinations. As with T-Mobile, Sprint customers can purchase data packages that allow 4G/LTE data roaming for as little as $5 per day.

» Learn more: How to find cheap things to do in any city

3. Buy a local SIM card in your destination

Seasoned international travelers may remember when getting a local SIM card was the only way of staying connected while overseas. But even now, with all of the alternatives that we have, getting a local SIM card can still be a great option. Say you're staying in a country or region for an extended period. A local SIM card might be the best option to make local calls at affordable rates.

Depending on where you go, a local SIM card could be the most economical option. For example, when I visited Vietnam in January 2019, airport vendors offered local SIM cards with unlimited LTE data for just $8. This was cheaper than paying for even 1GB of data using Google Fi. So, I alternated between using this local SIM card for data and Google Fi for text messages.

Photo courtesy of JT Genter

4. Utilize an eSIM card

eSIM cards are a high-tech solution to getting a local number without having to hunt down a SIM card in your destination. Rather than getting a physical SIM card, you can purchase and download an eSIM on your phone to connect to cell networks and get data while overseas.

Tons of providers sell eSIMs online with options and prices depending on where you're going and how much you'll need to use your phone. So, make sure to dig around and check reviews before purchasing. But, let's take a look at one provider to show you generally how it works.

Airalo sells a variety of eSIMs that cover a combined 190+ countries and regions. You can search for eSIMs by country or region, or you can purchase a global eSIM that covers 87 countries.

Say you're heading to Europe and want to have data for navigating around the cities you're visiting. Airalo currently offers six European eSIM options:

1GB of data valid for 7 days for $5.

3GB of data valid for 30 days for $13.

5GB of data valid for 30 days for $20.

10GB of data valid for 30 days for $37.

50GB of data valid for 90 days for $100.

100GB of data valid for 180 days for $185.

As you can see, you can drop the price to just $4 per GB by buying 5GB of data or just $2 per GB by buying 50GB of data. That's very affordable compared to options like Google Fi — which can cost up to $10 per GB. However, you generally won't have access to SMS text messages through eSIMs. One option is to switch between using an eSIM for data and either Google Fi, Sprint or T-Mobile for text messages.

Airalo succinctly spells out the process that you'll need to go through when purchasing any type of eSIM. Generally you'll need to:

Download the provider's app.

Purchase the eSIM.

Install the eSIM.

Then activate the eSIM once you're ready to start using it.

One major restriction to this option: you'll need to have a phone that supports eSIMs. Also, you'll want to have some technical knowhow. As I've learned from experience, setting up an eSIM can be much harder than the Airalo screenshots make it seem.

5. Pay for an international plan add-on

If you want to use your phone number to call and text while overseas — and you don't have Google Fi, T-Mobile or Sprint — you're likely going to need to purchase an international add-on to your plan. The rates and options for these types of services are going to vary between cell phone providers. Let's look at Verizon's options as an example.

All unlimited Verizon plans include free talk, text and data in Mexico and Canada. Just beware that data speeds are reduced to 2G speeds after 0.5 GB per day. For travels outside the U.S., Mexico and Canada, you have two options:

For $10 per day, TravelPass will let you use your phone like you do at home with unlimited talk, text and data in over 185 countries. Get the International Monthly Plan for $100 per month to get a package of minutes, data and text messages for use overseas.

» Learn more: How tech can help you travel smarter

If you're looking for the best way to use your cell phone abroad

The right solution is going to depend on what cell phone service you use in the U.S., where you're going and how much data you'll need. If you just want basic data to keep up on emails and search directions, using T-Mobile or Sprint can save you from having to pay when traveling overseas.

However, if you want high-speed data, you'll want to look into options like eSIMs or purchasing a local SIM card. And for those who want the simplicity of using their cell phone just like at home no matter where they go, Google Fi or an international add-on plan can be an excellent option.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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The Best Smart Phones to Use When You Travel

In this post, Dave Dean from Too Many Adapters shares his best tips and advice on how to pick the best smartphone for when you travel.

As a travel tech writer, I get asked about using smartphones for travel all the time. The minute we head overseas with our phones, we’re hit with a confusing mess of technical jargon, expensive roaming agreements, conflicting advice, and nonworking gear. Trying to discuss the nuances of GSM frequency bands or iPhone unlock codes with a mobile vendor in a dusty Cambodian town isn’t my idea of fun, and I doubt it’s yours either.

Since we all want our smartphones to work when we travel, I’ve put together this guide covering everything you need to know to get your smartphone working overseas — as well as the best smartphones for travel. It’s detailed, but not too complicated, and will save you money, time, and plenty of frustration!

The Best Travel Smartphones

Traveling with a Smartphone: Tips and Advice

This is an inexpensive way to stay connected with phone and data service while you travel. The downside is that you’ll have to change SIM cards every time you change countries, so you may end up carrying a stack of SIM cards around the world with you (though I like being reminded of all the places I’ve been!).

Here are some other tips for using your phone:

1. Only use Wi-Fi when possible – Your smartphone will still connect over Wi-Fi just fine, so replace calling with Skype or Google Voice, SMS with WhatsApp, and download a bunch of offline travel apps to use when you’re away from a signal. You’ll be surprised how well that approach can work, and not getting notifications all the time is quite refreshing.

You can download Google Maps and download the map of the city online then use it without Wi-Fi. Also, you can search for your destination in Google Maps and it still works when you don’t have Wi-Fi if your location is on. You can also take screenshots and save them.

Some cities even have free public Wi-Fi in parks and public spaces like airports and train stations. If you really need it, lots of international chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks have Wi-Fi if you buy something to eat or drink. Remember to be careful with your data on these open networks (a VPN is recommended).

2. Buy a budget smartphone – While there’s a lot of junk at the bottom of the smartphone range, there are a few decent phones for travelers under $200. My current favorite is the Motorola Moto G — you’ll want to buy a microSD card for some extra storage, but other than that it’s a reasonably speedy smartphone, with a battery that lasts all day. Tip: grab the “Global” version for maximum compatibility overseas. You’ll still need to buy local SIM cards to put in it.

3. Rent a phone – You can rent phones at airports and from various companies before you leave home, but I’d only consider it for a short trip to a specific country where my usual phone didn’t work. For anything other than that, it’s cheaper just to buy a new one.

4. Rent or buy a portable hotspot – Portable hotspots are small gadgets that create a wireless network and share a cellular data connection over it — you can typically connect 5 or 10 devices to the network you create. You can rent one for short trips at an inflated daily or weekly rate, or you can buy an unlocked hotspot and stick a local SIM card in it, just as if it were a phone. Your smartphone will treat this like any other Wi-Fi network.

Getting your smartphone to work overseas without coming home to a huge bill isn’t always a straightforward task. But with a bit of time and effort, you’ll know exactly what options you’ve got when you’re on the road and you’ll be able to use your phone overseas.

Do your research, avoid the rip-offs, buy one of the above best smartphones when you travel, and you’ll be able to stay in touch, stay connected, and stay Instagramming when you travel!

Dave runs Too Many Adapters , a site devoted to technology for travelers. A geek as long as he can remember, he worked in IT for 15 years. Now based out of a backpack long term, Dave writes about travel and tech from anywhere with half-decent Internet and a great view. You can also find him talking about the life of a long-term traveler at What’s Dave Doing?  

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

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The best SIM cards for travelling across Europe

Travelling across Europe and don’t want to have to stay out of touch or keep swapping SIMS? We’ve got you covered with our guide to the best international SIM cards and options for travelling in Europe.

Roaming in Europe

Best europe travel sim.

• Best Europe Travel eSIM
• Best Europe Roaming SIM

Europe is a super popular destination for Australian travellers, whether it’s for business purposes or simply to take in the hundreds of years of culture across the continent – not to mention all the very fine regional food options open to you. Which is great, right up until you want to call back to the office, check your messages or simply send a photo of that amazing meal you just had to social media.

That’s where having a smart approach to your travel SIM can save you serious money. While the really bad old days where watching one YouTube video could send you into bankruptcy on your return to Australian shores are (mostly) behind us, it’s still worth weighing up your options to get the best deal, whether you plan to use a full “Travel” SIM, a local SIM option or roaming from your existing telco.

It is worth noting that if your European travel is purely within the European Union (as distinct from the wider European continent) then the EU’s roaming rules around calls, texts and data apply – but it’s worth checking if a given provider has fair use provisions for roaming use in play for data, as those can sometimes obscure hidden fees.

• Bali Travel SIMs
• New Zealand Travel SIMs
• Japan Travel SIMs

Australia Post International Roaming

There’s a number of choices in the Japan Travel SIM market that you can order before you leave Australia from brands such as Sakura Mobile and B-Mobile, but if you are going the Travel SIM route it’s hard to overlook Mobal’s short-term tourist SIMs. Starting at ¥4,730 (~$50 AUD, depending on exchange rates) for an unlimited data-only 8 day SIM up to ¥7,920 (~$83) for a full 30 days with unlimited data.

It's worth noting that Japan allows a, shall we say, more “loose” definition of “ unlimited ” than you might think would apply, before you plan to start downloading the entire Netflix back catalogue to your tablet. Most plans are limited to 3GB of data per day, after which data speeds “may” be reduced. For most tourists being prudent 3GB a day is plenty enough, even if you are uploading most of your food and location snaps to Instagram at a frenzied pace.

Mobal’s SIMs work on the Softbank and Docomo networks in Japan with a claimed 99% population coverage, which should cover most places you’re likely to go on business or holiday within Japan.

Best eSIM for Europe

Airalo eurolink.

Airalo’s business model is entirely eSIM focused based around its own app. For European travellers across a number of countries your best best is one of its Eurolink packages, covering 39 countries with coverage periods ranging from 7 days to 180 days and data inclusions from 1GB up to 100GB. If your travel needs are more constrained, Airalo also offers single country packages that may offer you more data for less money, so it’s smart to check beforehand.

The big advantage here is that you can set up the Airalo app and an account all before you ever step foot on a plane, giving you peace of mind that when you land you’ll be able to message home with confidence. The downside, however, is that you must have an eSIM-enabled handset to use Airalo’s services, which cuts out many budget phones and some older premium models entirely.

Best Australian deal for Europe roaming

Vodafone $5 roaming.

Vodafone was the first Australian telco to really get on board with roaming charges that didn’t make you feel like you’d just been run over by a 747 when you returned home. Its $5/day surcharge to access your plan’s existing inclusions remains the gold standard for ease of use and ease of understanding, though it’s worth noting that its data capped speed plans do not include the endless speed capped data once you’ve gone through your primary provision. In those cases, you’ll get hit for $5 for each additional 1GB of data you need.

Here's a selection of Vodafone plans that support $5/day international roaming

The big catch with Vodafone $5 a day roaming is that it adds up over a lengthy European sojourn, so it’s best matched for when you might be quickly travelling through Europe for just a couple of days. Anything longer than that, and travel SIMs, local SIMs and travel eSIMs quickly become a more financially prudent option.

Vodafone aren’t your only option for roaming-friendly telcos within Australia, however. Here’s a range of alternative telco options that support roaming within Europe:

It can be highly beneficial to grab a local SIM in Europe for your travels, because typically local rates are cheaper and offer larger data inclusions than just about any travel SIM or roaming deal. There’s the added benefit for the EU specifically here too that member states (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) all support cross-border roaming at no additional cost. Look for deals from some of the bigger cross-European Telcos such as Orange or Vodafone to get the best deal for the right price.

You’ll find no shortage of local SIM providers in every single major European airport if you favour convenience, though often they sell “tourist” specific SIMs with a slight surcharge in return for that easy pickup.

If you’re staying longer in a specific country, it’s worth researching local options and storefronts to see if you can get a prepaid SIM through them. Be careful, however, as you don’t want to get stung by a monthly plan that’s no use to you once you’ve left Europe, and some providers in some countries won’t accept credit card payments for some mobile services if the credit card itself isn’t local.

If your current handset doesn’t support eSIM, then sadly, the answer is no. You absolutely need the internal circuitry for eSIM support to be present on your phone in the first place.

If your phone does support eSIMs, then it’s quite easy to set up your eSIM before you travel. We’ve got a handy guide to setting up eSIMs for Apple iPhone and Android here .

The absolute cheapest way to “roam” when overseas is to throw your phone into a canal the moment you land. But that’s environmentally unsound, so don’t do it.

The second cheapest way is to use public Wi-Fi where available. In Europe, that’s a lot of places, including most accommodation venues. Instead of throwing your phone into a canal, switch off its roaming data (or data altogether) and switch to using Wi-Fi plus services such as Facetime, FaceBook Messenger and WhatsApp as your temporary “phone” number while you’re travelling. Use the offline maps capability of services such as Google Maps for navigation, load up on offline streaming services and music, and you can survive without having to pay anything extra at all for data.

Bear in mind, however, that public networks sit outside your control, and you never know who might be doing a little not-so-idle-not-so-friendly packet sniffing to get hold of your data. If you’re planning on relying on public Wi-Fi while travelling, investing in proper secure VPN access is a must.

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12 Best Prepaid and E-Sim Cards for Europe in 2024

Planning your trip to Europe and wondering what is the best way to stay connected? Don't get stuck with high roaming costs or slow overseas data roaming packages! Get yourself a sim card for traveling in Europe. This is a guide for finding the best European sim card for your trip.

Whether you need a physical prepaid sim card or an e-sim cards for Europe in this guide you will find them both. Find out where to order one, up to date prices as per April 2024 and everything else you need to know before ordering a sim card for traveling to Europe in 2024

For my research finding the best sim card for Europe I traveled to every European country and documented all my travel tips. That is why on Traveltomtom you can find complete guides for finding the best prepaid and e-sim card for Spain ,  Italy , Switzerland , Greece ,  Ireland , Portugal , Germany ,  Poland , France ,  Sweden , UK , Hungary , Croatia , Austria , Finland , Norway , Netherlands , Belgium , Bulgaria  and all others.

In the above guides you can find a comparison between local prepaid sim cards you buy on arrival and sim cards for Europe you buy on the internet.

My recommendation for 2024

Buying a local prepaid sim card is the cheapest way to stay connected when traveling to Europe in 2024. In the links above you will find specific guides for buying a local prepaid sim card per country or airport, which means on arrival in Europe.

But wouldn't it be easy to be online and have data on your phone as soon as the plane lands?

Arrive prepared for your trip to Europe and by ordering a sim card online before your trip. Ordering a sim card for Europe on the internet is super easy and there are amazing tourist sim card deals available.

Here are Traveltomtom's top picks for 2024:

1. Holiday Europe - 50 GB - $59.90 USD

• valid for 28 days
• unlimited calling & texting
• valid in 39 countries - all of Europe
• only $1.2 USD per Gigabyte

Click here for more info or to order a Orange e-sim card for traveling to Europe via SimOptions .

Traveltomtom rates the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM as the best Europe sim card in 2024. For $59.90 USD you get 50 GB data which is just $1.2 USD per Gigabyte and best thing is that this e-sim card is 5G ready, where most of the physical prepaid and e-sim cards for Europe only support 4G/LTE.

2. Bouygues Telecom - 30 GB - $44.90 USD

• valid for 30 days
• $1.5 USD per Gigabyte

Click here for more info or to order a Bouygues Telecom e-sim card for traveling to Europe via SimOptions .

Traveltomtom ranks the Bouygues Telecom e-sim cards as the second best sim card for traveling to Europe in 2024. You get 30 GB data for 30 days for $44.90 USD including unlimited calling and texting. This comes down to $1.5 USD per Gigabyte.

Physical prepaid sim card

If your phone is not e-sim compatible then Traveltomtom recommends an  Orange Holiday Europe . This is the best physical prepaid sim card for visiting Europe in 2024.

You get 30 GB data for 15 days including unlimited calling and texting plus 120 minutes to anywhere in the world for $49.90 USD. That is $1.67 USD per Gigabyte. SimOptions  is the only sim card provider where you can order a physical prepaid sim card for Europe.

Don't waste your precious holiday time in Europe standing in line at the airport or waste an hour waiting for your turn in a local sim card store. No more language barriers. Order a sim card for Europe online before your trip! How?

This is your ultimate guide, read everything you need to know below and get connected instantly.

Traveltomtom's favorite e-sim providers are  Airalo  and  SimOptions . Why? Traveltomtom has personally used Airalo and SimOptions sim cards for more than 5 years and never faced an issue.

All the sim cards listed in this article are European sim cards with data that you can order online before your trip. The international physical prepaid sim cards will be delivered to your home address before your trip and are activated automatically from its first use. E-sim cards for Europe obviously are delivered via email.

Traveltomtom also recommends world sim cards with global coverage. Check out my article with a comparison of the  best international sim cards for travelling in 2024  if you for example continue your trip to Europe to Turkey, Asia or the Middle East.

Sim cards for Europe with unlimited data

Traveltomtom does not recommend sim cards for Europe with unlimited data. With most of these sim cards you will end up frustrated! Always double check at what speed you get unlimited data, because in reality 'unlimited' is mostly not 'unlimited'.

There is pretty much always a FUP (Fair Use Policy) on these Europe sim cards with unlimited data.

For example Holafly sells e-sim cards with unlimited data for Europe, but in the small letters you will find this:  the eSIM includes unlimited data for the contracted time. However, please note that the carrier may reserve the right to apply a Fair Usage Policy.

This literally means that if the operator thinks you are using too much data on a day, they reduce your data speed. Holafly does not specify what the FUP is. From my own experience I can tell you that this already applies sometimes after using 2 GB data per day.

When this happens your data speed is reduced to something like 512 Kbps which means you can barely send a photo through WhatsApp and your social media apps won't work for a full 24 hours.

To avoid all this hassle, Traveltomtom does not recommend sim cards for Europe with unlimited data, unless the Fair Use Policy is clearly mentioned and it is above 100 GB data per month or something similar.

To make it all easy for travelers coming to Europe, just buy your sim card online before your trip! Here are the 12 best European prepaid sim cards and e-sim cards for Europe. The best ones are ranked first...

1. Orange Holiday Europe eSIM - 50 GB

This is the latest addition to the family of the Orange sim cards for traveling in Europe. It is the bigger brother of the Orange Holiday Europe sim card. At the moment this sim card is only available as an e-sim card and not as physical prepaid sim card.

This Orange Holiday Europe 50 GB eSIM is the only proper 5G ready sim card for Europe. The rate of only $1.2 USD per Gigabyte makes this the best-buy e-sim card for Europe in 2024.

Price: $59.90 USD

• 50 GB data in all of the EU including Switzerland, UK, Iceland and Norway
• Unlimited calling & texting in Europe
• 120 minutes to any country in the world
• 1000 sms to any country in the world
• Valid 28 days
• Automatically activated from the first time it connects to a supported network in Europe
• Top up available
• ID verification/registration is NOT required
• Sim card comes with a phone number from France starting with +33

Click here to order the Orange Holiday Europe e-sim card for 28 days .

2. Bouygues Telecom My European eSIM - 30 GB

The Bouygues Telecom prepaid sim card for tourists is rated as one the best sim card for traveling to Europe in 2024 by Traveltomtom. Unfortunately the Bouygues Telecom tourist sim card is ONLY available as an e-sim card and not as a physical prepaid sim card, so make sure your phone is e-sim compatible.

Price: $44.90 USD

• 30 GB data in all of the EU countries including UK, Norway, Iceland
• Switzerland is NOT included
• Valid for 30 days
• Top up is possible
• E-sim card comes with a phone number from France starting with +33
• Can receive sms and calls
• You have to activate the e-sim card within 1 year after purchase
• Automatically activates from the first time it connects to a supported network in Europe

Click here to directly order a Bouygues Telecom e-sim card for Europe .

This Bouygues Telecom e-sim card package is called My European eSIM and with $1.5 USD per 1 Gigabyte data is among the best value sim cards for Europe. On top of that this e-sim card is valid for 30 days and therefore it is mentioned second in my list of the best sim cards for Europe in 2024.

3.  Orange Holiday Europe - 30 GB  (physical and e-sim)

One of the best physical prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe is the Orange Holiday Europe sim card for tourists, especially if you are looking for a Europe sim card including international minutes. It is available as physical prepaid sim card as well as e-sim card and you can order it directly online.

Price: $49.90 USD

• 30 GB data in all of the EU including Switzerland, UK, Iceland and Norway
• Valid 14 days
• $1.67 USD per Gigabyte

Click here to order this Orange Holiday Europe sim card for Europe as a physical prepaid sim card

You can also order this sim for Europe as an e-sim via SimOptions  for the same price.

Great advantage of this Orange tourist sim card for Europe is that it has international calling minutes included. The downside about the Orange Holiday Europe prepaid sim card is that it is valid for only 14 days.

If your trip to Europe is longer than 14 days I recommend you getting a different prepaid or e-sim card for Europe so you don't have to worry about topping up during your holiday.

4. Jetpac (e-sim)

Jetpac is a fairly new e-sim provider and is trying to conquer the market with some incredible e-sim card plans for traveling to Europe. 

The Jetpac e-sims work in 28 countries in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.

Pretty much in all popular tourist destinations in Europe, however not in: Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Romania, Albania, Cyprus, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

If you are visiting the Balkan on your trip to Europe then Jetpac is not the perfect e-sim for your trip.

Prices and rates Jetpac Europe

Jetpac Global is at the moment the cheapest e-sim card for Europe as they have an offer for just $1 USD. Here are all the e-sim card plans from Jetpac for 2024:

• 1 GB data for 30 days = $1 USD
• 3 GB data for 30 days = $8.5 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $18 USD
• 15 GB data for 30 days = $28 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $34 USD
• 25 GB data for 30 days = $38 USD
• 30 GB data for 30 days = $40 USD
• 40 GB data for 30 days = $60 USD

Click here to  order a Jetpac e-sim card for Europe .

The rate of the best Jetpac e-sim is 40 GB data for 60 USD which comes down to $1.33 USD per Gigabyte.

The Jetpac Global e-sim card plans are valid for 30 days and the validity starts automatically when it connects for the first time to a network in a country where you can use Jetpac and the data pack is valid 1 year from date of purchase.

Jetpac Global is only available as an e-sim card and not as a physical prepaid sim card. The Jetpac Global e-sim cards are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls are not supported.

An extra advantage of Jetpac Global e-sim cards is that they provide free lounge access if your flight is delayed. However, you will have to register your flight before you travel and in case of a delayed or canceled flight a LoungeKey voucher will automatically be provided. This is a complimentary service that no other e-sim cards offer.

For more info check out the Jetpack website .

5. Eurolink eSIM from Airalo

Airalo is a trusted e-sim card provider and offers e-sim cards for pretty much every country in the world. Their Europe e-sim card plans are more expensive than other e-sim cards for Europe.

The Airalo e-sim cards for Europe are partially 5G ready, meaning in some countries you are able to use 5G in some countries you will have to it with 4G/LTE. It is a 50/50 I would say.

5G is available in: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK. All other countries there is only 4G/LTE network available.

Eurolink e-sim cards also have plans for 3 months and even for 6 months, which could be a very interesting e-sim for travelers visiting Europe for more than 1 month.

• 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
• 3 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $37 USD
• 50 GB data for 90 days = $100 USD
• 100 GB data for 180 days = $185 USD

Click here for more info or to order a Eurolink e-sim card for Europe via Airalo .

Eurolink e-sim cards are valid in all of Europe including Iceland, Norway, UK, Switzerland, Ukraine and even in Turkey!

Traveltomtom uses Airalo e-sim cards a lot, but their rates per Gigabyte for Europe are more expensive than the other sim cards mentioned above.

Traveltomtom sometimes uses an Airalo e-sim card for Europe when I continue my Europe trip to Istanbul. Airalo is the best e-sim card for traveling to Europe and Turkey on one trip.

Especially for people looking for e-sim cards for Europe that are valid for 3 or 6 months Airalo is one of the best e-sim cards for Europe.

6. Bouygues Telecom Travel Basic - 15 GB  (e-sim)

This is another e-sim card only plan from Bouygues Telecom, basically a cheaper plan. This European sim card is for those travelers who stay less than 15 days and only need about 1 GB per day.

Price: $21.90 USD

• 15 GB data in all of the EU countries including UK, Norway, Iceland
• Valid for 15 days

This Bouygues Telecom sim card is not available as a physical prepaid sim card, only as an e-sim card.

7.  Three (3) Data Pack - 10 GB  (physical sim)

This Three UK sim card is only available as a physical prepaid sim card and NOT as an e-sim. It will be delivered to your home address and it is plug and play on arrival in Europe.

Price: $24.90 USD

• 10 GB data in all of Europe including Switzerland, UK, Norway, Iceland and up to 30 countries outside of Europe
• Unlimited calls/sms in all of Europe
• Valid 30 days from inserting in phone
• No top up possible
• Sim card comes with a phone number from UK starting with +44

Click here to directly order a Three Data Pack physical sim card for traveling to Europe .

Big plus is that this Europe sim card is 5G ready and includes unlimited calls/sms in Europe and up to 30 other countries around the world like USA, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Colombia and many more.

8. Nomad eSIM for Europe

Nomad has some of the cheapest e-sim cards for traveling in Europe with some amazing value plans. They go as low as $1.3 USD per GB data. The Nomad e-sim cards are from eSIM Go and they support 5G in some countries, not yet everywhere.

• 1 GB data for 7 days = $7 USD
• 3 GB data for 15 days = $13 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD

Click here to order a Nomad e-sim card for traveling in Europe .

The Nomad e-sim cards are data-only sim cards for Europe and do not come with a phone number. Incoming and outgoing calls are not supported.

9.  O2 Go Card Prepaid sim card - 10 GB  (physical and e-sim)

This O2 sim card plan from Czech Republic is available as a physical prepaid sim card as well as an e-sim card. When you order this physical sim card it will be delivered to your home address before your trip to Europe.

• 10 GB data in all of Europe (Switzerland NOT included)
• $2 credit for calls in Europe (top up online available only for EU citizens. For non-EU citizens only within Czech Republic)
• $2 credit for sms in Europe
• Receiving unlimited calls in all of the covered countries in Europe
• Valid for 30 days from its installation, even if not in Europe yet
• It comes with a Czech number starting with +420

Click here to order an O2 Go Card as a physical prepaid sim card and here as an e-sim card .

10. Orange Holiday Zen sim card for Europe - 12 GB

Price: $29.90 USD

• 12 GB data in all of Europe including Switzerland, UK, Iceland and Norway
• Valid for 14 days from the first time it connects to a supported network in Europe

The smaller brother of the Orange Holiday Europe sim card is called the Orange Holiday Zen. Unlimited calls/texting in Europe and 12 GB, so much smaller data plan, but also cheaper.

Click here to order this Orange Holiday Zen sim card for Europe as a physical prepaid sim card and click here to order the Orange Holiday Zen as an e-sim card .

11. Holafly

Holafly sells e-sim cards for Europe with unlimited data. Traveltomtom is not a fan of e-sim cards with 'unlimited' data and I explained to you why in the beginning of this article.

• 1 day 'unlimited' data = $6 USD
• 2 days 'unlimited' data = $10 USD
• 3 days 'unlimited' data = $13 USD
• 4 days 'unlimited' data = $16 USD
• 5 days 'unlimited' data = $21 USD
• 6 days 'unlimited' data = $25 USD
• 7 days 'unlimited' data = $29 USD
• 8 days 'unlimited' data = $31 USD
• 9 days 'unlimited' data = $35 USD
• 10 days 'unlimited' data = $37 USD
• 11 days 'unlimited' data = $40 USD
• 14 days 'unlimited' data = $48 USD
• 20 days 'unlimited' data = $64 USD
• 30 days 'unlimited' data = $75 USD

The Holafly e-sim cards for Europe are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls/sms are NOT supported. These e-sims do also not come with a phone number. The Holafly e-sims operate on the 4G/LTE network and are not 5G ready.

You can use a hotspot on Holafly Europe e-sim cards of up to 500 MB per day.

The Holafly Europe e-sims are valid in the following 32 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

Why 'unlimited'? Because there is a Fair Use Policy and Traveltomtom has had bad experiences with this in the past. Suddenly your data speed is slowed down for 24 hours because you apparently used too much data.

If I hate something then it is slow data speed. Therefore Traveltomtom's is not a fan of e-sim cards with 'unlimited' data and I do not want reduced data speed because I apparently hit the FUP (which is not defined).

Therefore the Holafly e-sim cards for Europe are not ranked that high in this list of the best sim cards for traveling to Europe in 2024.

Of course you can also order sim cards for traveling to Europe on Amazon. When searching for 'Sim Card for Europe' on Amazon you will get a long list of available physical prepaid sim cards. There are no e-sim cards available on Amazon.

Here are some examples:

• Orange: 16 GB data (not in UK, Switzerland) + 800 minutes for 28 day = $28 USD + tax
• Three: 10 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $19 USD + tax
• Sim2Roam: 3 GB data for 30 days = $16 USD + tax
• Vodafone: 12 GB data for 14 days = $17 USD + tax

Listed as a last option because it is a jungle finding the best sim card for Europe on Amazon. Plus delivery fees and taxes making it sometimes really expensive.

Free EU data roaming on European sim cards

The European Union came in 2017 finally with the genius idea to let go of roaming charges within the EU countries. Therefore in 2017 people can use their sim card from Spain in Italy and their Germany sim card in Sweden without any extra charges. For people looking for a sim card for Europe travel this was the best news ever of course.

Therefore upon arrival in Europe you can potentially buy a local prepaid sim card for tourists and be connected to the internet in all other countries you visit in Europe. However, there are a lot of exceptions, so keep reading…

The biggest exceptions are: UK, Switzerland and Norway. As you might know these are countries in Europe, but they are NOT part of the European Union, which means roaming costs can apply for these countries.

Brexit threw the UK out of the European Union and one of the major problems is the free EU roaming on UK prepaid sim cards. Most of the prepaid and e-sim cards you buy in the UK do not include free EU roaming anymore. For more info see my guide for buying a sim card in the UK in 2024 .

Why buying a sim card for Europe

A very simple question? Do you want to rely on others when traveling to Europe? Yes, your hotel, bar, restaurant, train and even park have free public WiFi these days. So getting WiFi when traveling is fairly easy. Yet, Traveltomtom still recommend you getting a sim card for Europe.

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First of all public WiFi can not be trusted in speed, signal and security. What if the signal in your hotel room is weak and you can't change rooms? Or it is too slow to even upload an Instagram story. Getting connected with your phone makes traveling so much easier, just like real life!

Also another reminder that surfing the internet on public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network. The use of a VPN is recommended in these cases to protect your privacy.

Think about ordering a cab on the streets through a taxi app, or getting directions from Google Maps and finding a nearby restaurants with good reviews or finding out the train schedule to get back to your hotel. So many reasons Traveltomtom recommends getting a sim card for your trip to Europe.

Local prepaid sim cards vs. European sim cards

All sim cards mentioned in this article are sim cards with FREE EU roaming intended for those that visit a couple countries on a short trip. However, if you only travel to 1 or 2 countries in Europe you might be better off buying a local sim card on arrival. Local sim cards are mostly valid in 1 country only. Especially for a trip to Eastern Europe I would recommend buying a local sim card, rather than a European sim card.

For a complete overview of all sim card prices per country have a look at my guide for buying a local sim card in Europe in 2024 .

I love traveling in Europe off the beaten path , have a look at my 12 secret places to visit. I bet some of them you have never even heard of.

Getting connected is the first thing I do when I get to a new country. Depending on the length of my trip that means either buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival or ordering an e-sim card online. Must say that the last years on all my trips to Europe I bought an e-sim card since it is just much easier and less hassle.

Buying a local sim card on arrival in Europe

Sometimes the best European sim card deals you get on arrival in Europe. In France for example you get 150 GB data for €20 EUR ($22 USD) and data bundles in Italy are also very affordable. Most countries in Eastern Europe offer amazing local prepaid sim card deals with up to 75 GB data for just $6 USD but these local prepaid sim cards often do NOT offer free EU data roaming.

Therefore I recommend you to check my complete guide for buying a local sim card in Europe in 2024 , with a specific list of every country in Europe and what prices to expect on arrival before buying a sim card for Europe.

Traveltomtom also wrote sim card guides for all major airports in Europe: Zurich ,  London Heathrow , London Gatwick , Copenhagen , Amsterdam , Paris , Frankfurt , Dublin , Madrid , Manchester , Lisbon , Rome , Milan , Venice , Vienna , Oslo , Athens , Barcelona ,  Berlin , Budapest , Geneva , Bucharest , Tirana , Budapest , Prague , Brussels  and many more.

I hope all the above tips for finding the best sim card for your trip to Europe in 2024 were helpful. If you still have questions please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.

Looking for off the beaten path destinations in Europe then click on the link and I bet most of those places you have never even heard of. Let me fuel you with some more wanderlust.

Because Traveltomtom would also like to visit every country in the world  you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all around the world: USA , Canada , Mexico , Colombia , South Africa , Asia , Turkey ,  Saudi Arabia ,  Hong Kong , Thailand , Singapore , Brazil , Philippines , Egypt , China , Australia , New Zealand  and many more!

So next time you plan your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and e-sim card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me!

If interested check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom to see more of my journey to visit every country in the world . As of April 2024 I have traveled to more than 155 countries, but no rush to reach 197.

      View this post on Instagram       A post shared by Adventure Travel & Blogger (@traveltomtom)

Enjoy your trip to Europe!

Some links in this article about the best travel sim cards for Europe are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate links I earn a small commission. Don’t worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!

• roadtrip europe
• eastern europe
• europe sim card

• December 20, 2021

Best mobile phone plans in Europe for tourists 2023

Table of Contents

Do you already know wich Mobile phone plans in Europe to contract? We will show you the best chips for you to use your mobile phone at will, with high- speed internet, where to buy, how it works and all the tips that will make a difference in your trip. If you are planning your trip to Europe know that to use your mobile abroad you need to activate your international roaming on your current SIM card or buy a prepaid international SIM card .

How does works the mobile phone plans in Europe ?

International roaming is when you use your mobile phone in a country other than your home country. Because you’re outside your coverage area your carrier charges you roaming fees, which is what we call international roaming. Although each operator has its specific way of charging you, they all have one thing in common: the excessive cost of the fees. This may seem like the easiest way to do it, however it is the worst choice you can make since the bill gets very expensive due to the absurd prices. So, buying your prepaid international chip  is the best option, you can buy in the country you are going to travel, or before boarding, the advantage of buying in advance is that when you are on the plane going to your destination in Europe you can use the internet at ease. As there are a few chips on the market, we’ve prepared a list of the best options:

International Chip Mysimtravel

Lyca mobile chip, chip orange.

Do you already know the best chips to travel to Europe? The International Mysimtravel chip can be purchased in advance online in an easy way, after the purchase is just wait and they deliver it to your home, you can choose the internet package of your choice, prices range from 30 to 98 dollars.

Mysimtravel website

The simplest package costs 30.08 USD it comes with the eSIM electronic chip plus credits for 2GB during 30 days, accepted in 35 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Guadeloupe, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United States and Germany.

The chip has a quality signal, works in the most distant cities of the interior and even on ships, through it you can do everything with your phone, access social networks, use the chip as a car GPS, voice and sms services, among other functions. The chip has prepaid 4G internet, keeps your number and WhatsAap local (optional), various chip formats (regular, micro and nano), manual explaining how to activate it, 24 hour chat to help you choose the best package, service in case of any problem, application to track your balance, how much you used the package and if you want to buy more you can reload on the spot. Moreover, it does not lose validity, when you make the first purchase you pay the value of the chip plus the value of the plan, it’s all built into that first value, but the next time if you want you can reload this same chip and pay only by the value of the plan, so a tip for you to save on your next trips: save your chip .

Lyca Mobile Website

Lyca Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator that operates in 60 countries, has SIM cards and low-cost international calls, is available for purchase online, its cheapest plan is the Lyca S package for €9.9 with unlimited national calls, unlimited international calls to 50 countries, unlimited national sms, EU roaming, mobile internet 15GB up to 30 days. If you want to recharge or add a new package you can do so quickly and conveniently through the official Lyca Mobile website, where you will also find a manual, contact assistance, FAQs, the conditions of use of the packages during your trip in Europe and more. The operator promises to offer the flexibility, freedom and connection you need for a low cost. To activate your Lyca mobile SIM card you need to add your SIM card, enter your new number or PUK code along with the digit ICCID that can be found on the SIM pack, then click the “continue” button and enter your personal information.

Chip Free Website

Free is a new mobile and internet service provider in France, launched by telecommunications company Iliad in 2009. The operator has three mobile plans ranging from €2 to €19.99. The cheapest plan of €2 is for a month and offers 2h calls to mobiles and landlines in mainland France and departments abroad, and also to landlines of 100 destinations, unlimited sms/mms and 50MB 4G internet in France, abroad it offers 2h calls of 50MB/month package. This is a simple plan and focused on the French territory, so if you want more internet or this is not your destination choose the 9.99€ package that offers 4G internet 70GB in France and 10GB in Europe, unlimited calls and sms / mms in Europe. Free provides some services included in all packages, they are:

• Telephone assistance
• Rejection of anonymous calls from mobile services, voicemail, etc.
• Free and unlimited Wi-Fi throughout mainland France
• Receipt of invoice via e-mail
• Directory and prospecting

The operator is recommended by 94% of its subscribers, offers customer service every day from 7am to midnight on the phone 3244 or by video with Face to Free, has free shops in more than 130 places in the French metropolis, offers quality 4G network (more than 99% of the population covered) and advantageous prices for the whole family.

Chip Orange Website

Orange is a French operator, one of the largest in France. With the Orange chip you will be able to visit more than 40 countries in Europe, whether they are part of the European Union or not. All plans allow you to make local and international calls to mobile phones and landlines, the amount of hours will depend on your package, share the internet and send SMS to anywhere in the world. The cheapest package is 2.99€, offers 2 hours of calls in France and

European areas, unlimited sms/mms in these same regions, 100 MB of mobile internet usable in mainland France and Europe. The site offers exclusive promotions, 100% secure payment, free delivery, pick up in store within 2 hours and 24 hour support.

Traveling to Europe is guaranteed to take many selfies to post on instagram and now that you know how to use your phone in European territory, the two possible options: activate your international roaming or buy a prepaid international chip. The international roaming although more practical is more expensive, so we suggest in the article the purchase of an international chip, which will offer you several services and the best with a low price.

With the best international chips (Mysimtravel, Lyca Mobile, Free, Orange) and the cheapest plans you can choose the best chip and plan for you, which is very relative, because although the four options are good it will depend on your final destination, number of days you will spend traveling and your personal preference (internet, connection or sms/mms), tell me “Which option you liked best? Besides the chip there are other essential items for your trip to be perfect, for this you’ll need international travel insurance, be up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination card, mandatory health form and more, to learn about these items visit What you need to travel to Europe in 202 3 . Still not sure which country to visit? Come and discover 5 cities to visit in the European winter .

GOING ON A TRIP IN EUROPE?

Don’t forget to check How are the Europe borders: what do you need to know and do to travel to Europe in the pandemic

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• Euro Chip , Mobile , Mobile chip , Mobile data , Mobile Data Europe , Mobile plan

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Best international phone plans in 2024 — what travelers need to know

Heading overseas? Find out what your cellphone provider charges if you use your phone

• T-Mobile phone plans
• Verizon phone plans
• AT&T phone plans
• Google Fi plans
• Other options
• Device compatibility and eSims
• 5G coverage when traveling

Before your summer travels overseas, you should look into whether you've got one of the best international phone plans for staying connected during your upcoming adventures. In the U.S., all the major wireless carriers offer some kind of travel benefit with their best cell phone plans , but they also have supplementary packages for travelers to augment the data plan you already have in place. The trick is to make sure those options keep you covered around the globe.

1. T-Mobile : Best choice for travelers 2. Verizon : TravelPass options 3. AT&T : Best for travel in Latin and Central America 4. Google Fi : An underrated traveling companion 5. Other options : Other international phone plans to consider

The best international phone plans will let you make calls and browse the web when you're in another country (though there might be a fee on top of your normal monthly rate, depending on which carrier you use). Different plans might cover different countries, and how long you plan on traveling could also impact your choice of plans. Your method of travel — be it by plane or cruise ship — also affects which plan is best for you.

All of these are things for globetrotters to consider when shopping for wireless coverage. You're going to want one of the best unlimited data plans since they tend to offer the most travel-related perks. If you haven't travelled internationally in a while, it's smart to double-check what options are out there since the best phone carriers have overhauled their plans and packages available to travelers.

Here’s a look at the travel policies and perks for the three top U.S carriers along with information on Google Fi, which offers a plan that definitely appeals to frequent travelers.

T-Mobile international phone plans

T-Mobile offers an expanded array of plans, though most of its unlimited data plan options have some benefits for overseas travel. Subscribe to Magenta, Magenta Max, Go5G, Go5G Plus or Go5G Next, and you enjoy unlimited data and texting in more than 215 countries around the world. If you want to place or receive calls, you’ll be subject to the local rate depending on where you want to go. You don’t need to notify T-Mobile of your travel for your overseas benefits to kick in.

T-Mobile Go5G Plus Plan | Unlimited Data | $90/month T-Mobile's Go5G Plus plan has the edge over Magenta Max for world travelers, even if the latter plan is $5 cheaper for a single line. That's because Go5G Plus customers get more data when traveling in Mexico and Canada (15GB vs. 10GB for Magenta Max) and 10GB more hotspot data. Otherwise, the two plans are identical: You can use your data in 215-plus countries at no extra cost. The first 5GB of data you use use will be high-speed data (with 5G speeds supported where available). The cheaper Go5G and Magenta plans ($75/month and $70/month, respectively) also feature travel benefits, including high-speed data in 11 European countries. Otherwise, data speeds are capped at 256 kbps.

Travel perks in current plans: As part of T-Mobile's Beyond Connected program, data speeds now reach 256 kbps when you're overseas. If you subscribe to either the standard Magenta or Go5G plans and you're in one of 11 European countries, you can enjoy 5GB of high-speed data every month, thanks to a partnership with T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telecom.

The perk gets better when you upgrade to either Magenta Max or Go5G Plus, both of which cost $15 more a month than their respective base plans. In that case, you can benefit from 5GB of high-speed data in 215 countries.

Go5G Next, T-Mobile's most expensive plan at $100/month for a single line, has the same travel benefits as Go5G Plus, but adds the ability to upgrade your phone every year. If that's not important to you, stick with Go5G Plus and pay $10 less each month on your wireless bill.

T-Mobile customers can take advantage of free Wi-Fi on American, Delta, Alaska Airlines and United flights. Magenta Max and Go5G Plus subscribers get full texting and Wi-Fi with streaming during flights, where wireless is available. If you go with the standard Magenta or Go5G option, you're covered on four flights per year with full streaming, plus unlimited texting; after those four flights, you can stream one hour of video. Delta SkyMiles members also get free Wi-Fi on domestic U.S. flights courtesy of T-Mobile — even if they get their wireless service from another carrier.

In Mexico and Canada, T-Mobile allows you to use up to 5GB of data whether you've got Magenta or Magenta Max; speeds are slowed to 2G after that. Go5G customers get 10GB of data in those two countries, while Go5G Plus members enjoy 15GB.

T-Mobile includes travel benefits in two of its remaining senior plans, with identical travel perks between the $100 Go5G Plus 55 option and the $120 Go5G Next 55 plan. (Note that those monthly prices cover two lines of data; one line of either Plus or Next cost $70 and $80, respectively.) Travel perks include high-speed data and text when you travel abroad, plus unlimited in-flight connectivity. When you travel to Canada or Mexico, you get 15GB of high-speed data. Both plans also include a year's membership to AAA for road travel in the U.S.

If you opt for T-Mobile's lower cost Essentials unlimited plan, you'll get 2G roaming in Canada and Mexico, but have to pay for data elsewhere.

Trip-specific passes: T-Mobile offers International Pass options for travelers who want high-speed data during lengthier stays overseas. A 5GB International Pass gives you that much high-speed data along with unlimited calling for 10 days. It costs $35. T-Mobile's $50 International Pass increases high-speed data to 15GB and extends the length of the pass to 30 days. The carrier also offers a $5 daily pass that gives you 512MB of high-speed data, and unlimited calling between the 215 or so Simple Global destinations. 

Cruise rates: Pricing on cruises will vary according to which cruise you’re taking. You can check T-Mobile’s site to see what your pricing will be.

Verizon international phone plans

Verizon phones generally work all over the world, especially if you've got a phone built in the last few years. But where you travel significantly influences how much you’ll have to pay. As for which is the best Verizon phone plan for travelers, that all depends on how frequently you go overseas. There's a clear choice for regular globetrotters, but Verizon's less expensive offerings allow you to tack on travel benefits, too.

Verizon Unlimited Ultimate | Unlimited Data | $90/month Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate plan offers the most benefits for world travelers. Verizon promises "full international connectivity," meaning you'll be able to use talk and text for free when overseas; you also get 10GB of high-speed data every month that you can use in other countries. Unlimited Ultimate is Verizon's most expensive plan, so unless you take frequent trips, you may be better served by Unlimited Plus ($80/month for one line) or Unlimited Welcome ($65/month). Those two plans can add on a $10/month Travel Pass options that provides three days of talk, text and data when you're overseas. You can drop the Travel Pass add-on from your plan in months were you don't need it. Verizon lets family plans mix and match lines so one person can get Unlimited Ultimate, while the others subscribe to the cheaper options.

Travel perks in current plans: Of Verizon's three unlimited plans, the best for frequent travelers is the Unlimited Ultimate option, which lets you use talk and text in other countries just like you would in the U.S. You also get 10GB of high-speed data to use overseas every month.

Unfortunately, Unlimited Ultimate is Verizon's most expensive plan, costing $90 a month for one line. (And that's after a discount for enrolling autopay.) There are cheaper options — Unlimited Welcome and Unlimited Plus — that include travel perks. Both plans let you text internationally to 200-plus countries. You can also use LTE data when traveling in Mexico and Canada. You're limited to 0.5GB of data consumption per day in those two countries before your speeds are slowed to 2G, and you can't use more than half of your talk, text and data in those countries over a 60-day period.

In addition to the base Welcome Unlimited and Unlimited Plus packages, you can opt for $10 monthly add-ons for your Verizon plan — some covering streaming services, another providing hotspot data and so on. The relevant package is Verizon's $10/month 3 TravelPass Days add-on, which saves you $20 a month on travel benefits as you pick up three passes during monthly billing cycles. You can accrue up to 36 passes for using talk, text and data when traveling overseas.

Unlimited Welcome starts at $65/month for one line, while Unlimited Plus is $80. If you have a family plan, you can mix and match so that different lines of data subscribe to different plans — helpful if there's one person in the family who travels a lot and would benefit from the Unlimited Ultimate perks.

Trip-specific passes: Let's talk a little bit more about the TravelPass . It's Verizon's daily option for international coverage, and it’ll cost you $5 per day per device for each day you’re out of the country if you travel to Mexico or Canada and don't have an unlimited plan. In 185 other countries — including China, France and Germany — Verizon charges $10 per device per day. TravelPass gets you 2GB of 5G data, and unlimited data at 3G speeds after that; the passes also come with unlimited talk and text.

If you know you’ll be traveling for a bit more time, consider Verizon’s monthly option, which the carrier recommends for trips lasting at least 10 days. International Monthly Plans at Verizon cost $100/month, but in exchange, you get 250 minutes of talk, unlimited texts and 20GB of high-speed data. (Use that, and you get unlimited data at 3G speeds.)

Verizon also offers pay-as-you-go pricing for international travel. You’ll pay 99 cents per minute in Canada and Mexico, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. Rates go up to $1.79 in 130-plus countries and $2.99 in 80 other places. Each text message you send will cost you 50 cents, and each received text will set you back 5 cents. Your data will be charged at a rate of $2.05 per megabyte no matter where you are.

Cruise rates: Pay-as-you go rates on cruise ships cost $1.99 for each minute of talk and 50 cents for every sent text message. You’ll pay 5 cents per message received. Verizon has a data plan for cruise passengers, too, with $30/day giving you 500MB of data plus unlimited texting and 50 minutes of talk time. For in-flight connectivity, you can opt for the same pay-as-you-go rates for cruise trips or you can pay $20 per day for unlimited data.

AT&T international phone plans

AT&T also comes with varied international pricing depending on where you want to go. Canada and Mexico travel is covered in many top AT&T plans, and if you pay up for the Unlimited Premium option, you can use your plan in many Central and South American countries. Traveling elsewhere? Then you had best look into AT&T's travel passes.

AT&T Unlimited Premium| Unlimited Data | $85.99/month It's AT&T's most expensive unlimited plan, but Unlimited Premium has the best perk for travelers — you can use your talk, text and data at no extra cost in 20 Latin American countries.  As with other AT&T unlimited options, you also enjoy talk, text and data coverage when traveling in Canada and Mexico.

Travel perks in current plans: If you’re heading to Mexico or Canada, AT&T already covers all of your voice, data and text with its four different unlimited plans — Starter, Extra, Premium and the entry-level Value Plus option. AT&T offers a lone tiered data plan with 4GB of data that you can use in Canada and Mexico (though roaming may be at 2G speeds). Both unlimited and tiered data plans feature unlimited texting to 120-plus countries.

The Unlimited Premium plan is the best option for travelers headed to the Americas, as you'll be able to enjoy unlimited text, talk and data at no additional cost in 20 Central and South American countries. 

If you do a lot of international calling from home, AT&T offers unlimited calling to 85-plus countries from the U.S. for $15 per month for each line. Calls to another 140-plus countries get discounted rates under this plan.

Trip-specific passes: For anyone off to Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America or the Asia Pacific region on a short jaunt, AT&T recommends its $10-a-day International Day Pass, which comes with unlimited talk and text and data governed by your plan. (Note that each device you take overseas will need its own Day Pass.) That service is available in 210-plus countries, and you can add extra phones for just $5 a day.

You'll never have to pay for more than 10 days of day passes on any one bill, even if your trip lasts longer. International Day Passes also kick in automatically when you use your phone abroad — you get a text message letting you know you're covered.

Cruise rates: On cruises , AT&T offers a $60/month Cruise Basic plan that covers 100 minutes of talk and unlimited texting while also offering 100MB of data. Need more of everything? Then try the Cruise Plus plan ($100/month), which includes 1GB of data on top of unlimited talk and text. 

Google Fi international phone plans

If you do a lot of international traveling, don't ignore Google Fi Wireless , the wireless service set up by Google that uses cellular towers of T-Mobile and US Cellular to provide coverage. International travel is built into two of Google Fi's plans — the Unlimited Plus and Flexible options.

Google Unlimited Plus| Unlimited Data | $65/month The Unlimited Plus plan is the way to go with Google Fi, as you can use your data at no extra cost when traveling overseas. Google Fi customers who pay by the gigabyte of data used are also eligible for this perk.

Travel perks in current plans: You've got two options with Google Fi — tiered data through the company's Flexible plan or a pair of unlimited data options. Flexible coverage costs $20 a month for talk and text plus $10 for each GB of data you use. (Data usage is rounded off to the nearest megabyte so you only pay for the data you consume.) Google stops charging you after you use 6GB a month, meaning you'll never pay more than $80. 

If you find unlimited data plans more appealing, Google has you covered there, too — it also offers a $65 Unlimited Plus option that rolls in unlimited talk, text and data. Unlimited Plus subscribers now get a year of YouTube Premium as a perk. 

The real benefit to either Unlimited Plus or Flexible is that those plans cover you when you're traveling in 200-plus countries. When you're overseas, Google Fi charges the same rate for data usage, whether you're on an unlimited data plan or paying by the gigabyte. Voice calls cost 20 cents (though calls placed over Wi-Fi are free) and you get unlimited SMS messaging. 

Alas, Google's $50/month Simply Unlimited plan is not eligible for the free data perk when traveling. That said, all three of Google Fi's plans let you use talk, text and data in Mexico and Canada.

Google Fi is even more appealing now that Google has opened up service to all phones, including iPhones. Note that phones optimized for Google Fi — Google's Pixel phones (currently the Pixel 8 , Pixel 8 Pro , Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a )  along with a selection of Samsung phones and Motorola budget devices — can switch seamlessly between cellular networks and Google's Wi-Fi hotspots, while other phones cannot.

Trip-specific passes: Unlike the other carriers here, Google Fi doesn't offer travel passes for extended trips. Your only option is to get coverage through the Flexible and Unlimited Plus plans.

Cruise rates: Google Fi is not available when you're at sea — only when you're on land in one of the 200-plus countries covered by the carrier.

Other international phone plan options

Discount carriers typically don't provide much in the way of benefits for travelers, but there are some exceptions. The most noteworthy alternative is Visible , which has expanded the travel perks for subscribers to its $45/month Visible Plus plan .

Visible is owned by Verizon and uses its parent company's network for coverage. The Visible Plus plan features unlimited data, including access to Verizon's high-speed 5G network. Travelers will be particularly interested in the unlimited talk, text and 2GB of daily data available through Visible Plus when traveling in Canada and Mexico. Visible Plus customers are also eligible for one free Global Pass day per month, in which they can use talk, text and data at no charge in 140 countries. Globla Passes normally cost $10.

Best international phone plan: Device compatibility and eSims

Traveling overseas used to mean checking to see if your phone would be compatible once you set foot in another country. But those days are drawing to a close now that 3G networks are shutting down, eliminating much of the distinction between phones that work on either GSM and CDMA. If you've got a recent smartphone that connects to LTE, chances are strong it's going to work just fine in other countries. (You still might want to confirm that your phone works on the LTE bands available in the country you're heading to prior to your trip, just to avoid any unpleasant surprises.)

Many phones now support electronic SIM cards or eSIM technology, where you no longer need to swap in a local SIM card to make your smartphone work with an overseas network. (Since the iPhone 14 , Apple devices sold in the U.S. only feature eSIM support — that includes the newer iPhone 15 models.) One of our editors took an international trip using an eSIM for her phone and found it easy to setup and use with a local network — in fact, she plans to use the eSIM approach on all future travel. 

That said, not every country supports eSIM. And depending on your phone carrier in the U.S., you might already have options that cover your phone use in other countries.

International phone plans: What about 5G?

As noted above, many of the plans that offer international travel either have you connect at whatever speed is available locally or at a reduced speed in cases where you're drawing from your own data plan. But what if you've got a 5G phone that can connect to faster networks overseas?

For the most part, we'd expect your phone to operate as before, either at whatever speed the local network offers or a capped speed if that's part of your carrier's travel plans. However, in a few instances, U.S. phone carriers have started making deals with overseas wireless providers that allow their customers to access 5G speeds when roaming. You should check with your carrier for information about the country you're going to travel in.

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.

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You’ll soon be able to use your phone on EU flights. But passengers aren’t sure that’s a good thing

A new poll has revealed that passengers are split on new inflight phone rules.

Passengers on flights within the European Union (EU) will soon be allowed to use mobile phones without enabling aeroplane mode.

The new rules - outlined by the European Commission last year - will mean travellers can make phone calls, text and stream videos. But not everyone’s happy.

According to new research by Kayak, one-in-five passengers oppose the change.

21 per cent of British respondents are against the ruling, while 40 per cent welcome it but think there should be a limit on usage with a “quiet hours” time on flights.

“A flight can often be seen as dead time… but for some, it’s part of the experience of going on holiday, relaxing and switching off from the world, having a snooze or watching an in-flight movie, which could be interrupted by others using 5G,” said Evan Day, KAYAK UK country manager.

“Let’s hope that people are respectful of those around them to avoid a ruckus on board.”

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Why do passengers have to enable aeroplane mode on flights?

The European Commission has ruled that airlines can provide 5G technology onboard in addition to allowing mobile data.

Today (June 30) is the deadline for member states to provide 5G technology on aircraft.

This is a big change - air passengers in the EU are currently requested to turn off mobile phones or enable flight mode for the whole journey .

This is because historically there was little understanding of how mobile data might affect flight communications, Dai Whittingham, chief executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee, told the BBC.

"There was a concern they could interfere with automatic flight control systems," he said. "What has been found with experience is the risk of interference is very small."

In the US, concerns have been raised over how 5G frequencies might hamper flight systems and even cause alterations to altitude measurements.

However, this is not a problem in the UK and EU, Whittingham confirmed.

"There is much less prospect of interference," he said. "We have a different set of frequencies for 5G, and there are lower power settings than those that have been allowed in the US.”

"The travelling public wants 5G,” Whittingham added. “The regulators will open up that possibility, but there will be steps that will be taken to ensure that whatever they do is safe."

When will airline passengers be able to make phone calls in the EU?

The approval from the European Commission means airlines will soon allow passengers to use mobile phone data on board flights .

This means air passengers will be able to make phone calls, access apps and stream music and videos on flights very soon.

“5G will enable innovative services for people and growth opportunities for European companies,” Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, said in a statement.

"The sky is no longer a limit when it comes to possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity," he said.

Airlines will be able to provide high speed internet with the 5G frequencies, which would allow passengers to download a film in a couple of minutes.

Do flight passengers want to use mobile phones on board?

Although the plan has been hailed as a step forward for plane travel , not everyone is happy.

“Given the way people behave with their phones on all other public transport this is depressing news,” one user wrote on Twitter.

“Yet another reason to hate flying. Imagine being stuck in a seat next to somebody on their phone for hours,” said another.

“There isn't even a plan for a quiet carriage!“

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Some travellers also enjoy having a break from their phones.

“I love that on a plane (and I don’t fly very often) it is totally no contact [...] It’s a total switch off,” said one Twitter commenter.

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US man returns from Europe to $143,000 T-Mobile bill for using phone overseas

Gigantic bill apparently reflected using 9.5 gigabytes of data on a phone that had not been set up for international roaming

A Florida man was stunned to come back from a European trip and – upon checking his phone bill – realize that he had been charged a staggering $143,000 by his phone company for using his device while overseas.

ABC Action News reported that Rene Remund and his wife had toured Switzerland last September and had even gone to a T-Mobile store to share his travel plan with his phone provider before leaving.

But the gigantic bill apparently reflected using some 9.5 gigabytes of data while overseas on a phone that had not been set up for international roaming.

Remund told ABC that he called T-Mobile and waited on hold while the charges were examined and the person he spoke with informed him that the bill was not a mistake and that he was liable for it.

Remund replied: “You’re kidding me?”

He then hired a lawyer, who contacted ABC for help. Shortly after T-Mobile were contacted by ABC, the company offered to credit Remund’s account.

T-Mobile told ABC : “We recommend our customers check the travel features of their plan, such as international data roaming, before departing … if a customer is on an older plan that doesn’t include international roaming for data and calling, they’ll need to make sure they’re using airplane mode and wifi when using data to be certain the device doesn’t connect to an international network.”

• Mobile phones (Technology)
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10 Apps That Will Make The Most Of Your Vacation In 2024

I f you've ever spent time at a networking event, made small talk at your kids' soccer games, or scrolled through a dating app, you'll know that "travel" is something almost everyone will tell you they enjoy. Couple that with an attachment to our smartphones that borders on co-dependent, and it's no surprise to learn that travel apps are a hot commodity. Some of the best innovations in travel come in the form of apps. Staying in touch with people at home, travel planning, staying organized on the road, or connecting with other travelers? Not only is there an app for that, there are many apps for that. 

To help you sort through the plethora of what's out there, here are some travel-ready apps to make your vacation a blast. We've sourced suggestions from people who travel for a living and those who leave their local area only rarely, so no matter how often you jet-set, there is an app for you.

Read more: 12 Smart Gadgets You Didn't Know Existed

If your cell plan doesn't include international roaming, you can get slammed with steep fees for using mobile data outside your own country.

There are a few ways to get around roaming charges, including buying a local SIM card for the country you are traveling in, using a Wi-Fi stick , or investing in a dual SIM phone, like those from Samsung, Apple, or Google. One of the easiest and cheapest options though, is an eSIM app like Airalo . Airalo was one of the first in the eSIM game and continues to be popular with travelers. Fans of the app point to how easy it is to download and get started quickly, and how much it saves in fees. On the other hand, some users have noticed a discrepancy in how well it works in different countries. One reviewer on TrustPilot states "We do NOT recommend this plan given the extremely poor performance in Vietnam" despite noting excellent service in Hong Kong. 

Airalo is a paid service, available on the App Store and on Google Play.

Google Maps is often the default app travelers reach for when navigating new territory. It's a trusted resource for a lot of reasons, including the ease of finding reviews and info for even very small businesses. But it's not the only map app out there, nor is it the best in every situation. The main advantage of Maps.me over Google Maps is that it is based on user-generated information. Particularly for folks who are getting around on foot, this "boots on the ground" approach is excellent and more direct than reporting problems to Google Maps . It also means that if you find a cool place on your travels and want to make sure other travelers can find it, you can add it to a map.

Like Google Maps and other useful way-finding apps, you can download maps and bookmark points of interest for offline use, although the background information on locations is not as robust as on Google Maps. Maps.me also allows you to access various modes of transportation while offline, which Google doesn't. 

Maps.me is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Cash's position as king is increasingly precarious. On your travels, you'll find cashless options in places you might not expect. The mass availability of mobile payment platforms like Square means you may be able to whip out your phone or card at Swiss coffee carts or Mexican street vendors. Wise (formerly Transferwise) lets you move between currencies seamlessly. Wise lets you operate in 40 currencies, which is particularly handy if you are traveling to several different countries. They advertise charges that are less than the major banks. However, some users have complained about complications with money transfers, so be forewarned if you intend to use this app for sending money. 

Of note to travelers is the option to get an actual bank card that can function as an international debit card with a nominal conversion fee (not all bank cards can pay by debit in countries other than your home base.) Or, save a step and scan your phone to pay from your Wise account. 

Wise is available on the App Store and from Google Play. There is no charge to download the app, but fees are charged for some banking activities.

If you are going to be traveling from place to place on your vacation, you will want the Rome2Rio app on your phone. Enter your destination and departure location, and the app spits out the options and approximate costs for each leg of your journey. For instance, if you are in Edmonton, Canada, and want to get to the Thai island of Ko Yao Yai, the app will suggest six options, labeling the best, cheapest, and fastest combination of flight, minibus, and ferry. You can't purchase tickets through the app, although there are links to book accommodation that take you to Booking.com. Being able to purchase travel fares through the app would make things easier, especially if they were offered in a package, but the absence of that feature means you can investigate and compare prices from different booking operators , so we are putting it in the win column.

Rome2Rio is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Rick Steves Audio Europe

Rick Steves is recognized as a top voice in travel guides. His down-to-earth approach to travel has endeared multitudes of followers to him, spawning an industry of books, television shows, and a sprawling web presence that features how-to guides, articles, and an active travelers' forum. On top of all that, he has a free app for self-guided walking tours through many of Europe's top sights called Rick Steves Audio Europe . Reviewers of the app give it a high rating (4.7 on Google Play and 4.3 on the App Store) using superlatives like "This app is GOLD," and comparing the quality of the tours to paid audio tours. On the downside, it is difficult to sync the app on multiple devices, so if you are in a group you may all be at slightly different parts of the tour, which can be mildly annoying. There are a bunch of tour sites, with more added periodically.

The audio tours and accompanying maps are downloadable, so you don't need to worry about burning through mobile data or needing to rely on Wi-Fi. Rick Steve Audio Europe is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

How many trips come vividly back to life in your mind just by thinking about that one excellent bowl of Cacio e Pepe pasta or sun-drenched sip of a Paloma? Exploring a place through its flavors and discovering new spots to eat is a beloved part of travel. In Europe, TheFork (the French version is called LaForchette) is the go-to app for crowd-sourced restaurant reviews. Previously, the app also covered Australia, but at the start of 2024, it was announced they will be pulling out of Oz.

You can find Michelin-starred restaurants with months-long wait lists or little hole-in-the-wall spots by searching the name of the eating establishment, the city or neighborhood you want to eat in, or the kind of cuisine you are craving.

The app is worthy of its space on your phone just for the restaurant listings and reviews, but if you want to explore more of the capabilities, there are ways to expand its usefulness. You can make reservations, register to collect points, access discounts and specials at select spots, and pay through the app. TheFork is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Looking for a little love on the road? The Fairytrail app might be the ticket to romance (or ROAMance) you are looking for. Aimed at digital nomads and van life devotees, the app is a nice addition to the dating lives of travelers of all stripes. Members are evaluated and assigned a fairytale character similar to enneagram-slash-Myers-Briggs personality types, which is a new and novel approach compared with other iPhone dating apps or Android dating apps .

Because the app is focused on people with nomadic lifestyles, matches are location-independent. The idea is that users of the app will be willing to travel to each other to meet and date. There is a setting that allows an extra layer of matching: dream places to visit. If you so choose, before chatting with a match you need to have an overlapping "bucket-list" destination. Previously, this was an unavoidable step but became an optional setting after it was changed in response to frustration expressed by reviewers. The app is being redesigned in 2024 and soliciting feedback from users. Stay tuned, it seems more happy endings are in store! Fairytrails is free to download with in-app purchases and is available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Price Scanner And Converter

A very unpleasant aspect of vacationing in another country is coming home to a shocking credit card bill. Part of the problem is the tendency of holidaymakers to spend like money isn't real, but the other problem is how difficult it is to calculate prices into your own currency. Sure, you can come up with shortcuts to do quick math, but that gives you an estimate rather than an exact cost. To help, there are many different currency converter apps out there, with features like real-time rate calculation and offline capability. The somewhat clunky-named Price Scanner and Converter takes it one step further by using your phone's camera to scan prices and display them automatically in your preferred currency (out of 150 global currencies.) New iPhone cameras also have a similar capability, but it isn't as seamless a process as using this app.

This price scanning app isn't presently available on Google Play, although there are similar apps to be found. The reviews are pretty overwhelmingly mediocre, so if you are on team Android, your best bet may be to download a regular currency converter and enter in prices the old-fashioned way.

Downloading the Price Scanner and Converter is free from the App Store.

Searching through your emails for confirmations and itineraries isn't an efficient way to access your travel information. And good luck if you have used your work email for some of your planning and your personal email for others. What if you are offline when you need to find your tour details? Nightmare fuel. Tripit has created a simple user experience, allowing you to forward all those endless travel planning emails to be arranged into an easily accessible itinerary in a single spot, which you can access from any of your devices.

Other features of this include the ability to load PDFs, QR codes, and other travel documents to your Tripit travel folder. There are helpful navigation tools, like airport maps, neighborhood safety ratings, and nearby places. You can share your travel plans and sync them to your calendar. For $49 a year (or a free 30-day trial) you can upgrade to Tripit Pro for enhanced travel aid, including notifications to help keep you on track and on time. 

Tripit is free to download from the App Store and from Google Play, and you can upgrade to the premium Tripit Pro on the Tripit website or in the app.

Mobile Passport Control

The latest app from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol goes by the wildly creative name, " Mobile Passport Control ." It's a no-nonsense app with a no-nonsense name that allows users to streamline the customs experience. Rather than filling out declarations forms, users enter their information into the app and send it to border officials so they can access it as soon as they get to customs. You can do this immediately upon arrival, say as your plane is taxiing to the gate.

The app is for United States citizens and Canadians with a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa who are entering the USA at one of 33 American airports, 11 preclearance sites, and four seaports. It works in tandem with your passport, but it doesn't replace it.

As a bonus, some sites allow those with the Mobile Passport Control app to use their own (almost always shorter!) line or expedited Global Entry lines at passport control. You can enter family members on the same app and there is no approval process, just download and go.

A previous iteration of the app had a premium, paid version, but this is no longer the case. The app is free on the App Store and Google Play.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

An American came back from Europe with a $143,000 phone bill after failing to set up international roaming

• A Florida man received a $143,000 phone bill from T-Mobile after an overseas trip to Switzerland.
• The charges were due to his phone not being set for international roaming, according to ABC Action News.
• After legal intervention and media coverage, T-Mobile agreed to credit the entire amount.

A Florida man returned from a trip to Switzerland with his wife last September to discover he was facing an unexpectedly massive phone bill, Tampa's ABC Action News reported.

Rene Remund said that after returning home he received his bill from T-Mobile. He initially thought he was being charged $143 for sending photos and texts to family and friends from the Alps, according to the local news outlet.

But the actual charge was much higher — around $143,000 for 9.5 gigabytes of data used overseas.

According to Forbes, the average annual salary in Florida is $55,980, making the bill more than twice what an average worker makes each year in the state.

Remund had incurred thousands of dollars in daily roaming charges because his phone was not set up for international roaming, the report said.

Most US customers' domestic plans do not cover usage abroad, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

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Remund said he contacted T-Mobile, which confirmed the bill was indeed what he owed, per ABC Action News.

Remund did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Remund enlisted an attorney, who wrote letters to T-Mobile's president hoping for a response, the local outlet reported. The attorney also contacted ABC Action News, which subsequently contacted T-Mobiles's corporate office.

In a statement provided to BI by email, a T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed that the carrier agreed to credit Remund's account for the entire month.

"This shouldn't have happened and we fully credited the customer," the spokesperson said. "We are taking steps to avoid it from happening again. "

In a statement to ABC Action News, T-Mobile advised customers who may be on older plans to check to see if international roaming and data are included.

Remund reportedly said he always notifies T-Mobile before leaving the US for vacations, and this time visited a T-Mobile store to tell them of his travels.

He also told the news outlet that it was a huge relief to no longer be on the hook for the six-figure bill.

The amount of data Remund used isn't considered excessive. According to telecommunication company Ericsson, the North American monthly average data usage per smartphone was an estimated 25.9 gigabytes in 2023.

• Main content

Man shocked by $143,000 phone bill from overseas trip

(Gray News) - When it comes to your phone plan, it helps to read the fine print. A Florida man learned that the hard way after he incurred a fortune in roaming charges during a trip to Europe.

Rene Remund told WFTS he was charged $143,269 for using 9.5 gigabytes of roaming data during a three-week trip to Switzerland.

He said he’s been a T-Mobile customer for more than 30 years and said he had been assured beforehand at a T-Mobile store that he would be “covered” while overseas.

At first, Remund said his eyes deceived him, as he thought the bill was for $143.

He said he got in touch with a representative, who assured him the bill was correct. At that point, he turned to legal help.

T-Mobile ended up crediting him for the account.

The Federal Communications Commission encourages people to know the details of their cellular plan coverage before they go on international trips, including whether your mobile phone will work there, what the roaming rates are and how to track your usage.

T-Mobile similarly encouraged its customers to check the details of their plans before setting out, as some older plans don’t include international roaming.

“If you’re not on a Go5G, Magenta, ONE Plan, Essentials, or a Simple Choice plan and you’ll be traveling outside the U.S., you can add World Class International Roaming to each line,” T-Mobile said on its webpage devoted to explaining its international roaming services . Customers can do this by managing their plan .

Other options include blocking international data and having a prepaid plan while overseas.

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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