eSIM Europe: Mobile Data for Trips Through Several Countries

On a trip through Europe, a local SIM in every country means new shops, new cards and often a new number each time. A regional plan replaces all of that with one eSIM for Europe that you set up once.

That pays off on city trips with several stops, on rail passes and road trips, and on business travel with meetings in more than one country. When you cross a border, the phone picks up a local network in the next country, as long as network selection is set to automatic and that country is part of the plan.

The Europe region covers several European countries with one eSIM, including the United Kingdom. Which other countries belong to the plan is shown in the order form, so check your route there before you buy.

The UK is worth a closer look: it is not part of the EU, so EU roaming rules do not apply there, and some home tariffs charge extra for it. An eSIM Europe and UK plan in one covers both parts of the journey, so you do not need a second eSIM for Britain.

If your home SIM comes from an EU country, your tariff often already includes roaming within the EU. How far that goes depends on your own provider, so check your contract before deciding.

The Europe eSIM is most useful for:

- travellers from outside the EU, whose home plan usually charges roaming in Europe
- trips that include the UK, where EU roaming rules do not apply
- anyone who wants travel data separate from the allowance on their home plan

Switzerland is not in the EU either. If your trip is mainly about Switzerland, see eSIM Switzerland for that country.

A few things are good to know before the first stop:

City breaks with several stops

Moving between capitals by train or short flight? Install the eSIM at home, switch it on at your first stop and use maps, mobile tickets and messengers in every city on your route that the plan covers.

Road trips and rail journeys

Navigation, live departure times and parking apps all need mobile data. Keep data roaming for the eSIM switched on, so the phone can join a network in the next country without you touching the settings.

When the plan starts

Validity begins with the first connection to a supported network in one of the countries of the plan. You can therefore buy early: activation is possible within 180 days of purchase.

1. At home, connect to Wi-Fi and scan the QR code from your purchase. It works once only, so keep the profile and do not scan it again.
2. After arrival, switch the eSIM on and choose it as the line for mobile data.
3. Turn on data roaming for the eSIM. It usually finds a local network within one or two minutes.
4. No connection? Restart the phone, switch airplane mode on and off and make sure network selection is automatic.

Your plans are listed in your account under My eSIM Plans. Depending on operator and location you get 3G, 4G/LTE or 5G, and whether hotspot works depends on the network operator.

A Europe eSIM is for data only and has no phone number. If a booking platform, a car-sharing app or another service on your route wants to send you a code by SMS, combine the eSIM with an Anosim number: Activation for a single verification, Rent Service to keep a number for one service, or Rent Number to use one number everywhere. If a number is virtual, it is labelled as such in the provider selection.

Comparisons of the best eSIM for Europe often start with price. For a trip across borders, these questions matter just as much:

- Is every country on your route listed in the order form?
- Does your phone support eSIM, and is it free of a SIM lock? A few iPhone models sold in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau lack eSIM support.
- Do you need hotspot? Whether it works is up to the network operator.
- Do you need SMS? Then plan a number in addition.

Every Anosim eSIM is prepaid: a prepaid eSIM Europe plan is paid from your balance, with no contract and no ID check. Other destinations are on the eSIM overview.