We usually buy a SIM card for our phone upon arriving in a foreign country. We will be arriving at the Palermo Airport and will need to buy a SIM card. Is there any shop that sells SIM cards at the airport? We are getting a rental car but they will pick us up at the airport and take us to the car lot 7 km away. We'd like to have the SIM card at the airport so we can call them if they re late, etc. Before arriving in Palermo our plane stops in Munich but we're assuming that if we buy a card there (if there's even time) it would not work in Sicily or there would be long distance charges. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Posted by
OP
Martinez, CA, USA
1565 posts
Thank you, it is a great relief to know we can buy the sim card there.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16680 posts
There is a TIM center "Il Telefonino" at the airport.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32475 posts
Carol, One other option you might consider would be to use a "travel SIM", as that would provide a working phone as soon as you step off the plane at PMO. Have a look at the websites for Roam Simple, Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Telestial, Mobal, TruPhone, Max Roam or others. I've been using that method for the last few years, and so far it's worked well. The rates are consistent in most western European countries, and billing is postpaid (charged to a credit card), so there's never any need to "top up". If the phone is only used for occasional calls and texts, the costs should be quite reasonable. The SIM card can also be used on subsequent trips (although a small "renewal fee" is charged by some firms). Cheers!
Posted by
Italy
247 posts
You cannot purchase a new SIM card at the airport in Palermo.
Posted by
OP
Martinez, CA, USA
1565 posts
Well that's sad. But we do have the old fashioned pre-paid phone cards which I guess we can use if we need to call the rental car company for any reason. I guess we'll have to wait until we get to Trapani to buy our SIM card.
Posted by
OP
Martinez, CA, USA
1565 posts
Ken - Thanks for your suggestion. We had previously checked into those SIM cards but decided against them as we like to have local numbers (or at least phone numbers in that particular country).
Guess we'll work it out when we arrive.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32475 posts
Carol, The travel SIM that I've been using has a U.K.-based number, but of course that's not entirely "local". Outgoing calls are dialed the same way as with an Italian card but with incoming calls, the caller would have to dial a U.K. number. I believe at least some of the travel SIM firms can provide Italian SIM cards.
Posted by
OP
Martinez, CA, USA
1565 posts
Thanks for the info. We'll keep checking to see if we can find a SIM with an Italian number before we go. It would be easier! Thanks again.
Posted by
Italy
247 posts
You can purchase a SIM card before arriving in Sicily. It's more expensive, but Telestial sells Italian SIM cards.
http://www.telestial.com/sim_bridge.php?ID=IT
Posted by
OP
Martinez, CA, USA
1565 posts
Thanks - will check them out.