Hello fellow travelers. My husband and I will be taking our first Rick Steves "My Way" tour in September. We start in Austria, then visit northern Italy, Germany, Switzerland and France. We have unlocked Apple phones and find that buying local SIM cards when we land in Europe works well for us. Unfortunately, e-SIMS aren't an option because our phones are older models. We've never done a trip that coverers so many countries. Is there one SIM card that will work in all five countries? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
35296 posts
I answered on your previous now-deleted question yesterday as did several others
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8675 posts
Most local SIMs you buy in the EU will work across the EU countries. The only thing you will need to discuss with the vendor is Switzerland, many SIM cards include Switzerland, but they are not obligated to do so (Switzerland is not EU).
I suggest going to a brick and mortar phone store, like Vodaphone or one of the major carriers where you land. They can explain the options, install the card, and verify it works before you leave the store.
Posted by
Central Florida
78 posts
Read the review in purchasing a SIM card at Vienna airport below. You can order a physical SIM card from Amazon. Also Orange (France) cellphone provider for Europe sells physical SIM cards and ships to the US. I have used their eSIMs quite frequently in my travels and am quite satisfied with their service.
Posted by
West Michigan
402 posts
Also, there are a lot of sim cards on Ebay. Quite cheap.