eSIM Guide for Europe: Best Plans for 2026
Planning a European trip with eSIM
Europe is one of those places where you cross three countries before lunch and realise your SIM card only works in the first one. That was the old reality. With a regional eSIM, one plan covers the whole continent. No more swapping cards at every border.
What European coverage actually looks like
Most eSIM providers cover the big hitters: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, and the Nordics. Vsimer goes further, including Eastern Europe and the Balkans. This matters if your trip includes Croatia, Hungary, or the Czech Republic, places that budget airlines have made easy to reach.
How much data for a Europe trip?
Two weeks of active travel through Europe typically uses 8 to 12 GB. That covers daily map navigation, messaging, social media, and the occasional video call home. If you stick to Wi-Fi for streaming and large uploads, 10 GB should be plenty.
City-specific tips
Paris: the Metro has no signal between stations, so load your route before descending. Rome: Google Maps struggles with pedestrian routes in the historic centre; download an offline map. Amsterdam: cycling directions in Google Maps are excellent here. Barcelona: the T-Casual transit card has no app, but Google Maps transit directions are reliable.
Browse Europe eSIM plans and pick one that matches your itinerary.