From this article you will learn which SIM card is best for traveling abroad.
When preparing to travel abroad, it is important to choose a suitable mobile operator. After all, as you know, the cost of communication services can be significantly puzzling, especially when you are presented with a final invoice. Before choosing a specific operator, it is worth understanding which ones other people prefer, as well as what services may actually be needed when traveling. Let's find out which SIM cards are best for using them abroad.
SIM card for traveling abroad in Russia: tips for choosing
Choosing a SIM card for travel
A regular SIM card for travel from familiar operators forces you to change the tariff when leaving the country. If you don't do this, you will have to pay a lot. Although, as practice shows, even connecting additional options does not make communication more profitable. So it’s better to buy a special tourist SIM card.
It has a special tariff specifically designed for overseas travel. Simka registers itself in foreign networks and provides tariff rates. Such cards work difficult, but stably.
Among the advantages of such cards are:
- Low cost calls within the country where you are located
- Cheap international calls for calls home
- Inexpensive internet. There are options for purchasing a package or paying per megabyte
- There is no subscription fee
- In most countries, incoming calls are free
It’s hard to disagree that no other operator can offer this, although they also have lucrative offers.
However, like any system, this one has its drawbacks:
- You will have to change your number or connect yours to this SIM card. By the way, in the latter case, communication will be more expensive
- Payment is made in euros or dollars, and therefore it may not be convenient because the rates float
- If you call from Russia, the call will cost the caller dearly
- You have to dial numbers via USSD or Callback
Reviews from tourists on such maps are mixed, because there are often comments about frequent failures.
Open Wi-Fi
There are many cities in the world where public Wi-Fi networks cover central streets and squares (for example, Florence, Tbilisi, Tel Aviv, Miami).
Good public Internet is usually found in museums and libraries, train stations, parks, shopping centers and even some grocery stores, telephone booths and public transport stops. In general, before you travel, Google where you can find free Wi-Fi in your destination city. And don’t forget to check available networks on your smartphone. Special smartphone applications, such as WiFi Map, will help you find an open point or find out the password for a closed one.
For example, in Vienna the application knows almost three thousand points, and in Berlin - almost five thousand. You just need to download the database for the country of your destination in advance so that the search is available offline (in some programs this function is only available in paid versions).
SIM card for traveling around Europe Internet - which one to choose?
If you need a SIM card for traveling around Europe, then you should choose Drimsim. This operator is considered the best among all for travel. In such a situation, your Internet will cost much less than when choosing Russian operators. On average, prices will be as follows:
It is very important to note that if the travel card is not used for one year, then after the expiration of the term, the operator will charge 0.5 euros every month.
Important nuances
If you need to stay in touch with your number in another country, take the time to make sure that all the necessary options - Internet and mobile communications in roaming or Internet blocking in roaming - are connected. there these minutes can become golden in the literal sense of the word. Tens of thousands of rubles in debt for the time from the moment you turn on your smartphone until you connect the necessary option in another country is a common occurrence among those who postpone connecting the necessary services until later.
If you do not plan to use the Internet while traveling, be sure to enable the Internet ban while roaming. Otherwise, a couple of bytes of technical information may slip through even the disabled mobile Internet in the smartphone settings. I recommend doing this by calling operator support:
MTS;
Profitable SIM cards for travel from Russian operators - what to choose?
A travel SIM card can also be selected from local ones. In fact, tourists may not need packages of minutes in principle. They can be replaced with instant messengers, at least Whats App. But you can’t do it without the Internet.
If you do not have roaming service enabled, it is recommended to remove the SIM card from your phone when boarding the plane.
What can Russian large operators offer tourists?
MTS
MTS roaming
For 2021, the most profitable tariff for traveling is the “Smart Zabugorishche” tariff. For 250 rubles, a traveler is offered 7 GB of Internet, 350 minutes for calls, but there are no restrictions within the network. Additionally, 350 SMS are given. If you also enable the “Online” option, you will receive unlimited access to social networks and instant messengers.
Please note that the tariff will not work in a router or modem. You can find out the list of countries where you can go with a tariff on the operator’s official website.
Megaphone
In MegaFon, roaming works provided that 2 options are connected - “World Online”, which provides Internet for 600 rubles per day for 1 GB, and “Whole World”, which allows you to get 40 minutes of incoming and outgoing calls for 59 rubles.
Options are disabled by clients themselves, so to avoid being charged for services, disable them upon departure. By the way, the options themselves will not connect either.
Beeline
Beeline roaming
The Beeline tariff is also very interesting. It’s called “All for 1800+roaming”. For this amount, the subscriber receives 15 GB of Internet, regardless of where they are, and they can make free calls only in Russia. 3000 minutes are given for this. If you are in the CIS countries and call home, then a minute of conversation will cost 30 rubles, and from China, the USA, Canada and Vietnam - 50 rubles. If the call is made from other countries, then a minute will cost 80 rubles. In general, it is recommended that ordinary people not use this tariff. It is more aimed at businessmen.
Tele 2
This operator also has something to offer for roaming. It is connected automatically as soon as the subscriber crosses the country’s border. The calls are quite profitable. In Europe and the CIS, one minute of conversation costs 15 rubles. In the USA you will have to pay 65 rubles, and in the rest - 35 rubles. The Internet, however, is not very good. For 10 MB you will have to pay 100 rubles per day. This is only enough for messengers.
Although the service is activated automatically, you will have to disable it manually. It is better to do this quickly so that the fee is no longer charged.
International SIM cards for travel - which one to choose?
In addition to Russian operators, travel SIM cards are also offered from other operators. Let's find out which tariffs are the best and which ones are most often used by tourists.
Orange with Mundo tariff
Orange with Mundo tariff
If the Internet is important to you when traveling abroad, then you should pay attention to this operator. The Mundo tariff is ideal for the Internet and navigation. The price of services is only 35 rubles per 100 MB. If we consider the prices of Russian operators, the price is much lower.
By the way, the SIM card also allows you to distribute the Internet. Any cell calls cost 0.29 euros, and landline calls will cost 0.06 euros. Outgoing messages are available only within the country, but incoming messages can be received from anywhere. The price for 1 SMS is quite high and amounts to 1.21 euros.
For Spain, Orange offers the most profitable connection because it is the operator's homeland. So, when you activate the tariff, you also get 1-2 GB of Internet for a month as a gift. You can buy a SIM card upon arrival in your holiday destination, or you can also purchase a special tourist card, which we talked about above.
Three
This operator offers its customers 12 GB of Internet for 48 euros. Immediately after purchase, the subscriber receives access to communications in any country. The card can even work on tablets. By the way, you cannot distribute the Internet on a tariff.
The card is active only for 30 days and then is automatically blocked, so it does not provide for replenishment. Although, just for traveling for a couple of weeks this is a great option.
It is most profitable to use the card in the UK. There, for 54 euros you can use 30 GB of Internet and 3 thousand minutes, which is quite profitable and allows you to communicate with almost no restrictions.
Ortel with Internet Flat tariff
Ortel with Internet Flat tariff
German operator with favorable tariff. Great for internet and calls. The offer is more aimed at people who travel the world and go on business trips.
The tariff provides 4 GB of Internet and 250 minutes of calls. The main advantage is free incoming calls. The price of an outgoing call is 0.99 euros. The operator operates in 41 EU countries.
Goodline
Suitable for traveling around the world. The company offers many different tariffs for all countries. Standard services cost 3.05 rubles per minute, and the Internet costs only 60 cents per megabyte. The good news is that Viber calls are absolutely free, and you can also link a Russian number.
Internet can be provided in packages, which will allow you to always stay connected. In some countries, you can even quickly book hotel rooms.
Vodafone
Very popular for cheap calls to Russia from abroad. The operator offers many advantageous plans for San Marino, Europe, Monaco, Albania and Turkey.
Vodafone tariffs
GlobalSim
This is an operator from Estonia. By the way, it offers the most favorable tariff for trips around Europe. It is noteworthy that the operator does not have a subscription fee. And this is very profitable, because others charge 40-95 rubles per day.
The tariff is ideal for those who plan to make a lot of calls throughout Europe and the CIS. The travel SIM card has a large coverage area and therefore works without problems in most countries. As for the Internet, the operator offers several packages up to 5 GB with a fairly reasonable price.
By the way, experienced tourists advise buying 2 cards and leaving one at home. Then the connection will cost only 0.25 euros per minute. If you call regular numbers, the cost per minute will be 0.29 euros.
SimTravel
SimTravel
The operator offers practical roaming, which operates in more than 200 countries. When purchasing a card, subscribers receive free incoming calls and no subscription fees.
The price of a minute of conversation starts from 0.05 euros, and the Internet costs from 0.02 euros per MB. There are also nice bonuses offered here, for example, unlimited communication in instant messengers. The cost of services is 12 USD. in year. Internet is provided in different packages, so everyone can choose the one that suits them. For Europe, a variety of tariffs are offered.
Which specific option you should choose is up to you to decide. For some, it is more important to get large traffic packages, then it is better to make a choice based on Internet prices. If calls are more important to you, then rely on their cost.
Travel with your family
IF YOU ARE GOING ABROAD ALONE, WITH YOUR FAMILY, A GROUP OF FRIENDS OR COLLEAGUES, THE “WIFI-TRAVEL” ROUTER IS EXACTLY FOR YOU!
You don’t have to specially configure it to receive it abroad:
— constant access to WiFi;
— unlimited mobile Internet in more than 150 countries;
— simultaneous connection to the worldwide network of up to 10 devices.
The device runs on a powerful battery, so even without recharging it provides instant access to the Internet for 200 hours!
Feedback from our users
Rita
16.10.2018
1
Helpful information. In July I was on holiday in Mallorca and the hotel had paid internet. And not how many cents there are, but 5 euros per person per day... Karl!!!! 5 euros!!! After that my mood diminished, now I’ll think about things like the Internet in advance
MAX
04.10.2018
2
Well, this is all clear, but you don’t have enough of a calculator on your website to convert dollar prices into rubles, because it’s inconvenient to sit and manually sort out how much it will cost based on today’s exchange rate. After all, you can probably make such a thing so that the price is automatically displayed in the ruble version.
Read the answer
Universal SIM card for traveling around the world - which one to choose?
GlobalSim for travel
Many travelers are interested in the question: is there a universal SIM card for traveling around the world? Of course, there is such an option. One of the best today is the offer from GlobalSim. The operator offers a universal option for traveling with a European number. You can start using it as soon as the plane lands. So you don't even have to look for communication shops nearby.
Please note that the SIM card will not work in Russia. You can only check your balance by making a request - *146*099#.
Outgoing communication works on the Callback principle. That is, you make a call and then wait for an incoming call. Accept the call and wait to be connected to the right person. Only the basic options are automatically connected to the subscriber, and some will have to be connected themselves.
The best SIM card for traveling abroad - which one to choose?
Today, the best SIM card for travel is offered by the operator Drimsim. We already mentioned it above when we talked about the Internet. Essentially, the map is universal, just like Globalsim.
The operator appeared relatively recently and has only been operating for a couple of years, but during this time it has gained enormous popularity. Its coverage area covers 197 countries, and charges are charged by the minute and megabyte. It is convenient to track expenses through the application, as well as top up your balance.
DrimSim tariffs are as follows:
Drimsim tariffs
As you can see, operators offer a lot of travel options. You can easily use the services of home operators if communication is not too important to you, and you only travel once a year. If you have to travel abroad constantly, then it is better, of course, to take a closer look at foreign operators.
How to catch the network while roaming
There are several options for this:
Firstly, you can rely on your regular cellular operator if it guarantees automatic roaming abroad. True, in this case, get ready to pay much more for Internet access than in Russia.
Secondly, you can order a roaming service from your permanent domestic operator, even if it does not provide automatic network search abroad. However, in this case, the gadget will have to be configured manually, and the connection may be unstable, and you will need to wait for a roaming connection. It turns out that for some time it will be impossible to contact relatives, business partners, friends who remained in Russia, or access the global database.
However, nothing prevents you from using the advantages of modern civilization in other countries with the same comfort as at home. To do this, it is enough to purchase a domestic SIM card
.
