Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- NETWORKS
- BH Telecom, HT Eronet
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Bosnia and Herzegovina, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Bosnia and Herzegovina eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Bosnia and Herzegovina?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does my EU SIM work at home prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
What happens to my data when I drive through Neum?
Will I have signal on the Sarajevo to Mostar train?
Can I use Viber and WhatsApp on my normal number?
Can I keep a Croatia or Europe eSIM and a Bosnia and Herzegovina eSIM on one phone?
What if I run out of data before I leave?
Bosnia and Herzegovina eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Bosnia and Herzegovina packs a remarkable amount into a small, mountainous country. Sarajevo's old bazaar, Baščaršija, sits a short walk from Austro-Hungarian avenues and memorials to the 1990s siege. Mostar's Old Bridge arches over the green Neretva, and nearby are the Kravica waterfalls, the dervish house at Blagaj and the hillside village of Počitelj. Further north, Jajce has a waterfall in the middle of town, Una National Park draws rafters near Bihać, and the forests of Sutjeska hide one of Europe's last primeval woods. Many visitors arrive on a day trip from Dubrovnik or Split and wish they had stayed longer.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Bosnia and Herzegovina without a trip to a phone shop. You install it at home, switch it on when you arrive and keep your own SIM for calls and texts. This guide explains why roaming works differently here than in neighbouring Croatia, how much data you are likely to need, and what to expect from coverage in the cities, the river valleys and the mountains.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a member of the European Union, and that matters for anyone travelling on a European SIM.
Roaming with your home SIM
The EU's "Roam like at Home" rules cover the EU and EEA, so they do not apply automatically in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A SIM from Croatia, Germany, Austria or another EU country may be charged at separate roaming rates once you cross the border. Some operators include the Western Balkans in their own bundles and others do not, so check your operator's terms for Bosnia and Herzegovina specifically.
The same is true for SIMs from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and elsewhere: what you pay depends entirely on your operator. Travellers driving the Dalmatian coast are sometimes caught out because the coastal road dips into Bosnian territory at Neum.
A local prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold in operator shops and kiosks in Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka and other towns, usually with passport registration. It is a fair choice for a long stay, but it costs time on arrival and means removing your home SIM unless your phone has a second slot.
A Spidot eSIM for Bosnia and Herzegovina
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line next to your home SIM. You buy a plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you travel. Plans start from $5.90. Most plans are data-only and do not include a local phone number; if you need to call guesthouses or rafting operators directly, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
Many trips here are short, but even a long weekend involves navigation, messaging and plenty of photos. These figures are approximate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; essential in Sarajevo's narrow lanes and on mountain roads.
- Messaging: light, and handy, because many guesthouses and drivers use WhatsApp or Viber.
- Social media and photo sharing: moderate to heavy, especially video from the Old Bridge or the waterfalls.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming: heavy, often more than a gigabyte per hour in high definition.
Typical choices
A day trip to Mostar or a weekend in Sarajevo needs only a small fixed data plan. A ten-day road trip through Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, Una and Trebinje, with daily navigation and uploads, is more comfortable with a mid-sized or larger plan.
Remote workers staying a few weeks in Sarajevo, or anyone tethering a laptop regularly, may prefer an unlimited plan, although speed may slow after heavy use. If you return to the Balkans often, a no-expiry plan lets you keep unused data for later. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you need.
Before you go
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so set it up at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and select the Spidot line for mobile data when you arrive.
- Install the eSIM a day or two before you leave.
- Keep the QR code email easy to find.
- Download offline maps of the whole country, particularly the mountain areas and national parks.
- If you are driving in from Croatia, decide in advance when you will switch your data line.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM before you cross the border.
Arriving in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo International Airport, south-west of the city centre, is the main gateway. Smaller airports serve Mostar, Tuzla and Banja Luka. A large share of visitors arrive by road instead: on day tours or buses from Dubrovnik and Split, from Montenegro via Trebinje, or from Serbia in the east.
When you arrive, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find this setting. If it does not connect within a minute or two, switch flight mode on and off once.
From Sarajevo airport
The airport is linked to the city by taxi and bus. With data on arrival you can message your host, check the route into Baščaršija and find the nearest tram stop on the line that runs along the river through the centre.
Driving in from Croatia
If you come from the Croatian coast, your phone may have been on a Croatian network under Roam like at Home. Once you are in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that no longer applies. Switch mobile data to the Spidot line at the border and make sure roaming is off on your home SIM.
Coverage in cities, valleys and mountains
In Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka, Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and Trebinje, mobile data generally works well for everyday use. Main roads between the larger towns are usually covered, though signal can dip in tunnels and gorges. Your phone will connect through the local partner networks of your plan; the Spidot plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina uses BH Telecom and HT Eronet.
The landscape is the main factor in where coverage thins out:
- The Neretva canyon: the road and railway between Konjic, Jablanica and Mostar run through a deep, narrow valley with tunnels, so expect brief gaps.
- Una National Park and the north-west: villages and rafting launch points along the river are rural, with weaker coverage in places.
- Sutjeska National Park: the Perućica forest and the trails towards Maglić are remote mountain terrain where signal is limited.
- The Dinaric mountains: high plateaus and villages around Bjelašnica, Lukomir and the Rakitnica canyon can be patchy.
- Border areas: near Neum, Trebinje and the Drina, your phone may pick up Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian networks. Check the network name if your data behaves unexpectedly.
Stay on marked paths
Some rural areas still contain unexploded mines from the 1990s war. Stick to marked trails and roads, hike with a local guide in remote areas, and do not wander into abandoned buildings or overgrown fields. Your phone is a good tool for navigation, but it should not be the only thing you rely on.
Data on trains, buses and road trips
The railway between Sarajevo and Mostar is one of the most scenic in the Balkans, following the Neretva through tunnels and past the lake at Jablanica. Coverage on board comes and goes, so download anything you need before departure. Buses link most towns and are the main way to reach places like Jajce, Travnik, Bihać and Trebinje, as well as Dubrovnik, Split and Belgrade.
Within Sarajevo, trams, trolleybuses and buses cover the main routes. A map app helps with routes, but tickets are often bought from kiosks or the driver, so keep some cash.
Driving
A car is the easiest way to see Kravica, Blagaj, Počitelj and Jajce in one trip. Roads are often winding two-lane routes through the mountains, and journeys take longer than the map suggests. Download offline maps, set your route before you start driving, and keep in mind that signal can drop out in gorges and tunnels.
Sharing data with a hotspot
Guesthouses and apartments generally have Wi-Fi, but quality varies, especially in rural areas. Your phone's personal hotspot can keep a laptop or tablet online. It uses the line set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.
Tethering uses data quickly. Turn off cloud sync and automatic updates on connected devices, and keep an eye on your balance.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Cafés in Sarajevo and Mostar commonly offer free Wi-Fi, and it is convenient for downloads. Open networks can be insecure, though, so take simple precautions.
- Use your eSIM data for banking, card payments and logins.
- Ask staff for the exact network name before connecting.
- Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
- Keep your phone and apps updated.
Practical tips for Bosnia and Herzegovina
A few local details that are useful to know:
- Currency: the convertible mark (BAM, often written KM). Euros are accepted in some tourist places, but change is usually given in marks. Cash remains common in smaller towns, markets and on buses.
- Two alphabets: signs may be in Latin or Cyrillic script depending on the region. Map apps and a translation app with offline Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian help with both.
- Messaging apps: WhatsApp and Viber are both widely used for arranging rooms, transfers and tours.
- Taxis: use registered taxis or ask your accommodation to call one; agree the fare in advance if there is no meter.
- Mosques and churches: Sarajevo and Mostar have many active places of worship. Dress modestly when visiting and ask before photographing people.
- Mostar crowds: the Old Bridge is busiest in the middle of the day when tour groups arrive from the coast. Staying overnight gives you a quieter evening and morning.
- Seasons: winters in the mountains are cold and snowy, and Jahorina and Bjelašnica are ski areas. Cold weather drains phone batteries faster, so carry a power bank.
Bosnia and Herzegovina on a multi-country trip
Most visitors combine Bosnia and Herzegovina with Croatia, particularly Dubrovnik and Split. Montenegro is close to Trebinje, and Serbia lies to the east across the Drina. Some travellers continue on to Slovenia or Albania on a longer Balkan loop.
If you are travelling through several countries, a Europe plan may be convenient, but check whether Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the Europe plan's country list before relying on it. If it is not, you can pair a Europe plan for the EU part of your route with a Bosnia and Herzegovina plan. Both eSIMs can sit on the same phone, and you switch mobile data between them at the border.