Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Finland
- NETWORKS
- Fixed data: Alcom, DNA, Elisa, Telekommunikation Ab, Telia · Unlimited: Alcom, DNA, Elisa
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- Fixed data: United Kingdom · Unlimited: Poland
- 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 Finland, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Visiting more than one country?
Europe
Finland and 35 more countries on one eSIM
from$5.90
See the Europe planQuestions about the Finland eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Finland?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Can I use my Finland eSIM on a day trip to Tallinn?
Is my phone enough as the only internet at a lakeside cottage?
Will I have signal on a husky or snowmobile safari in Lapland?
Do I need data on the night train to Rovaniemi?
Will my phone keep working in the cold?
When should I buy my plan?
Finland eSIM guide: mobile data for Helsinki, the Lakeland, the archipelago and Lapland
Finland is a country of forests, lakes and islands, with Helsinki on the southern coast, tens of thousands of lakes across the interior, one of the world's largest archipelagos stretching west towards Sweden, and Lapland reaching far north of the Arctic Circle. Visitors come for very different trips: a city break with a ferry hop to Tallinn, a summer cottage by a lake, an island-hopping cycle tour, or a winter week of northern lights, husky safaris and snow in Rovaniemi, Levi or Saariselkä.
This guide explains how a Finland eSIM from Spidot fits each of those trips, how it compares with roaming and a local SIM, how much data to plan for, and what to expect from coverage in cities, on lakes and islands, and in the far north.
eSIM, roaming or a Finnish SIM
Finland is in the EU, so if your SIM is from an EU or EEA country, Roam like at Home rules generally let you use your normal allowance there, within your provider's fair use policy. Many other visitors, including many from the UK, North America, Australia and Asia, pay roaming fees by the day or by the megabyte. Check your provider's terms before travelling.
Finnish prepaid SIMs
Prepaid SIMs are sold in convenience stores such as R-kioski, in supermarkets and in phone shops. They suit longer stays and people who need a Finnish number. You will need to remove your own SIM, which may mean missing bank codes and messages, and learn the local top-up system.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM is bought online and installed before you travel. Plans for Finland start from $2.90. Your own SIM stays active for calls and texts while the eSIM provides data. Plans are data-only unless you choose Data + calls, so there is no Finnish number by default; app-based messaging and calls work as normal over data.
How much data you need in Finland
Your data needs depend on the kind of trip. A city break is mostly maps and tickets; a Lapland winter holiday involves aurora forecasts, photos and video calls home; a summer cottage may mean using your phone as the only internet connection. The figures below are approximate, for planning only.
- Maps and navigation: around 5 to 10 MB an hour with the map open.
- Transport and ticket apps: light, but used often.
- Social media with photos and short videos: often 300 MB to 1 GB a day.
- Video calls: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- HD streaming: about 1 to 3 GB an hour.
Which plan suits which trip
A few days in Helsinki, perhaps with a day trip to Tallinn, fits a small fixed data plan. A week in Lapland with lots of photo and video sharing suits a larger plan. If you will stay at a lakeside cottage without broadband, work remotely or stream in the evenings, an unlimited plan priced by the day avoids keeping count, though speed may slow after heavy use. Regular visitors can choose a no-expiry plan so unused data carries over. Current options are on the prices page.
Install before you fly
Installing an eSIM requires an internet connection, so set it up at home. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked first; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. After payment the QR code arrives by email; then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Label the line Finland or Travel.
- Use the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid your provider's charges.
- Download offline maps for Lapland, the Lakeland or the archipelago if you are heading there.
- Install transport apps and sign in while you are on home Wi-Fi.
Arriving in Finland
Most international visitors land at Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, which is linked to Helsinki Central Station by local trains and buses. In winter, there are also direct flights to Lapland airports such as Rovaniemi, Kittilä (for Levi) and Ivalo (for Saariselkä and Inari). Many people arrive by sea from Stockholm, Tallinn or Germany, or by land from Sweden or Norway in the north.
- Switch off flight mode when allowed.
- Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; see our data roaming guide.
- Allow a minute for the phone to connect, restarting once if needed.
- Load a map or your train ticket to check data works before leaving the airport or terminal.
Coverage in cities, the Lakeland, the archipelago and Lapland
In Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Turku, Oulu and other towns, you can expect mobile data to be part of everyday life. Finland is large and sparsely populated beyond the south, with forest, lakes and fells covering much of the country. Coverage generally follows towns, roads and railways, and can weaken in deep forest, on remote lakes, on outer islands and in the wilderness of the north.
Your eSIM uses local partner networks; on this plan they are Alcom, DNA and Elisa. The phone chooses automatically as you travel.
The Finnish Lakeland
The Lakeland covers much of eastern and central Finland, centred on Lake Saimaa, with towns such as Savonlinna, Kuopio, Lappeenranta and Jyväskylä. Many visitors rent a summer cottage, or mökki, on a lake shore. Some cottages have broadband and some do not; if yours does not, your phone may be your only connection, so choose a plan size with that in mind. On boat trips and canoe routes, expect signal to vary.
The archipelago and Åland
Between Turku and Sweden lies a vast archipelago. The Archipelago Trail is a popular loop by road, bridge and small ferry through islands such as Nagu and Korpo. Further west, the Åland Islands are an autonomous, Swedish-speaking region of Finland, reached by ferry or plane. Coverage on islands and ferries varies with distance from larger settlements, and if you are travelling to Åland, check the coverage list on your plan page before you go.
Lapland
Rovaniemi, Levi, Ylläs, Saariselkä, Inari and Kilpisjärvi are the main bases in Finnish Lapland. Towns and resorts are connected, but out on the fells, frozen lakes and forest tracks between them, coverage can have gaps. Safari operators carry their own equipment; if you go out alone on skis or snowshoes, carry offline maps and tell someone your route. In mid-winter the polar night means very few hours of daylight, so plan activities and battery charging around it.
Trains, ferries and road trips
Finland's railway, run by VR, links Helsinki with Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Kuopio, Joensuu and Lapland. Night trains run from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and Kolari, and on overnight journeys through forest you may lose signal for stretches, so download films and tickets before boarding.
- Trains: VR tickets can be bought in the VR app and on its website.
- Helsinki: HSL runs buses, trams, the metro, local trains and the ferry to Suomenlinna, with tickets in the HSL app.
- Tallinn: frequent ferries cross the Gulf of Finland between Helsinki and Tallinn in Estonia. Check that your plan covers Estonia if you are going.
- Stockholm: overnight ferries run from Helsinki and Turku to Stockholm, many stopping in the Åland Islands. Signal at sea can drop, and onboard Wi-Fi may be limited or paid.
- Driving: roads are well maintained, but distances in the north are long and winter conditions demand care. Watch for reindeer on roads in Lapland and elk further south.
Hotspot and public Wi-Fi
Sharing your eSIM data is simple: turn on Personal Hotspot on iPhone or Mobile Hotspot on Android. At a cottage without broadband, this can keep a laptop and other phones online. Laptops use more data than phones in the background, so pause updates and cloud sync while tethered.
Free Wi-Fi is common in Finnish hotels, cafés, libraries, trains and many public spaces. It is useful, but shared networks are not always secure.
- Use mobile data, not public Wi-Fi, for payments and banking.
- Confirm the network name with staff before connecting.
- Only enter passwords on secure (https) pages.
- Turn off automatic connection to open networks.
Cashless payments and practical tips
Like the rest of the Nordics, Finland relies heavily on card and phone payments. Visitors can usually pay by card for almost everything, from coffee to husky safaris.
- Currency: the euro. Contactless card and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere.
- Local payment apps are popular with Finns, but visitors normally pay by card.
- Emergency number: 112.
- Everyman's rights let you walk, forage for berries and mushrooms and camp in the countryside within set rules. Read them before wild camping.
- Cold: Lapland winters are very cold, and phone batteries drain quickly. Keep the phone in an inside pocket and carry a power bank.
- Sauna: you will find one almost everywhere you stay. Leave your phone outside the hot room.
Combining Finland with Sweden, Norway or Estonia
Finland is easy to combine with its neighbours. Ferries link Helsinki with Tallinn and with Stockholm, Turku with Stockholm, and Vaasa with Umeå in Sweden. In the far north, Finland borders Sweden along the Torne River, where Tornio and Haparanda sit side by side, and Norway in Lapland, where many road trips continue to the Arctic coast. Near borders, your phone may connect to a network in the neighbouring country.
A Europe plan covers 36 countries with one eSIM. Check the country list on the plan page to make sure every stop is included, including Estonia if you are visiting Tallinn. For a trip that is mostly in Finland with a short visit elsewhere, separate plans for Sweden or Norway can also work.
Managing your data during the trip
You can check how much data is left whenever you like and add more data to the same eSIM if you need to. To make data last, download maps and entertainment on Wi-Fi, set photo backup to Wi-Fi only and turn off video autoplay in social apps.
If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and restart the phone. For anything else, email support@spidot.com with your order email.
