Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Germany
- NETWORKS
- Fixed data: O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone · Unlimited: O2, T-Mobile
- 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 Germany, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Visiting more than one country?
Europe
Germany and 35 more countries on one eSIM
from$5.90
See the Europe planQuestions about the Germany eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Germany?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Do I need to register my eSIM with ID like a German SIM card?
Will I have signal for the whole of a long ICE journey?
Can I use the eSIM to buy the Deutschlandticket or DB tickets?
Is the eSIM useful at trade fairs in Frankfurt, Munich or Cologne?
Will I have data on a Rhine or Danube river cruise?
Can I buy a plan once I am already in Germany?
Using an eSIM in Germany: a practical guide for travellers
Germany is a country you tend to cross rather than stay still in. A typical visit might combine Berlin with a train to Munich, a trade fair in Frankfurt, Hanover or Cologne, a drive along the Romantic Road, or a Christmas market tour through Nuremberg, Dresden and Leipzig. Most of that is easier with mobile data: live train times, tickets on your phone, navigation on the Autobahn and translation when a menu is only in German.
This guide covers how a travel eSIM for Germany compares with roaming and a German SIM card, how to pick a plan size, what to expect from coverage on trains and in the countryside, and a few local habits worth knowing. Plans start from $2.90, and everything can be set up before you leave home.
Your options for mobile data in Germany
Travellers usually choose between three approaches. They each have strengths, so it is worth thinking about how long you are staying and what you need your phone for.
Roaming on your home plan
Visitors with a SIM from another EU or EEA country can normally use their home allowance in Germany under the EU "Roam like at Home" rules, within their provider's fair-use limits. That does not cover most SIMs from outside the EU, such as many UK, US, Canadian, Indian or Australian plans, where roaming can be charged separately. Ask your provider before you travel rather than finding out from the bill.
A German prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold in operator shops, electronics stores and some supermarkets and petrol stations. Germany requires prepaid SIMs to be registered with identification before they work, and the activation step can take time, sometimes involving a video or in-store identity check. If you are staying for months and want a German number, that effort can be worthwhile. For a short trip it is often more hassle than it is worth.
A travel eSIM
A Spidot eSIM is downloaded to your phone before you travel and switched on when you land. Your own SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts, so you remain reachable on your usual number, while the eSIM handles data. Most plans are data-only; if you need a number for calls, there is a Data + calls plan. WhatsApp, Signal, FaceTime and other calling apps work normally over data.
Choosing a plan size for your trip
Data use depends on habits more than on the number of days. As a very rough guide: navigation and maps use relatively little per hour, messaging and browsing are light unless you send lots of photos and videos, video calls can use hundreds of megabytes per hour, and streaming HD video can use more than a gigabyte per hour. Treat these as estimates; apps and settings vary.
- City break or business trip of a few days: maps, DB Navigator, email and messaging fit comfortably in a small fixed data plan.
- One to two weeks touring by train or car: navigation every day, booking accommodation as you go and posting photos call for a mid-sized or larger plan.
- Working on the road: tethering a laptop for video meetings on the ICE or in a hotel adds up quickly. An unlimited plan charged by the day avoids watching every megabyte, although speed can slow after heavy use.
- Frequent visits or uncertain dates: a no-expiry plan keeps unused data for your next trip.
Topping up
If you underestimate, you can add more data to the same eSIM. All current plan sizes and prices are on the prices page.
Installing the eSIM before you go
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home on Wi-Fi. Before you buy, check your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to your carrier; dialling *#06# shows an EID if your phone has an eSIM.
The QR code arrives by email right after payment. Step-by-step instructions are in the install guide for iPhone, and for Samsung and Pixel. Name the new line "Germany" or "Travel", keep your own SIM as the default for calls and texts, and pick the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install the DB Navigator app for Deutsche Bahn trains and the local transport app for the city you are arriving in, such as BVG for Berlin or MVV for Munich.
- Download offline maps for regions where you will drive or hike.
- Download a German offline language pack in your translation app.
- Save hotel addresses and booking references offline.
Arriving at German airports and stations
Frankfurt and Munich are the largest international hubs. Berlin Brandenburg (BER), Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne Bonn, Stuttgart, Hanover, Nuremberg and Leipzig/Halle also handle many international flights, and lots of visitors arrive by train from neighbouring countries on ICE, Eurostar, Nightjet or regional services.
On arrival, turn off airplane mode, check that mobile data is set to the Spidot line, and turn on data roaming for it. The data roaming guide shows where to find this on each phone. If you do not see a network after a minute or two, switch airplane mode on and off once.
Frankfurt and Munich airports both have long-distance and S-Bahn stations, and BER is connected to central Berlin by regional trains and the S-Bahn. Having data as soon as you land lets you buy the right ticket in the app and check departures before you reach the platform.
Coverage in cities, the countryside and on the coast
Your eSIM uses local German networks; O2 and T-Mobile are the partners currently used for this plan. In Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Dresden and other cities, coverage is generally good, including on most U-Bahn and S-Bahn routes.
Rural areas and forests
Germany has a reputation for occasional dead spots, known locally as Funklöcher, particularly in rural areas, deep valleys and forests. You may notice weaker signal in places such as parts of the Black Forest, the Eifel, the Harz, the Bavarian Forest, the Thuringian Forest and quieter areas of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. Signal usually returns as you reach a town, but offline maps are worth having.
The Alps and hiking areas
Around Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Berchtesgaden, the Allgäu and Saxon Switzerland near Dresden, coverage is fine in towns but less reliable on mountain paths and in gorges. Carry a power bank, download trail maps in advance and do not rely on mobile data alone for safety in the mountains.
North Sea and Baltic islands
Popular islands such as Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, Norderney and the other East Frisian islands, and Rügen and Usedom on the Baltic coast, are usually well covered in the resort towns. Dunes, beaches and nature reserves away from the villages can be patchier.
Data on German trains, the Autobahn and ferries
Most visitors get around by Deutsche Bahn, and many also drive at least part of the way.
ICE, IC and regional trains
ICE and IC trains link the big cities, while regional RE and RB trains and the S-Bahn serve everything else. Mobile signal on board varies: some routes are well covered, others pass through tunnels, hills and forests where it drops for a few minutes. Many long-distance trains also offer onboard Wi-Fi, but it can be slow when busy, so your own data is a useful back-up. Keep your ticket saved offline in DB Navigator so you can show it even without signal.
Germany also has the Deutschlandticket, a monthly subscription valid on local and regional transport across the country, which visitors on longer stays sometimes use. It is managed through an app or digital ticket, so having data helps when you set it up.
Driving
Phone navigation works well on the Autobahn and is useful for live traffic on busy holiday weekends and around roadworks. Several cities have low-emission zones (Umweltzonen) that require a sticker on the windscreen, which hire cars normally already have. Download offline maps for rural routes, use a mount, and remember German law does not allow you to hold a phone while driving.
Ferries and lake boats
Ferries to the North Sea islands, across Lake Constance (Bodensee) and to Scandinavia from Kiel, Rostock and Travemünde are popular. On short crossings close to the shore you normally stay connected. On longer sea routes you may lose land signal, and onboard services can be separate maritime networks; turn data roaming off if your phone shows an unfamiliar network at sea.
Hotspot sharing and public Wi-Fi
Personal hotspot usually works with the eSIM, so you can connect a laptop or tablet, or share with a travel companion. Laptops can download updates and sync cloud folders in the background, so pause those before tethering.
Public Wi-Fi is available in many hotels, cafés, stations and on some trains and buses, but quality varies and open networks are not always secure. Avoid banking or entering passwords on networks you do not trust, check websites use HTTPS, and switch to your own mobile data when you need a private connection.
Local tips for travelling in Germany with your phone
A few things about Germany catch visitors off guard.
- Cash still matters: cards and phone payments are increasingly accepted, but some bakeries, small restaurants, beer gardens and market stalls still prefer or only take cash. Carry some euros, and check before you order.
- Validate where required: on some local transport you must validate a paper ticket before travelling, while app tickets are usually valid from purchase. Ticket checks are common and fines are issued on the spot.
- Sundays are quiet: most shops, including supermarkets, are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Station shops and petrol stations are the usual exceptions, so checking opening times online helps.
- Taxis and ride-hailing: licensed taxis are widespread. Uber, Bolt and other ride-hailing apps operate in many large cities, often working with licensed drivers.
- Rail disruption: delays and platform changes are common, so check DB Navigator before and during your journey.
- Translation: outside the big cities, menus and signs may only be in German, and a camera translation app saves a lot of guesswork.
Travelling on from Germany
Germany borders nine countries: Denmark, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Day trips and onward journeys are easy, whether it is Salzburg from Munich, Prague from Dresden, Amsterdam from Cologne, Basel from Freiburg or Copenhagen from Hamburg.
A Germany plan works in Germany only. If you are crossing borders, the Europe plan covers 36 countries on one eSIM. There are also single-country pages for Austria, Czechia, Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland and France.
Switzerland is not in the EU. Around Lake Constance, Basel and Konstanz your phone may pick up a Swiss network even while you are still in Germany, so look at the network name on your screen and check which countries your plan covers.
Managing your data during the trip
Check how much data is left every few days, especially if you share a hotspot or upload a lot of photos. If you need more, add more data to the same eSIM.
When you are back home, switch mobile data back to your own SIM. You can leave the eSIM installed until the plan expires and remove it later.
