Buy Austria SIM Card for Tourists in 2024

Are you planning to travel to Austria in the next few months? Do you know about telecommunications in this country and how to stay connected when traveling there? Below are updated tips to buy an Austrian SIM card for your information. Read through this article and make a plan for your own trip. 

I. Where to Buy a Tourist SIM Card for Austria?

It is easy to buy an Austria SIM card for your trip. You can choose whichever is more convenient for you. 

Before your trip

• Buy eSIM online: you can choose to buy eSIM online before flying to Austria. Within a few minutes, you can activate the SIM and it will be ready for you to use. It is the most convenient and fastest option, you do not need to wait to find physical stores. You can use Gigago eSIM starting with $5.  
• International SIM cards: there are some operators such as O2 Go Card and Orange Holiday Europe who offer prepaid SIMs covering multiple European countries, including Austria. You may be charged online or from electronics stores in your country

Upon arrival in Austria

• Mobile operator stores: you can easily find official stores of the Austria operators like A1, Magenta Telekom, and Drei in major cities and tourist destinations. They provide plenty of tourist plans with data, calls, and SMS options.
• Telephone shops: there are some phone shops in Austria that offer many options from different operators. You can compare and choose the best plan for you. 
• Electronics stores, convenience stores: there are some supermarkets such as Billa, Penny, and Merkur, or electronics stores like MediaMarkt, and convenience stores like Bipa that sell prepaid SIM cards. 
• Vienna Airport: you can buy prepaid SIM cards at Vienna Airport. They have many options from operators from A1, Magenta Telekom, and Drei for you to choose from. However, the price may be a little bit higher. 
• Hotels: some hotels may offer SIM cards to tourists or provide information on where to buy them nearby. You can ask them for more information.

II. What Are The Best Austria SIM Card Packages for Tourists?

There are 3 main mobile operators in Austria offering prepaid packages for tourists. 

1. Best Austria A1 SIM Card Plans and Price

A1 Austria or A1 is the largest mobile operator in Austria. It has the best network performance in this country. Not only active in Austria, it is also available in Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia & Slovenia. 

There are some plans that you can choose as:

• A1 SIMply S: 120GB mobile data + unlimited call/ SMS – 14.9EUR/ month ~ 16.4USD
• A1 SIMply L: 24 GB mobile data + unlimited call/ SMS – 24.9EUR/ month ~ 27.4USD
• A1 SIMply Unlimited: Unlimited +5G mobile data + unlimited call/ SMS – 55.9EUR/ month ~ 61.4USD

For more information about A1 Telekom plans and prices, you can visit A1 website. 

2. Best Austria T-mobile SIM Card Plans and Price

T-mobile is now known as Magenta Telekom. It is considered as the best 4G network and has good coverage within Austria. There are some plans and their prices:

• Klax S: 1000 mins or SMS + 30 GB – €9.90/ 28 days ~ 10.9USD
• Klax M: 2000 mins or SMS + 40 GB – €14.90/ 28 days ~ 16.4USD
• Klax Unlimited: unlimited mins or SMS + unlimited data – €29.90/ 28 days ~ 32.3USD

3. Best Austria Drei SIM Card Plans and Price

Drei is the smallest operator but offers the fastest 5G NR speeds. They offer some plans that help for your trip.

• 4GB + 1,000 minutes + 1,000 local SMS: 9.9EUR/ 30 days ~ 10.9USD
• 10 GB + no call or text: 9.9EUR/ 30 days ~ 10.9USD

III. Do I Need to Buy a SIM Card in Austria?

Yes. Getting a SIM card in Austria will bring you many benefits in comparison to other options like free wifi, roaming or pocket wifi. Let’s see what are its advantages. 

	SIM Card	Free WiFi	Roaming	Pocket WiFi
Cost	Affordable with many plans to choose	Usually free	Most expensive	Usually expensive
Availability	Always available in the country	Available at some specific places	Available but might be limited and depend on operator	Easily available
Coverage	Broad coverage	Limited	Reliable, but depend on network and operator	Broad coverage, but depend on provider
Convenience	Easy to use	Easy but require searching for wifi	Seamless, but need to set up	Easy, but need to carry a device belong
Speed	Good	Variable depending on specific places	May vary, depends on network	Good speed but depends on provider
Security	Most secure and private	Risk of unsecured networks	Generally secure	Secure, but risk if device lost

So, getting a new SIM card is a good choice when you are traveling to Austria because of the following reasons: 

• Affordable price: a SIM card in Austria is a cost effective option. It offers many plans for you to choose the most suitable one
• Availability: you can easily buy a SIM card at the airport, convenience stores or mobile shops upon arrival
• Broad coverage: a SIM card is reliable and widespread. I will allow you to stay connected with other people including remote areas where wifi is limited
• Variety plans: local SIM cards offer flexible plans for you. You can easily choose data packages that is suitable for you
• Security: Using a SIM card is secure because you do not need to share data or information publicly. It can reduce risk of data loss or security breaches. 

In conclusion, you can have many choices of telecommunication in Austria. But using a SIM card is the most convenient, cost effective and secure option. You can always be connected to the world. 

IV. What to Prepare to Buy Prepaid SIM cards in Austria?

Here’s what you typically need to prepare to buy a prepaid SIM card in Austria:

• Passport: Your passport is essential for identification and registration purposes with the Austrian mobile provider.
• Payment Method: Most shops accept credit cards and cash, but it’s wise to have both options available.

V. Types of Austria SIM Card for Tourists – Which One is the Best?

There are two main types of SIM cards for tourists in Austria. Let’s check what they are. 

1. Prepaid physical SIM card in Austria

Prepaid physical Austria SIM card has some plan styles:

• Data-only SIM option: this plan is suitable for someone who only need to browse Internet, use Google maps or stay connected with online applications 
• Data + voice + text plan: this plan will help you stay connected with family, friends and local people through a local phone number
• Tourist-specific prepaid SIM card: it is designed for tourists. It may have benefits for tourists such as data allowances, international phone call options. It is usually for short-term stay only. 

2. Prepaid Tourist Austria eSIM

eSIM card is an embedded SIM that you do not need to insert into your phone. You can easily activate it with a QR code. Then, you can use and have many functions like a physical sim. Just follow the instructions of the carrier to activate, apply the settings and now you are connected to the world. 

However, eSIM is only available and compatible for some devices. You should check whether your phone is compatible. 

It is the same as a physical SIM card. You have some plans of data or voice and text plans to choose. To help you clearly understand about the differences between 2 type of SIM cards in Austria, please check table below:

	Prepaid Austria physical SIM card	Prepaid Austria eSIM card
Pros	– Cost-effective  – Many plans for choosing depends on needs  – Work with most of the phone	– Activate online, no need to remove SIM from phone – Buy and choose plans online, using QR code to scan  – Use both two SIMs accordingly (1 eSIM + 1 physical SIM or 2 eSIMs, depends on phone model) – Many plans for choosing and you can top up at any time
Cons	– Need time to buy or wait for delivery before you can use  – May lost your primary SIM when you remove to insert new SIM – Need to remove the current SIM before insert new one if your phone has only one slot	– Not all mobile operators provide eSIM. Only Drei (3) Austria is offering prepaid eSIM for travelers – Phone need to be unlocked for using eSIM  – Only some phone models are supported with eSIM installation

► Our recommendations:

• If your need is just to use Internet to connect with some online apps and your phone is compatible to eSIM, you should use virtual SIM for your convenience
• But if your phone is not supported to install eSIM, you can choose prepaid data SIM card to stay connected in Austria

VI. Austria eSIM – Alternative to Physical SIM Cards to Get Internet in Austria

eSIMs are an amazing option for travelers thanks to their convenience and flexibility. Following are some details about eSIM in Austria you should know. 

1. Benefits of Austria eSIMs 

Using an eSIM has a lot of benefits such as: 

• Easy active: you can easily activate your eSIM online with a QR code within a minute  without the need to find physical stores or deal with SIM card trays 
• Multiple choices: there are many data packages from around 10EUR with different usage needs and budget for you to choose 
• Dual SIM functionality: most modern phones support keeping your existing SIM active alongside the Austria eSIM, allowing you to receive calls and messages from both lines.
• No roaming charges: you can avoid expensive roaming charges and hidden fees with prepaid eSIM plans.
• Easy management: you can easily manage your plan, top-up data, and check usage through the provider’s app or online portal.

2. eSIM providers in Austria 

You can purchase eSIM before traveling for easy communication. Gigago Austria eSIM provides a lot of data plans from A1, T-Mobile , Orange mobile network. Price starts from $5 for 300MB/ day. 

There are something you should consider before purchasing an eSIM 

• Phone compatibility: most phones are compatible with eSIM, but not all. You should ensure your phone has eSIM support and check which eSIM format
• Activation terms and conditions: some providers might require passport registration during activation, you should bring your passport for verifying 
• Data coverage: Check the network coverage map of the chosen provider to ensure good connectivity throughout your trip.
• Data Tethering: Verify if the plan allows data tethering to share your internet connection with other devices.

VII. How long does a tourist SIM card last in Austria?

Tourist SIM card durations in Austria vary by provider and plan.

For T-Mobile Austria, they offer a “Holiday SIM” specifically designed for tourists. This SIM card typically comes with 10GB of data and is valid for 14 days.

However, T-Mobile Austria, like many providers, likely has other prepaid options with different data allowances and validity periods. It’s best to check their website or visit a T-Mobile store upon arrival in Austria for the most up-to-date information and to choose a plan that suits your needs.

VIII. How to Use Austria Prepaid SIM Cards and eSIM

Using a prepaid SIM card or an eSIM in Austria is an easy process. For a prepaid SIM Card, you can purchase a SIM card, then registration, insert SIM to phone and top-up load. For eSIM, you must check your phone compatibility first, then activate eSIM by scanning QR code. Now you can use it right away. 

IX. FAQs

X. Conclusion

Wherever you are traveling to, staying connected or being updated with Internet connection is a crucial matter. To avoid the high cost of international roaming, it is better to get an Austrian SIM card or eSIM depending on your demands. Should you check data plans before purchasing. Hope this information helps you to arrange for your next trip. Have a good trip then!