Poland SIM cards have become very popular for travelers worldwide. Preparing for the trip, you may want to know the best way to get Internet access in Poland. While international roaming could be expensive, getting a local Poland SIM card is the most recommended way for tourists to stay online throughout their trip. This article will give all you need to know information about tourist SIM cards for Poland, from SIM type, costs, best plans for tourists, to things to prepare and extra tips from experienced users. Let’s take a look!
In this article
Can foreigners get a SIM Card in Poland?
Yes, foreigners can get a SIM card in Poland. Getting a prepaid SIM card in Poland as a tourist or visitor is very straightforward. ID/passport may need to be shown but no lengthy sign-up process.
Should you get a SIM card in Poland?
Yes, certainly.
Here are some reasons why you should consider buying a Poland SIM card instead of solely relying on WiFi, roaming or pocket WiFi:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
| Local SIM card | Cheap data-only plans available, comprehensive network coverage, easy top-ups. | Need to swap the SIM |
| Free WiFi | Most often, free | Slow speeds, availability limited to hotspots, security risks. |
| Roaming with your home SIM | Familiar numberNo need to do anything else | Very high costs, data plans may be inferior to Poland offers. |
| Pocket WiFi rental | Portable WiFi, Internet can be shared | Limited data, slow speeds, rental fees involved, always bring along, maintain specific distance for stable connection |
From the table above, it can be said that a Poland SIM card offers the best balance of cost, speed, coverage and convenience.
▶ Our recommendation: Choose a prepaid SIM card for your Poland trip. However, there are 03 types of SIM cards for travelers to Poland: Local SIM cards, International SIM cards, and eSIM cards. You are recommended to choose either International or eSIM as a means of getting Internet access in Poland. We will explain in detail in the section below.
As aforementioned, tourists have 03 options to choose regarding SIM cards: local physical, international physical, and virtual one.
See below to understand more about them:
Prepaid local poland SIM Card is a prepaid nano/micro SIM card from Polish providers like Orange, Play, Plus etc.
Prepaid International Poland SIM Card is the travel / tourist SIM that works either in Poland only or in multiple countries including Poland and Europe.
Prepaid travel eSIM for Poland is a digital Poland SIM activated online on compatible devices.
▶ Our Recommendation:
To help you decide which type of SIM card to choose for your Poland trip, we give some insights:
Important note: In 2017, the EU banned international roaming fees within the European Union. But Poland mobile operators asked not to join that free EU roaming agreement. The European Commission allowed this since mobile data is very cheap in Poland. However, from August 2023, many Poland prepaid SIMs now offer some data to use in the EU. Therefore, when buying a SIM card in Poland, ask about any limits on using it elsewhere in Europe.
Good to know: Exchange rate of 1 PLN = $0.22 USD (as of January 2024)
Four major mobile network operators in Poland that sell prepaid SIM cards for tourists are:
Here are their tourist plans and cost:
Here are the prepaid plans for tourists from Orange Poland:
Orange Pay As You Go: 30 GB of high-speed data (15 GB from the unlimited service and 15 GB from a PLN 30 top-up) + Unlimited calls, SMS and MMS to all Polish networks +Free 5000 GB for a year when activating this starter
Orange Flex: starting at PLN 15/month for 30 days including minutes, SMS and data. Flex Plans also available with higher data allowances and 5G access
Note:
Here are the prepaid plans for tourists from T-Mobile Poland:
. Here are the prepaid plans for tourists from Plus Poland:
Here are prepaid plans for tourists of Play Poland:
Unlimited mobile internet, calls and SMS:
Unlimited bundles:
Additional data bundles:
▶ Our recommendation: To buy these packages from major mobile network operators in Poland, you need to present your ID or Passport, which is a little bit troublesome for many tourists.
To avoid the registration scheme, choose a travel eSIM for Poland instead. No need to show a passport. No queueing at stores.
You can buy SIM cards for Poland travel by 04 ways below:
The most convenient place is at Chopin Airport in Warsaw. There are phone shops in the arrival hall where you can buy SIM cards.
Pros: get internet access right upon arrival; no barrier of language differences
Cons: higher price than in cities; less plan options; passport required; if arriving late at night, SIM kiosks at airports may not open.
You can buy SIM cards for Poland in convenience stores, official stores of mobile internet providers like Orange, Play, Plus, or phone stores everywhere in city centers.
Use Google Maps to find the nearest store to your hotel.
Pros: cheaper and more options than buying at airports
Cons: language barriers, staff may not support you to set up the SIM, need to go to the stores, passport required for verification.
You can order an international SIM card or an e-SIM card for Poland online if your phone supports e-sim. Then you don’t need to buy one after arriving in Poland.
Pros: be active when choosing plans, no need to show passport, have Internet right upon arrival
Cons: need to wait for SIM delivery if buying SIM cards
▶ Our recommendation: The easiest way is to buy eSIM for Poland online before departure. This will save you hassle in finding stores or save your money in comparison with buying at airports due to high prices.
Here is how much data may be enough for different lengths of trips to Poland:
| Length of Trip | Suggested Data | Activities |
| 1 week | 5-8 GB | – Covers basic browsing, maps, social media- Leave room for videos on weekends |
| 2 weeks | 8-12 GB | – Regular browsing, social media- Occasional videos or FaceTime calls- Spotify streaming 1-2 hours daily |
| 3 weeks | 12-15 GB | – Frequent maps/translation apps use- Watching 1-2 videos daily- Zoom calls or streaming for 2-3 hours total |
Pro Tip: Put these tips into your pocket so you can choose Plan SIM plans for the best value:
An eSIM is very convenient for travelers to Poland as it allows you to easily access Poland’s fast cellular networks almost instantly without hassles associated with other means of getting Internet access.
The only condition for eSIM usage is that it requires unlocked and eSIM-supported devices. As long as you meet these requirements, you can reap all benefits of eSIM.
However, which eSIM provider should you choose?
Gigago‘s Poland eSIM plans offer great value. The eSIM provider offers multiple data plan options for Poland, starting from a 3-day plan with 300MB per day for $5 as their most minimal plan. They also have 5-day, 7-day, 10-day, 14-day, 15-day, 20-day, 25-day, 28-day, and 30-day plans ranging from 1GB to 50GB of data, with prices from $5 up to $136.90.
That way, you will have reliable connectivity across Poland on major networks T-Mobile and Orange.
Once purchased, setup is simple – just scan the QR code to instantly install the eSIM on your compatible phone.
There you have many options to choose from that possibly fit with different needs, and trip duration. To see things in more details, visit Gigago eSIM for Poland.
Poland has 04 major mobile internet providers:
See more details below so you can decide which carrier to go for when traveling in Poland.
From the above collected data we can see that Orange has the best 4G/5G network overall in Poland in 2023. However, Plus seems to have the best 5G network in Poland as of 2023.
In summary, Orange, T-Mobile and Plus provide the best coverage nationwide while T-Mobile and Play offer most competitive data deals. Orange and Plus have packages suitable for basic communication needs. T-Mobile and Orange make the online experience easy for foreigners.
Important Note: In general, the mobile network coverage in Poland is so extensive that even travelers that go off the beaten path in Poland will find a 4G signal almost everywhere no matter which SIM card they use.
Here are the steps to use a tourist SIM card in Poland:
Here are the steps to use a tourist eSIM in Poland:
Yes. You need to show your passport if buying a SIM card at airports or in stores in Poland’s city centers.
It depends on how you plan to use your data. 1-2GB is sufficient for light email/chat use. 5GB handles navigation and social media. 10GB+ provides comfortable coverage for videos too.
Yes, many Polish SIM cards now include data roaming in the EU. Be sure to check if your plan allows a certain monthly data limit outside Poland before traveling further.
Most US, European and East Asian phones are unlocked and will work in Poland. Try inserting a valid SIM from your provider at home to check for network connectivity on the phone.
In conclusion, having a Poland SIM card is extremely convenient for tourists who want to stay connected while traveling. Buying a prepaid SIM / eSIM before departure will warrant there is no need to worry about high roaming charges or interruptions to services. With affordable eSIM plans available at Gigago, tourists get great value compared to roaming fees from home.
Hope that this guide has helped you choose the best way to stay connected in Poland during your trip.
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