Best Poland SIM Cards for Tourists: Updated Prices & Where to Buy 2024

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!

I. Should You Get a Sim Card in Poland?

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.

II. Which Types of Poland SIM Card for Tourists is the Best?

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:

1. Prepaid Local Poland SIM Card

Prepaid local poland SIM Card is a prepaid nano/micro SIM card from Polish providers like Orange, Play, Plus etc.

• How it works: Purchase from stores/kiosks in Poland. Top up online or locally. Data/call credits last 30 days.
• Cost: SIM is ~$1-5. Plans start from $5/month for generous data e.g. 30GB for $7.
• Suitable for: Travelers primarily in Poland who want cheapest local connectivity.
• Pros: Very affordable plans, best coverage within Poland.
• Cons: Need to purchase in Poland, phone must be unlocked.

2. Prepaid International Poland SIM Card

Prepaid International Poland SIM Card is the travel / tourist SIM that works either in Poland only or in multiple countries including Poland and Europe.

• How it works: Purchase online, activated upon delivery. Data credits last 1-2 weeks usually.
• Cost: Around $25-50 for 10-20GB valid across destinations for 14-30 days.
• Suitable for: Backpackers combining Poland with other countries.
• Pros: Single SIM while traveling extensively.
• Cons: More expensive than local SIM, dependent on partner networks.

3. Prepaid travel eSIM for Poland

Prepaid travel eSIM for Poland is a digital Poland SIM activated online on compatible devices.

• How it works: Order online, receive QR code. Plans include only data, no calls.
• Cost: From $7 for 3GB valid 30 days. Expensive than local physical SIM.
• Suitable for: Travelers wanting contactless setup with data-only Focus.
• Pros: Convenient activation, dual SIM support.
• Cons: More costly than physical SIMs, data-only limit.

▶ Our Recommendation: 

To help you decide which type of SIM card to choose for your Poland trip, we give some insights:

• If you are only visiting Poland on this trip and not other countries and don’t mind showing identification, then a local Poland SIM card with data would be your best choice, 
• If you travel onwards in Europe, then an international travel SIM or eSIM card with data is your best option. No need to show identification.
• If your phone is equipped with eSIM, go for eSIM with data. No need to visit a store or swap physical SIM cards, everything is online, within 2 minutes. See a detailed list of eSIM-compatible devices.

III. Buy Best Poland SIM Card Packages for Tourists and Price – Which to choose?

Four major mobile network operators in Poland that sell prepaid SIM cards for tourists are: 

• Orange Poland, 
• T-Mobile Poland
• Plus
• Play.

Here are their tourist plans and cost:

1. Buy Poland Orange Plans and Price

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: 

• Plans include data, minutes/SMS for use in Poland and EU roaming
• Orange Flex offers monthly plans via an app with optional 5G access

2. Buy Poland T-Mobile SIM Card Plans and Price

Here are the prepaid plans for tourists from T-Mobile Poland:

• Smart! Prepaid: between 2-15 GB data + unlimited calls and SMS, valid for 30 days = starting at PLN 20 (USD 4.60).
• T-Mobile Heyah!: 1-10 GB data, valid for 7-30 days
• Data-only eSIM plans: between 1-15 GB allowances, valid for 7-30 days = from PLN 10 (USD 2.30) to PLN 40 (USD 9.20). Plans can be activated online without a Polish phone number

3. Buy Poland Plus SIM Card Plans and Price

. Here are the prepaid plans for tourists from Plus Poland:

• Plus na Kartę: between 2-40 GB data, unlimited calls/SMS = starting at PLN 20 (USD 4.60) for 30 days
• Data-only eSIM: 5-50 GB allowances, valid for 30 days. Activation online without Polish number
• Pay & Go packages:
  • 1 GB data, valid for 7 days = PLN 10 (USD 2.30)
  • 5 GB data, valid for 30 days = PLN 20 (USD 4.60)

4. Buy Poland Play SIM Card Plans and Price

Here are prepaid plans for tourists of Play Poland:

Unlimited mobile internet, calls and SMS:

• Get up to 5000 GB for a year, including 200 GB for a start
• Price: No additional cost

Unlimited bundles:

• Bundle S: $7/month – 30 GB data + unlimited calls/SMS/MMS
• Bundle M: $8/month – 40 GB data + 1200 GB extra data/year
• Bundle L: $9/month – 50 GB data + 2400 GB extra data/year
• Bundle XL: $10/month – Unlimited 60 GB data at full speed + 4800 GB extra data/year

Additional data bundles:

• Day package: $1.20/day – 10 GB data
• Week package: $4.80/week – 30 GB data
• Month package: $12/month – 100 GB data + 4800 GB extra data/year

▶ 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.

IV. Where to Buy a Tourist SIM Card for Poland?

You can buy SIM cards for Poland travel by 04 ways below:

1. Buy at international airports upon arrival

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.

2. Buy in Poland city centers

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.

3. Buy online before departure (SIM, eSIM)

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.

V. How Much Data is Enough for a Prepaid Tourist SIM Card for Poland?

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

VII. Poland eSIM – Alternative to Physical SIM Cards to Get Internet in Poland

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.

VIII. Which Poland Mobile Networks Are The Best for Tourists?

Poland has 04 major mobile internet providers: 

• Orange Poland
• T-Mobile Poland
• Plus Poland 
• Play Poland. 

See more details below so you can decide which carrier to go for when traveling in Poland. 

1. Orange Poland

• Offers reliable network coverage across Poland
• Provides affordable prepaid and postpaid plans for both short and long stays
• Has flexible contracts with no long commitment if only visiting for a short period
• Website is available in English so foreigners can navigate easily
• Provides competitive pricing on data packages

2. T-Mobile Poland

• Has the widest 4G network coverage in Poland, reaching over 98% of population
• Offers many prepaid packages targeting tourists with data-only eSIM options
• Customer support is available in English for assistance
• Flexible month-to-month plans without long contracts are suitable for short trips
• Provides deals bundled with OTT platforms for entertainment on the go

3. Plus

• Known for offering excellent value on calls and SMS nationwide
• Prepaid packages are affordable for basic connectivity needs
• Coverage reaches over 99% of Poland which is important for traveling across regions
• No language barriers as menus and support is multilingual including English

4. Play

• Best option for data lovers with generous data allowances even on basic packages
• Provides data-centric packages that don’t expire for continued usage
• Affordable prices make it suitable for travelers on a budget
• Customer service available in foreign languages including English
• Reliable 4G coverage in major cities and towns visited by tourists

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.

IX. How to Use Poland Prepaid SIM Cards and eSIM

1. Using prepaid Poland tourist SIM Cards

Here are the steps to use a tourist SIM card in Poland:

• Check if your phone works with SIM cards in Poland. Most phones from other countries will work.
• Buy a prepaid SIM card online or in stores
• If buying in stores, tell the shop assistant to activate the SIM for you. Or you can do it online later with the details.
• Insert the new SIM into your phone and turn it on.
• Check you have mobile internet access by visiting a certain website.

2. Setting up and activating Poland eSIM 

Here are the steps to use a tourist eSIM in Poland:

• Check if your phone supports eSIM usage.
• Research and choose an eSIM plan online from a good provider (like Gigago). Look at how much data, price and validity.
• Pay for the plan on the website using a card. This may take minutes.
• The website will instantly email the eSIM setup details.
• Open email on your phone and click the eSIM profile link or QR code.
• Scan the QR code to install the eSIM automatically.
• A message may appear when network connection is ready.
• You can now use mobile internet, texts and calling through the eSIM.

X. FAQs

XI. Conclusion

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.