Purchasing Romania SIM cards is necessary for visitors to take advantage of reasonably priced cell service when visiting this country. This guide will help you in selecting the best prepaid Romania SIM card options, as well as where to get SIM cards and what to prepare when buying SIM cards.
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Three biggest mobile operators offer the best Romania SIM card plans for tourists: Orange, Vodafone, and Telekom. Each provides a variety of prepaid plans, data bundles, and other mobile services to fulfill the demands of both locals and travelers.
Vodafone Romania is a prominent mobile network provider in the nation, offering dependable service and wide 4G coverage. Vodafone offers a variety of choices for travelers searching for a reliable prepaid SIM card.
In Romania, Orange is one of the top mobile providers. Some statistics indicate that they serve over 10 million customers. Some options for tourists when buying Orange SIM card:
Telekom provides a diverse range of services, including mobile services (both fixed and mobile telephony) and broadband internet. Some of the more effective alternatives they have are:
Recommendation:
You have 3 main ways to buy a tourist SIM card in Romania: purchasing online, or buying upon arrival at the Romania airport or in the city center.
Prior to your trip, you can purchase a tourist SIM card for Romania by choosing an appropriate package from a reputable online agency like Gigago, Maya Mobile. After roughly five to ten days, the SIM card will be mailed to your location. Don’t forget to bring the SIM card packet to Romania and insert it when you get there.
Pros:
Cons:
When traveling to Romania, the easiest location to get a prepaid SIM card is at the Bucharest International Airport (OTP) and Cluj Avram Iancu Airport (CLJ), which are two main international airports in Romania . At both Bucharest and Cluj airports, SIM cards may only be purchased from Relay convenience stores.
Relay stores are small convenience stores that are often found in airports and train stations. They may sell a number of things, such as SIM cards. This store is located at International departure and connecting passage between arrivals, departure terminals at Bucharest International Airport.
Some SIM card providers require you to have a passport or take pictures to register. Each airport will have similar process steps and they may be complicated procedures. Therefore, you should bring your passport when you go to buy a new SIM card.
Pros: Convenient. You’ll be able to get a SIM card as soon as you land and be connected right away.
Cons:
If you are in Romania city, it is best to head to official stores of Orange, Vodafone, or Telekom in Bucharest and other major cities.
Pros: They are easily located with Google Maps. When you buy a Romania SIM card there, the staff will ensure your SIM is activated and help you with data connection before you leave. Moreover, these stores offer a wider selection of plans and packages compared to airport kiosks.
Cons: You need to carry your ID or passport with you and provide your personal information, which might be inconvenient while traveling.
Here are some locations to find Romania SIM card you can refer to:
Note: Official stores might be hard to find in some cities, especially depending on the popularity of the specific mobile provider in a particular area. In that case, you can conveniently find Romania SIM cards at kiosks, convenience stores, and even supermarkets.
Advice for tourists: Estimate how much data you'll need for browsing, social media and navigation. You can ask the staff at carrier stores to find the best value for your data needs and trip duration.
A SIM card typically costs between €5 and €15, with data plans starting at around €5 for small bundles. Larger data plans may be more expensive, based on data amount and plan duration. The price of a prepaid SIM card in Romania varies according to the operator and data package you select.
Remember that: You should research plans offered by different carriers to find the best value for your needs. Compare prices, coverage, speed and packages then choose the one that fits your needs.
Tourists in Romania can choose between a physical prepaid Romania SIM card and a prepaid eSIM for Romania. Here is the summary of the key differences between physical prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs in Romania.
| Prepaid SIM card Romania | Tourists eSIM for Romania | |
| Convenience | Readily available at airports, phone stores, and convenience stores. Requires showing your passport for registration. | Purchase online before your trip and activate remotely. No need to deal with registration upon arrival. |
| Compatibility | Works with unlocked GSM phones | Requires a phone compatible with eSIM technology. Check your phone’s specifications. |
| How to use | Once activated, simply top up with credit to use data, calls, or texts. | Download the eSIM provider’s app. Usually involves scanning a QR code. |
| Plan Example | Telecom offers unlimited mobile packages (€6): Unlimited 4G, calls to national networks (100 minutes to EEA countries) and texts to national networks. | Gigago offers Romania eSIM from multiple mostly-use suppliers in Romania. Expect to have 4G/LTE/5G speed. Unlimited data at 128kbps after max-speed data usage exceeds |
| Price | Prices vary depending on data allowance and validity period. Generally starts from €10 and goes up. | Generally more expensive compared to prepaid SIM cards, but can be convenient for some travelers. |
► Our recommendations:
Yes. Using a local SIM card in Romania offers significant benefits for travelers:
Important Note: Make sure your device is unlocked before using Romania SIM cards. Request assistance from your home carrier if it is locked.
Before purchasing a SIM card in Romania, you must have certain documents ready, such as your ID card and passport. Sometimes you might also have to present your visa. You can use your credit or debit card to make the payment, but be sure it is approved for foreign use. Keeping some cash on hand for emergencies is also a smart move. Having these things ready will make it easier for you to get a SIM card in Romania.
Advice: To avoid registration and verification procedures when buying SIM cards in Romania, you can consider buying eSIM if your phone supports eSIM.
Romania eSIM offers several advantages over traditional SIM cards for tourists in Romania. With eSIM, you won’t need to find a store upon arrival and change tiny physical cards. You can easily get online as soon as you arrive if you purchase an eSIM before departure. Romania eSIM is ideal for convenience, security, and some potential for faster activation and installation.
You can buy eSIM from trusted websites like Gigago. Gigago offers Romania eSIM from multiple mostly-use suppliers in Romania such as Orange, DIGI, Telekom and Vodafone. Gigago Romania eSIM packages range around $3.00 – $95.90 . The minimum of data is 500MB in 3 days for $3.00 , perfect for light internet users on a short trip or someone who needs extended data.
Important: Only 14 and 28 day eSIM plans from Gigago have phone numbers. Other plans will be internet eSIM only.
Tourist SIM card plans commonly offer validity periods from a few days of 3, 5, 7 to more than one week like 10, 14, 15, 20, 28 days or 1 month. The lifespan of a tourist Romania SIM card depends on the SIM plan and the activation time. Most tourist SIM cards in Romania are prepaid plans with a set validity period.
The specific validity period of your plan should be clearly stated on the purchase information or packaging. You can extend its validity by adding more credit before it expires. However, this might not be possible with all plans.
Getting connected in Romania with a tourist mobile plan depends on whether you choose a traditional SIM card or an eSIM option. The activation process can be simple for either type, but it will vary slightly.
After purchasing a Romania SIM card, take these procedures to use it:
To use an eSIM in Romania, you should follow these steps:
There are two main types of Romania SIM cards available for tourists: Prepaid Romania SIM card, tourists eSIM for Romania.
It depends. Most likely No. Basic Romania SIM card plans typically focus on data and domestic calls and texts. Check your plan details or contact the provider to see if international calling is included.
Yes. Romania SIM cards work with most smartphones around the world. Make sure your phone is unlocked and compatible with Romania network frequencies.
Depends on the provider and whether you have a physical SIM or an eSIM. You can top-up online on Romania mobile network providers website. But remember that some SIM and eSIM will not allow top-up.
To conclude, a Romania SIM card is required for visitors to Romania to stay connected effortlessly during their visit. Prepaid SIMs are suitable for short journeys, while postpaid contracts provide better value for longer visits. The eSIM digital package provides an instant connection across the country or region. Visitors can use internet tools and communication to better their travels by developing a suitable plan.
This guide will assist you in navigating the process, knowing the expenses, and looking into your options. Once you finish reading this article, you’ll be equipped to maintain connectivity on your journey.
This blog post will clarify how to buy SIM card in Bucharest and help you to know the benefits of obtaining a SIM card for Romania, including data plans and call prices that allow you to stay connected while in the country.
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This article will discuss many mobile Internet access options, together with their costs and benefits, so you can make an informed decision and travel in Romania with ease.
