SIM Card and ATM fees

[Joshaa371]

Hey everyone, wondering what everyone does for cell service while on the Camino. I am coming from the US and last time I was in EU I got a free mobile plan for cheap but cancelling the plan was a hassle anyone have any recommendations?

Also want to know what everyone does to minimize foreign transaction/ATM fees if there is some advice out there on that, trying to spend minimal and know currency exchange can cost some.

 

[trecile]

Also want to know what everyone does to minimize foreign transaction/ATM fees if there is some advice out there on that

I have a Charles Schwab checking account which has no fees, no minimums, no foreign transaction fees and refunds all ATM fees.

Charles Schwab

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Just had good results with Airalo ESIM (you choose your region and your GB limit, it's refillable and less trouble than signing up for a cell plan). I bought the EU region to cover time I would spend in France, Spain and Portugal. If you can use an ESIM in your phone, look into this.

I found also that more and more frequently I used my TAP electronic payment (definitely a post CoViD change) and only took out a very limited amount of cash this time (400 euros for 5 weeks and I came home with 75 euros in cash in my pocket).

I think folks coming from the US can do really well on Charles Schwab... and when you need to, use electronic payment (just make sure you choose "euros" for your currency so that you get the best exchange rate).

 

[Kiwi-family]

For non-US folks, withdrawing money from Unicaja ATMs is fees-free

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have a Charles Schwab checking account which has no fees, no minimums, no foreign transaction fees and refunds all ATM fees.

Charles Schwab

Ditto.

 

[Kathy F.]

I use Holafly for an eSiM card on my phone. It seems to have worked well.
I don’t stress about foreign transaction fees. I carry about €200 cash with me, refill as needed. Only refill at ATMs attached directly to a bank, just in case. For the same reason, try to refill Monday - Friday, when the bank is open.
When you use your card to pay for things, pay in euros, not dollars, when given a choice.

 

[henrythedog]

Not on a cost, but avoiding problems point; look out for one of the increasing number of ‘contactless’ ATMs. If you don’t put your card in, you cannot fail to get it out.

 

[BethL]

We have found, coming from the US and traveling 2-3 months at a time overseas, that T-Mobile is the least hassle and best plan for us. It has unlimited data and unlimited texting. Call prices are about the same as other major US plans. We have tried SIM cards, but found them difficult to set up and use. As one would expect, customer assistance for the SIM cards was usually in another language. This may be different now, as we haven't even tried SIM cards in a few years. Keep in mind, if you want to use SIM cards or just switch cell providers and still use your current phone, your phone will need to be a universal phone or your current carrier will need to unlock it. Again, many years ago, when we tired to have an ATT phone unlocked, they would only unlock certain features. So if you're planning to use SIM cards make sure you check with your current carrier to see if you can have your phone unlocked before you go overseas. We now only buy universal phones. I believe this quirk is only true of US phones.

Bon Camino.

 

[Rickcrna]

Many credit/debit cards have no foreign transaction fees. My Citibank Costco Visa is one such example.

 

[wynrich]

Our Capital One debit and credit cards don't charge fees.

For phone service (calls and data), we always get an inexpensive pay-as-you go 30-day SIM from Vodafone. If you need it for longer than 30 days you can renew it at ATMs or grocery stores or tobacco kiosks.

For texting, use Whats App.

 

[rviaucar]

Hey everyone, wondering what everyone does for cell service while on the Camino. I am coming from the US and last time I was in EU I got a free mobile plan for cheap but cancelling the plan was a hassle anyone have any recommendations?

Also want to know what everyone does to minimize foreign transaction/ATM fees if there is some advice out there on that, trying to spend minimal and know currency exchange can cost some.

We use the Wise card when we travel. It has some of the lowest fees. Also, it is what the tour guides use in our Wheel and Anchor travel company.

 

[WGroleau]

Also want to know what everyone does to minimize foreign transaction/ATM fees if there is some advice out there on that, trying to spend minimal and know currency exchange can cost some.

Get an account and debit card from a bank that reimburses all ATM fees. Mine is Schwab, but there are others.

 

[WanderLustToo]

We used a Maya Mobile eSIM card with 10 gigs of data for $16. It was easy to set up and they have high ratings for customer service. I would suggest you first call your US provider and see what they charge to add European countries.

I found the ATMs in Spain pretty tricky and very straightforward in Portugal. I encountered atms in A Guarda that added fees that I never saw anywhere else. I tried to use cash at the small cafes during the day.

 

[Canche]

I have Fidelity and they reimburse ATM fees.

 

[Tortilla]

For non-US folks, withdrawing money from Unicaja ATMs is fees-free

Unicaja and Liberbank merged in 2021. But surprisingly, you can still see logos of both banks, depending on which part of Spain you are in. Anyway, if Unicaja withdrawals are free for you, Liberbank withdrawals will also be free.

 

[Bill from Canada]

Just had good results with Airalo ESIM (you choose your region and your GB limit, it's refillable and less trouble than signing up for a cell plan). I bought the EU region to cover time I would spend in France, Spain and Portugal. If you can use an ESIM in your phone, look into this.

I found also that more and more frequently I used my TAP electronic payment (definitely a post CoViD change) and only took out a very limited amount of cash this time (400 euros for 5 weeks and I came home with 75 euros in cash in my pocket).

I think folks coming from the US can do really well on Charles Schwab... and when you need to, use electronic payment (just make sure you choose "euros" for your currency so that you get the best exchange rate).

With Airolo, I know you get data and therefore email, mapping apps, etc as well as texting. However, can you make phone calls when not connected to Wi-Fi? In other words, if walking between towns, can I call ahead to reserve a room?

 

[trecile]

With Airolo, I know you get data and therefore email, mapping apps, etc as well as texting. However, can you make phone calls when not connected to Wi-Fi? In other words, if walking between towns, can I call ahead to reserve a room?

You can use WhatsApp to make calls to other WhatsApp users using your data plan. (But for making reservations I prefer to send a WhatsApp text message so that I have the confirmation in writing)

For calls to landlines I use the Viber app. You buy credits and then the calls are 2¢ a minute. I'm still using the $5 worth of credits that I bought in 2022.

Cheap International Calls Worldwide | Viber Out

Make free internet calls with Viber. Call friends and family on any landline or mobile phone with Viber credit, sign up today at Viber.com

account.viber.com

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

With Airolo, I know you get data and therefore email, mapping apps, etc as well as texting. However, can you make phone calls when not connected to Wi-Fi? In other words, if walking between towns, can I call ahead to reserve a room?

If the business is on WhatsApp, yes. And I used FaceTime to call home. When I needed a taxi to get to train stations or airports, I asked hotel concierges to arrange that for me.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

With Airolo, I know you get data and therefore email, mapping apps, etc as well as texting. However, can you make phone calls when not connected to Wi-Fi? In other words, if walking between towns, can I call ahead to reserve a room?

Some Airalo plans do give you a phone number for non-internet calls and texts. I wrote a post about the Airalo app the other day. It has some links to videos about Airalo that I thought were pretty good.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/e-sim-for-both-portugal-and-spain.86799/#post-1270263

 

[Kiwi-family]

I have just checked on googlemaps to make sure my memory wasn't failing me....in Sarria there is no Unicaja (and I didn't know about Liberbank), but I needed money so I just accepted I was going to have to pay a fee. However, I didn't. I used the Abanca ATM on Rua Marquesa Casa Lopez