SIM cards and e-sim advice

[Judeperegrino]

Hi
Please excuse me wading into a topic canvassed numerous times ... but ... recommendations for providers of e-sim or SIM cards for the Camino would be most appreciated from a not very tech minded pilgrim. My iPhone 12 Pro is e-sim compatible but haven't a clue which e-sim or sim to go for ...
with thanks!

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Vodafone Spain

 

[trecile]

Click on the phones/apps/gps/maps tag at the top of this thread to find other threads/info on the topic. (or on the link that I created in this post)

 

[Teddie]

Vodafone is good. Flying in? Go to cell phone kiosk, they will charge you about $30E for a 28day physical sim card ( leave your eSim activated for when you return ), they will activate new SIM at the kiosk....and you are "good to go".

 

[lt56ny]

My iPhone 12 Pro is e-sim compatible but haven't a clue which e-sim or sim to go for ...

I have used both Vodafone and Orange. I use Vodafone now because when I walk (plans at both companies change depending on the time of year. Vodafone has the best plans in the summer. Those really good ones end at the end of September. I walk later and the plans are still very good.) I find that the Vodafone plans are a little better than Orange and if there is a problem there are more Vodafone stores and to recharge it is very simple. Read also what I wrote below. I have no idea about eSim.

Vodafone is good. Flying in? Go to cell phone kiosk, they will charge you about $30E for a 28day physical sim card ( leave your eSim activated for when you return ), they will activate new SIM at the kiosk....and you are "good to go".

Last year when I flew into Barcelona I went to Tech and Fly. in the airport to see if I could get a Vodafone sim card. Yes they had them of course and they did have plans for about 30Euros for 28 days. But the amount of data and minutes to call (I use the telephone only to call albergues to check if they are open as I walk in November and December) were really, really bad compared to what Vodafone would offer if you went to a Vodafone store. So I did what I always do. Take the bus or metro and walk to my hostel, drop off my bag and go directly to a Vodafone store for my new SIM card. Do you remember how much data and how many minutes you got from Tech and Fly? Or did you go to another store? I thought Tech and Fly was the only one
For 20 Euros I got 60 or 70 Gigas of Data and unlimited calls in the EU. I think there was 200 minutes to the United States but that may have been for the more expensive plan that was either 25 or 30E for 28 days.
One final question I walk for almost 2 Months so I always do a recharge after 28 days. I get a link from Vodafone and it takes about a minute to do the recharge. Can you recharge buying from Tech and Fly?

 

[vkimble]

Hi
Please excuse me wading into a topic canvassed numerous times ... but ... recommendations for providers of e-sim or SIM cards for the Camino would be most appreciated from a not very tech minded pilgrim. My iPhone 12 Pro is e-sim compatible but haven't a clue which e-sim or sim to go for ...
with thanks!

I purchased a sim card at the airport upon landing in Madrid, just as you exit to go outside or to the subway connection, there is a store right there. They put it in my phone and it was easy. I bought 30 euros worth and it was good enough for me. I bought the yellow brand (forgetting the name at the moment). reception was great in 90% of the places along the camino. Buen Camino.

 

[Rita Flower]

Hi. Go to Trecile’s link for the full story.
There is still a lot of confusion out there between an eSIM and a physical SIM card
Anyway, I used Airalo. I had a data only plan and used WhatsApp or Skype calls for phone calls.
It took a bit of concentration to set up but once I had a plan and an account it was incredibly simple to add a new plan.

 

[Marianne Hansen]

Vodafone Spain

Yes I agree. And Vodafone stores are easy to find if you do a google search. Buen Camino