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You will find wifi at virtually all bars and albergues - it won't be rare at all.The other alternative would be staying offline (and rely on WiFi, which I believe would be rare
Thanks for the information, TrecileYou will find wifi at virtually all bars and albergues - it won't be rare at all.
If your phone accepts an eSIM you could set one up that will work on both France and Spain with a company like Airalo
Europe eSIM | Travel Without Roaming Fees | Airalo
Coverage across all popular countries in Europe. Instantly connect to a mobile network. Affordable eSIM plans. 100% digital installation. 24/7 support. World's largest eSIM marketplace. Download your Europe eSIM now.www.airalo.com
Thank you / Obrigado Stella!Bem-vindo
You can already easily book from Brasil your accommodations until Pamplona and then get a sim card there.
Thank you Dave! Best Regards!You won't get lost if that is one of your worries, all things being equal of course.
A French SIM will work the same in Spain as in France and vice versa. I'm not sure re topping up though - you would ideally be doing that online yourself as opposed to any other way. All providers must have this option you would assume.
Thanks for the kind and detailed answer, Rob! Will definitely take a look on your YouTube channel for more tips on the Camino!Hi @Edupuschi .
Congratulations on your upcoming Camino.
The first is always very special!
SIMs can cause a bit of angst at first and there seem to be so many different solutions.
And of course we all want to stay connected as soon as we arrive!
As mentioned above, it is very hard to get lost on the those early days of the Frances and many places have WiFi. So don't be concerned if you have no SIM connection at first.
I tend to be one of those "belt and braces" type of guys or a "Be Prepared" Boy Scout. So I plan ahead a bit.........and always have a Plan B.
The good news is that SIMS are easy to buy along the way. Shops, airports, rail stations etc.
So for the sake of 15 mins at your arrival airport, you could pick one up, explaining that you need to use it in Spain as well. I think all EU SIMs have to be able to be used in all EU countries without additional charges. Though don't quote me. (Maybe someone can confirm?)
Often these SIMs at ports of entry are not the best deal though.....but until you get something better, if you really want to get conneced fast....... (some research might help, or shared experiences from other Pligrims here)
If you have the time and interest, it's worth reading reviews about the various carriers. Network coverage, costs, ease of setup etc. I did this last time as I was going to be walking in a remote area and good coverage was important. I'm sure the Frances won't be a problem though.
So back to the "belt and braces".
I ordered my SIMs online before I left home, for delivery to my home address.
As I wasn't sure how easy they would be to use, or how long it would take to arrive, I ordered two different SIMs from two different online suppliers. They were only abour 20 Euros each. (they took about a month to get to Australia)
So on arrival in Spain, I tried the SIMs.
They had to be activated in Spain.
I favoured the Movistar SIM as it had good reviews. But I found the activation a bit complicated whilst balancing everything on my lap at Attocha Station in Madrid!
So then I tried the Vodafone SIM and it fired up right away! So I stuck with that for the next 2 months.
Data top ups were easy, and could be done at many supermarkets or 'tabacs'. (I use a lot of data) And online too of course though the translation of the different options was tricky at times.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of other advice shortly and amongst all of it will be a solution you feel fits your needs.
I think that is a good choice. In case of an emergency you could pay the higher costs of an international call. Or, in my opinion, it would be easy to find someone willing to lend you their phone.On regards to the SIM, so far with all the fellow pilgrim's kind answers, I guess that it will be okay to be relying on WiFi until I get to Pamplona on the third day...less variables to have a spanish SIM for the jouney.
It is my understanding that this is true for calls (have roaming turned on). I doubt that this is true for cellular data though.So for the sake of 15 mins at your arrival airport, you could pick one up, explaining that you need to use it in Spain as well. I think all EU SIMs have to be able to be used in all EU countries without additional charges. Though don't quote me. (Maybe someone can confirm?)
I concur.,,, I think all EU SIMs have to be able to be used in all EU countries without additional charges. Though don't quote me. (Maybe someone can confirm?)...
Last September, we went first to Lyon, one of our favorite cities. Cuisine makes one cry, but in a good way. Excellent way to kick off a camino. We discovered that an "EU roaming" Lyca card, good for a month, rechargeable and incredibly cheap with plenty of minutes and data. We were skeptical because of the cheap price and we insisted that at the corner Tabac where we bought it, the young man install it and test it. We never had a problem with it.Hello,
I'm preparing for my first Camino (Frances) starting from SJPP on april 30th. My international flight will land in Paris and I will get the trains to SJPP. All set on regards to transportation, but I'm still in doubt on the best way to use a simcard during the travel.
The first alternative would be getting a Sim Card in Paris right on arrival. I believe that the advantage would be having conection from the start (and specially on the initial rounds that are a bit scary for a novice) but I'm not sure if the french SIM would have the same coverage as a spanish SIM on the Camino, and also don't know if I would be able to top up the credits at Spain after 30 days on a french SIM.
The other alternative would be staying offline (and rely on WiFi, which I believe would be rare) on the first rounds, and get a Spanish SIM in Pamplona, which I believe it's the first major city that we walk into Spain.
I would appreciate if veteran pilgrins could give me some advice and share your experiences.
Thank you very much, and Buen Camino!
How did you order a Vodafone sim for delivery to your Australia address? I've tried this and am told it can't be done (off in first camino in april)Hi @Edupuschi .
Congratulations on your upcoming Camino.
The first is always very special!
SIMs can cause a bit of angst at first and there seem to be so many different solutions.
And of course we all want to stay connected as soon as we arrive!
As mentioned above, it is very hard to get lost on the those early days of the Frances and many places have WiFi. So don't be concerned if you have no SIM connection at first.
I tend to be one of those "belt and braces" type of guys or a "Be Prepared" Boy Scout. So I plan ahead a bit.........and always have a Plan B.
The good news is that SIMS are easy to buy along the way. Shops, airports, rail stations etc.
So for the sake of 15 mins at your arrival airport, you could pick one up, explaining that you need to use it in Spain as well. I think all EU SIMs have to be able to be used in all EU countries without additional charges. Though don't quote me. (Maybe someone can confirm?)
Often these SIMs at ports of entry are not the best deal though.....but until you get something better, if you really want to get conneced fast....... (some research might help, or shared experiences from other Pligrims here)
If you have the time and interest, it's worth reading reviews about the various carriers. Network coverage, costs, ease of setup etc. I did this last time as I was going to be walking in a remote area and good coverage was important. I'm sure the Frances won't be a problem though.
So back to the "belt and braces".
I ordered my SIMs online before I left home, for delivery to my home address.
As I wasn't sure how easy they would be to use, or how long it would take to arrive, I ordered two different SIMs from two different online suppliers. They were only abour 20 Euros each. (they took about a month to get to Australia)
So on arrival in Spain, I tried the SIMs.
They had to be activated in Spain.
I favoured the Movistar SIM as it had good reviews. But I found the activation a bit complicated whilst balancing everything on my lap at Attocha Station in Madrid!
So then I tried the Vodafone SIM and it fired up right away! So I stuck with that for the next 2 months.
Data top ups were easy, and could be done at many supermarkets or 'tabacs'. (I use a lot of data) And online too of course though the translation of the different options was tricky at times.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of other advice shortly and amongst all of it will be a solution you feel fits your needs.
How did you order a Vodafone sim for delivery to your Australia address? I've tried this and am told it can't be done (off in first camino in april)
Many thanks, I'll give it a goThere are websites that sell SIMs. Not that I could recommend any in particular, as they take ages to send them.
I think I used this site.
Do check reviews first though.The best SIM Cards in Spain. - SPANISHSIMCARD.ES
Spanish SIM card. Internet, calls & texts in Spain and free roaming Voice & Data Tariffs. Prepaid SIM Card. The best SIM Cards in Spain.www.spanishsimcard.es
There might be better sites.
My wife and I have used SIM Corner for our past couple of trips. If we are away for more than 30 days, which we have been, we order two or three to cover the period, and stagger the start dates that they will be activated. There are other companies that will do this. Note that there is no guarantee about the carrier nor the country of the SIM. On our last trip, in Portugal, my wife had Spanish SIMs, and I had ones linked to a UK carrier.How did you order a Vodafone sim for delivery to your Australia address? I've tried this and am told it can't be done (off in first camino in april)
2018 was my 1st walk. We got orange sum SJP an did not wk in Spain, so brought a new on 2924orange sim In Pamplona and was fabulous.able to get credits along way. However used WiFi everywhere. Only used sim to rarely bk, mostly to speak to my friend when we weren't together. However things may have changed 2024. All the best I'm back next yearThanks for the information, Trecile
Unfortunately my phone does not accept eSIM, so I'll have to use a regular SIM Card. Anyway, good to know that WiFi is not so rare, specially until I get to Pamplona.
Best Regards,
I noticed it on this pageHow did you order a Vodafone sim for delivery to your Australia address? I've tried this and am told it can't be done (off in first camino in april)
Yes, I asked the question and they dont mail overseas.I noticed it on this page
Prepaid SIM card & Pay as you go bundles
Enjoy the best network in Spain with our pay-as-you-go bundles. Free delivery on your SIM card, and any unused data rolls into the next period.www.vodafone.es
But I have never tried to pre-purchase a SIM card myself and possibly they may refuse to post one outside of Spain.
€20 for 140Gb of data, 800 international minutes and unlimited free calling within Spain sounds like a great deal to me.
Of course, you can also pay €15 or €10 for less data and calls.
Lots of free Wifi! Not to worry.Hello,
I'm preparing for my first Camino (Frances) starting from SJPP on april 30th. My international flight will land in Paris and I will get the trains to SJPP. All set on regards to transportation, but I'm still in doubt on the best way to use a simcard during the travel.
The first alternative would be getting a Sim Card in Paris right on arrival. I believe that the advantage would be having conection from the start (and specially on the initial rounds that are a bit scary for a novice) but I'm not sure if the french SIM would have the same coverage as a spanish SIM on the Camino, and also don't know if I would be able to top up the credits at Spain after 30 days on a french SIM.
The other alternative would be staying offline (and rely on WiFi, which I believe would be rare) on the first rounds, and get a Spanish SIM in Pamplona, which I believe it's the first major city that we walk into Spain.
I would appreciate if veteran pilgrins could give me some advice and share your experiences.
Thank you very much, and Buen Camino!
What I did and what I will do again are two different things.Hello,
I'm preparing for my first Camino (Frances) starting from SJPP on april 30th. My international flight will land in Paris and I will get the trains to SJPP. All set on regards to transportation, but I'm still in doubt on the best way to use a simcard during the travel.
The first alternative would be getting a Sim Card in Paris right on arrival. I believe that the advantage would be having conection from the start (and specially on the initial rounds that are a bit scary for a novice) but I'm not sure if the french SIM would have the same coverage as a spanish SIM on the Camino, and also don't know if I would be able to top up the credits at Spain after 30 days on a french SIM.
The other alternative would be staying offline (and rely on WiFi, which I believe would be rare) on the first rounds, and get a Spanish SIM in Pamplona, which I believe it's the first major city that we walk into Spain.
I would appreciate if veteran pilgrins could give me some advice and share your experiences.
Thank you very much, and Buen Camino!
Hi I am arriving in Paris 28th and will start from SJPP May 1. What trains have you organised from Paris- cheers AlHello,
I'm preparing for my first Camino (Frances) starting from SJPP on april 30th. My international flight will land in Paris and I will get the trains to SJPP. All set on regards to transportation, but I'm still in doubt on the best way to use a simcard during the travel.
The first alternative would be getting a Sim Card in Paris right on arrival. I believe that the advantage would be having conection from the start (and specially on the initial rounds that are a bit scary for a novice) but I'm not sure if the french SIM would have the same coverage as a spanish SIM on the Camino, and also don't know if I would be able to top up the credits at Spain after 30 days on a french SIM.
The other alternative would be staying offline (and rely on WiFi, which I believe would be rare) on the first rounds, and get a Spanish SIM in Pamplona, which I believe it's the first major city that we walk into Spain.
I would appreciate if veteran pilgrins could give me some advice and share your experiences.
Thank you very much, and Buen Camino!
I'm planning on buying a "Free Mobile" sim card in Paris. It is reloadable online. Service maybe be limited in Spain but we are heading back to France for a longer stay after the camino so I'm prepared to put up with the limitations on data (which I doubt will impact me if I use wifi when available).Hi I am arriving in Pa and ris 28th and will start from SJPP May 1. What trains have you organised from Paris- cheers Al
Lots of free Wifi! Not to worry.
We usually leave our home country “roaming” on for the first 24 hours, then use Wifi.
We have not (on more than one occasion ) had good luck with Orange SIM from France. Either at the airport CDG or Orange stores. Poor service. Problems trying to top up after the first 30 days.
Personally, we now wait until Pamplona to get our Vodaphone SIM.
We are leaving Oz 27th to Paris and start from SJPP 1 May. I used this sim last year and will again. https://www.ebay.com.au/str/gstarlink?_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l2563 . ps what trains /cost have you organised - I haven't looked into that yet, We are recovering in Bayonne a couple of nights.Lots of free Wifi! Not to worry.
We usually leave our home country “roaming” on for the first 24 hours, then use Wifi.
We have not (on more than one occasion ) had good luck with Orange SIM from France. Either at the airport CDG or Orange stores. Poor service. Problems trying to top up after the first 30 days.
Personally, we now wait until Pamplona to get our Vodaphone SIM.
Cheers Al,Hi I am arriving in Paris 28th and will start from SJPP May 1. What trains have you organised from Paris- cheers Al
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