• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Sim Card in Porto

J

JohnCilladi

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2022
Hi,
I am wondering if anyone can give some good advice on purchasing a phone sim card for European use. I will need to purchase it in Porto, so what is the best place to purchase a sim card in that town?
Thanks!
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Anniesantiago said:
Any Vodafone or Orange store. They're everywhere. Google maps.
Click to expand...
Exactly. They have many plans available at a relatively low price that is really easy to recharge. The only thing I am not sure about is what plans will continue to work when you leave Portugal and enter Spain. I have not walked in Portugal since 2017. My 4 Caminos since have all been in Spain so there was never a problem. The simcard/plan I purchased in Lisbon was with a small cell phone company and I had to get a new sim when I crossed over to Spain.
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
In 2019; Orange SIM purchased in Spain worked fine in Portugal
 
Im sure Orange works in most european countries.
 
makingtrax said:
Im sure Orange works in most european countries.
Click to expand...
It is not the SIM so much as the plan. The very cheap plans aimed at tourists in Portugal are often unable to roam outside of Portugal.

Just be sure to ask before handing over your money if the plan will allow roaming outside of Portugal.

The other thing to watch if you will be in Europe outside of Portugal for more than a couple of weeks is that you will need to either be able to recharge the SIM over the Internet or put extra value on it before leaving Portugal because even though they seem like the same company each phone company in each country are separate and so you won't be able to put credit on your phone outside of Portugal.
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I asked and was told by the Orange rep that it would work when I crossed the border into Spain. It did not. I managed by using wifi.
 
Kanga said:
I asked and was told by the Orange rep that it would work when I crossed the border into Spain. It did not. I managed by using wifi.
Click to expand...
It is difficult to be definitive without knowing all the factors but may I ask if you had Roaming turned on for that SIM card? It won't roam if roaming is turned off. Often roaming is turned off by default.
 
Yes, I had roaming on. I took the phone into an Orange store in Spain and was told the supplied SIM card was for Portugal only. The very nice man there spent a long time on the phone with Orange (higher up the food chain) and they did refund me the extra money I had put on the card, just before crossing the border.
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

C
  • Tags phones/apps/gps/maps
    • SIM card for Europe
    Replies
    69
    Views
    5K
    TravellingMan22
    T
    J
  • Tags phones/apps/gps/maps
    • SIM cards and e-sim advice
    Replies
    7
    Views
    976
    Marianne Hansen
    B
  • Tags phones/apps/gps/maps
    • Question about phones and SIM cards in Spain
    Replies
    37
    Views
    5K
    trecile
    Menu
    Log in
    Register