SIM Card

[Peggy and David]

Hello...is it possible to get a sim card that works for Spain in France, or at CDG airport? We will arrive in Paris on a Thursday and spend 2 nights, traveling to SJPDP on a Saturday and planning to begin walking Monday am. Wondering how to get the phone card. Thanks.

 

[Bradypus]

Yes. SIM cards from a French network will work in Spain. EU rules on roaming charges mean that you should be charged at the same rates in both countries. It may not be straightforward to add credit to a French prepaid account while in Spain though so you should consider buying enough credit or call/data allowance for your whole journey while still in France.

 

[AlexanderAZ]

Check with your cell company. I have Sprint and my plan includes Global coverage (forget the exact name of plan). (A friend changed his plan to global coverage only for the time he was on the Camino). I gad NO issues whatsoever while on the Camino, excellent coverage, & didn’t have to bother with finding/replacing SIM cards. I used my phone (cell & data) the entire time I was in Spain & my bill was the same as any other month. Hopefully your current provider offers same.

 

[Kanga]

@Bradypus I think this must only be for those on post-paid or contracts. Every time I have purchased a pre-paid SIM it has refused to work as soon as I cross a border. Last time was Portugal crossing into Spain, with an Orange SIM purchased in Lisbon. Then I asked about buying a SIM in Spain and was told it would not work in Hungary (also in the EU) or Germany.

 

[Vacajoe]

My London simcard worked across Europe (France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania) and I was told it would work in Spain, too, but I didn’t make it that far. Simple to ask at the counter prior to purchase, especially if you visit a “generic” store that offers cards from all the different carriers.

 

[Bradypus]

@Bradypus I think this must only be for those on post-paid or contracts. Every time I have purchased a pre-paid SIM it has refused to work as soon as I cross a border. Last time was Portugal crossing into Spain, with an Orange SIM purchased in Lisbon. Then I asked about buying a SIM in Spain and was told it would not work in Hungary (also in the EU) or Germany.

Are you sure that you had international roaming enabled on your phone? Many have it turned off by default. In the past I have used a prepaid French SIM in Spain and a prepaid Portuguese SIM in Spain. Since the EU rules changed I now simply use my usual UK SIM (which is prepaid) for all my European travel and have not yet found any country in which it will not work.

 

[AlwynWellington]

I suffer from hearing loss and from only speaking (and sometimes even understanding) English. Most of my comms at home is by text (WhatsApp predominates) So talk minutes was not a needed for me. But data to search for whatever and for my comms was.

So getting my home SIM to roam in Europe would not be useful.

I had found a store for Three.co.uk in Staines (west London) in 2016 and again in Ayr (south west Scotland) in 2017 when the two month Orange SIM I had purchased in Spain refused to work in Britain for the second month. On both occasions they had the cheapest deal.

In August 2018 I was starting from Canterbury Cathedral. Talked with Three again (and checked prices with others). The SIM for data only worked in Scotland, England and France. No worries.

So, @Peggy and David (and @Kanga ) you may care to consider having a Three SIM delivered to you at home arranging at the same time when it is to start.

Love to hear if this works for each of you. And if not, why not?

 

[David Tallan]

Are you sure that you had international roaming enabled on your phone? Many have it turned off by default. In the past I have used a prepaid French SIM in Spain and a prepaid Portuguese SIM in Spain. Since the EU rules changed I now simply use my usual UK SIM (which is prepaid) for all my European travel and have not yet found any country in which it will not work.

That must be what happened to my phone when I couldn't make calls once I had crossed over into Spain. I never thought to check that setting.

 

[MaryLP]

My London simcard worked across Europe (France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania) and I was told it would work in Spain, too, but I didn’t make it that far. Simple to ask at the counter prior to purchase, especially if you visit a “generic” store that offers cards from all the different carriers.

I have used my cellphone without a SIM insert for years. I just upgrade my plan for a month to include global coverage. I have TMobile which connects with pretty much all of Europe immediately after departing the plane from the US. I know other phone carriers are just as easily connected. Cost. Data unlimited, 14cents a minute for transatlanrtic calls. Used to call my family in the US from the summit of the route Napoleon.

 

[Maxcheese]

Hi!

I just got an international SIM from these guys http://www.tellinkroaming.com

It was recommended by someone right here and will work almost worldwide with different airtime fee depending on the location, but mostly cheap in Europe. Doesn't expire, so I'm taking it to France and Italy on my upcoming trip and it's coming with me as well on the camino this fall!

Hope it helps

 

[LynnG]

Check with your cell company. I have Sprint and my plan includes Global coverage (forget the exact name of plan). (A friend changed his plan to global coverage only for the time he was on the Camino). I gad NO issues whatsoever while on the Camino, excellent coverage, & didn’t have to bother with finding/replacing SIM cards. I used my phone (cell & data) the entire time I was in Spain & my bill was the same as any other month. Hopefully your current provider offers same.

Thanks for this info. I also have Sprint and have international free texting but was told calls would be $.20 per minute and if I wanted high speed internet it would cost $25 per week. I was told basic internet would be free but wasn’t sure if I would have a good connection along the full Francés route. Would love your feedback.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Hello...is it possible to get a sim card that works for Spain in France, or at CDG airport? We will arrive in Paris on a Thursday and spend 2 nights, traveling to SJPDP on a Saturday and planning to begin walking Monday am. Wondering how to get the phone card. Thanks.

The answer is yes but honestly, after going this route, I will not do it again. Why? If you have a decent iPad, regular or mini, it will give you just about everything that a cell phone will. Find the wifi. Lots around. Resign that maybe a few villages will not have it so you're out of touch for a day or so.

Believe me, the unplugged time will be to most precious.

 

[Carolyn G]

Hello...is it possible to get a sim card that works for Spain in France, or at CDG airport? We will arrive in Paris on a Thursday and spend 2 nights, traveling to SJPDP on a Saturday and planning to begin walking Monday am. Wondering how to get the phone card. Thanks.

 

[Carolyn G]

Our plan is for one of us to buy a French SIM card with limited time and I will buy a Spanish SIM card in Pamplona and top it off if needed. I THINK Vodaphone is the easiest to use in Spain. Is this correct? Thanks

 

[cbacino]

Hello...is it possible to get a sim card that works for Spain in France, or at CDG airport? We will arrive in Paris on a Thursday and spend 2 nights, traveling to SJPDP on a Saturday and planning to begin walking Monday am. Wondering how to get the phone card. Thanks.

I bought a SIM from Orange while in Paris. There are several Orange stores in central Paris. Roaming charges were abolished in the EU in 2016, so no problem between countries. I bought 2 months of data and service pre-payed. Tell the clerk what you want. It cost me about $10-12 per week for more data and calls than I could ever use; very useful for downloading maps and books where there is no wifi, and for calling hostels in advance.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Yes! And if you have time you could also order ahead of time. Here are 2 links that might be helpful:

Buy International SIM Cards, Global eSIMs From WorldSIM

WorldSIM

www.worldsim.com

A Complete Guide to Using Your iPhone Abroad: For Dummies

Whether you plan to just use Wi-Fi or if you want to get an international SIM card, the answers for using your iPhone abroad are all here, with pictures!

www.thebudgetmindedtraveler.com

Ultreïa!

 

[Zorro sonriente]

FWIW, a word of caution with WorldSim. I purchased both a card and unlocked phone from the. It was delivered to in the USA and I could not get it to connect to AT&T network. After 1 phone call (which I paid the toll) and multiple emails trying to resolve the issue, WorldSim has simply ceased responding to my emails. Their support is nonexistent. Most folks I have talked to say either use international roaming on your existing service if available, or unlock your phone and purchase your SIM card on arrival. Most recommend Vodaphone.

Please let us know what worked for you. Buen Camino.