Oct 10, 2026

Staying online abroad: how a travel eSIM works

Mobile data is the first thing most travellers look for when they land: for maps, a ride from the airport, a message home. An eSIM lets you sort it out before you leave, without queueing at a kiosk or swapping the card in your phone.

What an eSIM is

An eSIM is a SIM that is built into your phone. Instead of inserting a plastic card, you download a data plan and switch it on in your settings. Your usual SIM stays in the phone, so your own number keeps working for calls and texts while the eSIM handles data.

Check your phone first

  • It has to support eSIM. Most phones released in the last few years do, but check your model.

  • It has to be unlocked. A phone locked to one carrier may refuse another carrier's plan.

How to set it up

  1. Choose a plan for the country or region you are visiting, by how much data you need and for how many days.

  2. Install it while you still have Wi-Fi, ideally at home before the trip.

  3. When you arrive, switch on the eSIM line and turn on data roaming for that line.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Do not delete the eSIM from your phone before the trip is over. Many plans can only be installed once.

  • Turn data roaming off on your home SIM, so your phone does not use it by accident.

  • Read when the plan's days start counting. Some begin when you install, others when you first connect abroad.

  • Travelling through several countries? A regional plan is usually simpler than buying one per country.

eSIMs in Travely

You can buy an eSIM for your destination in the eSIM section of the Travely app, see the data and days left on each plan, and install it with the steps shown after purchase.