Europe or EU & UK eSIM: which covers your route
We sell two regional plans for Europe. EU & UK covers the 27 EU countries plus the United Kingdom. Europe covers those and adds non-EU countries that travellers often cross into. If your route stays inside the EU and the UK, either works. If it touches Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Türkiye or the Balkans, you need to look closer.
What the Europe plan adds
At the time of writing, the Europe eSIM includes these countries that the EU & UK eSIM doesn't:
- Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the classic surprise on Alpine trips and Paris–Geneva–Milan rail routes.
- Norway and Iceland, popular for fjords and northern lights.
- Türkiye, including Istanbul and the coast across from the Greek islands.
- The western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
- Georgia, Ukraine and Gibraltar.
Coverage lists can change. The product page always shows the current list, so check it before you buy rather than relying on this post.
Routes that need the Europe plan
| Route | Non-EU stop | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Paris, Geneva, Zermatt, Milan | Switzerland | Europe |
| Dubrovnik with a day trip to Kotor | Montenegro | Europe |
| Kos or Rhodes with a ferry to the Turkish coast | Türkiye | Europe |
| Copenhagen, Oslo, the fjords | Norway | Europe |
| Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade | Serbia | Europe |
| Costa del Sol with a day in Gibraltar | Gibraltar | Europe |
Routes either plan covers
- London, Paris, Amsterdam by train.
- Lisbon, Seville, Madrid, Barcelona.
- Rome, Florence, Venice, then Ljubljana or Vienna.
- Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest.
- Dublin and Edinburgh, or anywhere in Ireland and the UK.
For these, compare the plans for your trip length on both pages. The Europe guide and the EU & UK guide each show the plan ladder and networks.
The easy ones to miss
Most routes are obvious once you write them down. These aren't:
- Day trips. Lake Como to Lugano, Lake Constance, where Germany, Austria and Switzerland share the shore, Split to Mostar. A few hours across a border with no data is the moment you need maps.
- Airports. Basel's airport serves France and Switzerland. Geneva's sits right on the French border. Your phone may connect to whichever network is strongest.
- Ferries. Greek island ferries to Türkiye and Adriatic ferries to Albania or Montenegro cross into Europe-only countries. At sea, between coasts, phones may also pick up ship networks, which no land plan covers; using an eSIM on a cruise explains how to spot them.
- Small states and Kosovo. At the time of writing, Monaco, Andorra, San Marino, the Vatican, Moldova and Kosovo were not on the Europe list. The global eSIM lists them. If one is on your route, check both lists before you buy.
A four-step check
- Write down every country you'll set foot in, including day trips, border airports and ferry ports.
- Open the EU & UK page. If every country is on its list, it covers you.
- If not, open the Europe page and check again.
- If a country is still missing, look at the global plan or add a small country plan for that stop. Running two eSIMs side by side is covered in one eSIM for a multi-country trip.
Each plan's validity starts when it first connects in a covered country, so a second plan for a single stop doesn't start until you get there.
What this post doesn't cover
This is only the route check between the two regional plans. Whether a single-country plan would suit you better is in choosing a Europe eSIM. Whether you need a plan at all depends on where your phone plan comes from; see roaming in Europe without an EU SIM. For data amounts, see how much data for two weeks in Europe.
When the route is clear, pick the plan that covers every stop: Europe or EU & UK.
Questions
Are Norway and Iceland in the EU & UK eSIM?
No. They are in the European Economic Area but not the EU, so the EU & UK list leaves them out. At the time of writing, the Europe eSIM covers both.
Is Türkiye in the Europe eSIM?
At the time of writing, yes. It is not in the EU & UK plan. Check the coverage list on the Europe page before you buy.
My whole trip is inside the EU. Which should I pick?
Both cover it. Compare the plans for your trip length on the two pages and pick the one that fits your data and days.
Is Gibraltar covered by the EU & UK eSIM?
No. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, not part of the UK, and it is not on the EU & UK list. At the time of writing it is on the Europe list.