3 best tourist SIM cards in the Netherlands and Europe in 2021
The Netherlands and Europe at large are ideal tourist destinations for anyone around the world.As a tourist, you want to keep in touch with your family and friends back home and keep your social media updated with your visit from wherever you are. You may also have to rely on your phone for directions, ticketing, restaurant reservations, and translations. You need a SIM card that not only gives you the ideal services without spending a fortune. The SIM card has to be without a contract since as a tourist you will have to go back home at the end of your stay.
In this article, you can find the best SIM cards for you in the Netherlands and anywhere across Europe.
The best tourist SIM cards
This SIM card from Three UK is one of the best SIM cards for someone traveling across Europe. The SIM card comes with unlimited calls and texts, and 12 GB of data that you can use across the EU within 30 days. The SIM works in over 71 countries across the world besides Europe. If you’re from countries like the USA, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and New Zealand, you can even activate the SIM card in your home country even before traveling to the Netherlands and Europe.
Since it’s offered by Three UK, it uses English by default and you can recharge online or through your phone while traveling on the road without language barriers if you’re coming from an English-speaking country. If you plan on going for a longer period across Europe, you can purchase a Three SIM with 12 GB and a year validity that doesn’t come with calls or texts. The SIM card comes with its fair share of downsides. First, you can’t use the SIM card as a personal hotspot, and it’s advisable to turn off data if you are in a country that isn’t included in Three’s roaming destination to save on costs. Besides, the SIM card doesn’t allow calling of other international numbers as the minutes are only for UK or EU numbers.
Orange prepaid SIM card is another option to consider when planning on traveling to the Netherlands or across Europe. It’s one of the best roaming SIM cards as it has plans that allow you to use your minutes to call anywhere in the world. The SIM comes with two hours of talk time that you can use to call any number across Europe, 20 GB of data, and 1000 texts. The credit is valid for 14 days which is ideal for you if you are a heavy data user or someone going for a short trip in Europe. If you run out of credit, you can top up the line using your international credit card. The best thing about the Orange Prepaid SIM card, you can use the SIM as a mobile hotspot. This is great for a traveler looking to connect their PC or tablet to the internet.
This SIM card is ideal for a tourist looking to get as much data as possible while on a trip across Europe. The virtual operator is an MVNO and runs on the O2 network. Giffgaff comes with 20 GB of data, calls & texts to the UK and across Europe that you can use in the UK and most of the European countries. Giffgaff credit lasts for 30 days which is enough for a tourist. This makes the SIM card one of the best SIM cards across Europe for a heavy user. The SIM card also allows its users to set up and use a mobile hotspot, making it ideal if you can’t access a Wi-Fi hotspot. With Giffgaff, you can recharge your SIM card in smaller bundles of either 3 GB or 8 GB. Giffgaff SIM card remains active for up to 6 months when not in use and can be ideal for someone that travels frequently. If you’re from the US, you can call or text back home at affordable rates.
Local vs global SIM card
SIM cards come in two forms – local or global cards. A Global card is advantageous as one gets to use only one SIM card anywhere they travel in the world. You just buy a one-time bundle for the region you plan to travel to and off you go. The downside of it is that the rates are high. A local SIM card on the other hand gives you the lowest rates and you get to make the most out of your data.
A Summary table
SIM |
Orange Prepaid |
Three Prepaid |
GIffgaff Prepaid |
Max. Data plan |
20 GB |
12 GB |
20 GB |
Validity |
14 days |
30 days |
30 days |
FAQs
Is it cheaper to buy a SIM card locally in Europe?
Buying a SIM card in Europe is cheaper than buying one from your home country. However, this is not always the case for a foreigner. The price of the SIM card can go up depending on where you buy it from.
Where can I buy a SIM card in the Netherlands?
You can buy a SIM card in the Netherlands online or in a mobile store. However, if you buy a SIM card online, you then need to provide a Dutch address to be able to receive the SIM card. Alternatively, you can pick up your prepaid SIM card from some convenience stores and supermarkets.
