eSIM and SIM cards in Switzerland

Switzerland is outside EU roaming

This is the single most expensive mistake visitors make.

• Your EU "roam like at home" allowance does not cover Switzerland. It is not in the EU, and Swiss roaming is charged at whatever your operator likes.
• People have come home to four-figure bills from a week of ordinary phone use. Check your plan before you land, not after.
• Some EU operators do include Switzerland voluntarily. Many do not. Read the actual terms.
• Border regions make it worse. In Geneva, Basel and Ticino your phone can hop onto a French, German or Italian mast and back again, roaming both ways.

Local prepaid

• Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt are the three networks. Swisscom has the best mountain coverage by a clear margin.
• Swisscom prepaid flat rates: about CHF 20 for 7 days, CHF 65 for 30 days, CHF 150 for 90 days, unlimited data.
• Salt is the budget option, roughly CHF 2 an active day.
• You must show a passport or photo ID to register, and fill in a form at the counter.

eSIM is usually the answer

• A travel eSIM covering Switzerland, Saily for instance, costs a fraction of the local prepaid price for a week's data.
• All three Swiss networks support eSIM if you prefer a local number.
• Set it up before you fly. Airport wifi at Zurich and Geneva is free but time limited.

Coverage

• Excellent almost everywhere, including in the mountains, in tunnels and on trains.
• Swisscom reaches valleys and passes the others do not. If you are hiking seriously, that is the one to buy.
• Free wifi on most trains, in stations and in cafes.