eSIM for the United Kingdom

Visiting from the EU: roaming rules end at the UK border

Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, the EU's roam like at home rules no longer apply to travel here. The European Commission notes that some mobile companies have chosen to keep home prices for the UK, but nothing obliges them to, so a SIM from elsewhere in Europe may be charged roaming rates in London that it would not pay in Amsterdam or Madrid.

Read your home plan's terms for the UK before you travel rather than assuming they match the rest of your European trip. Wherever your SIM comes from, it is your home plan's roaming terms that decide what data costs here. If London is one stop on a trip that also takes in France, see how roam like at home works in France, on the EU side of the Channel.

Getting around London with your phone

Transport for London says Wi-Fi is available at all Tube stations, most London Overground stations, all Elizabeth line stations under central London and Victoria Coach Station. It is provided through UK mobile networks' own Wi-Fi services, so check whether your phone can use it before you count on it, and load your route before you go down to the platform. If you have not connected before you board, TfL advises waiting until you get off rather than trying to connect on the train between stations.

Pay as you go on TfL services works by touching in with a contactless card, a phone or an Oyster card, and on the Tube and trains touching out again at the end. TfL asks you to use the same card or device at both ends to be charged the right fare, so if your phone is your ticket, keep it charged until you leave the station. Many contactless cards issued outside the UK work too, though overseas charges may apply, and TfL warns that a phone payment linked to a non-UK card may not work.

On arrival, Heathrow offers free Wi-Fi throughout its terminals on the Heathrow Wi-Fi network once you register. VisitBritain adds that Wi-Fi is often available in libraries, pubs and museums, and on some longer train journeys.

A plan for the UK alone, or for Ireland too

Local plans cover the United Kingdom alone, which suits a London city break or a rail trip around Britain. Daily plans give you an allowance for each day of the trip, handy when your days are mostly route planning, tickets and messages. Regional plans that include the UK also cover Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, among other destinations, for a journey that continues by ferry or a short flight.

Your phone must support eSIM and must not be locked to one network; the compatibility guide shows how to check. For when a plan's term begins, read the activation guide.