Mobile data in Dubrovnik: a city squeezed between two borders
Dubrovnik sits on a thin strip of Croatia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina just over the hills and Montenegro a short drive south. Most of what is particular about staying online here comes from that map.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Croatia?
- Yes. It connects to Tele2, A1 (5G).
- Price
- From 4,99 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 6,99 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- Yes: Croatia is in EU roaming, so a plan from an EU country usually works at no extra cost, within your operator's fair-use limit. If your plan is from outside the EU, it charges international roaming.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Croatia. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Čilipi to Pile Gate
Dubrovnik airport is at Čilipi, south-east of the city on the road towards Montenegro. There is no train, and Dubrovnik has no railway at all. The airport shuttle bus stops at Pile Gate, by the old town, and then at the main bus station in Gruž, leaving after arriving flights. Taxis and the Uber and Bolt apps also work from the terminal; cars drop you at Pile or Ploče gate, because the old town is closed to traffic.
Install the eSIM at home. It connects to Tele2 or A1 when you land, so you can check the shuttle or order a car while the bags come out, and send the host the gate you are walking to.
eSIM for Croatia
Data on your phone the moment you land in Croatia. No account, no app, no shop.
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For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
City buses and boats from two ports
Inside the walls everything is on foot. Outside them, the Libertas city buses link Pile with Gruž, Lapad and Babin Kuk, and the Libertas app shows the next bus in real time. That matters in summer, when the walk back from Lapad in the heat is longer than it looks on the map.
Boats to Lokrum leave from the old port, inside the walls, in season. The Jadrolinija ferries to the Elaphiti islands and along the coast leave from Gruž, a few kilometres away. Check the departure point on your ticket before you set off: confusing the two ports is the classic way to miss a boat here.
Bosnian and Montenegrin networks in a Croatian city
Near any border a phone can pick up the neighbouring country's network, and Dubrovnik has two borders close by. With an EU plan that can mean roaming charges in a country outside EU rules; with a Croatia eSIM it means no data until the phone is back on a Croatian network.
If you are still in Croatia and the screen shows BH Telecom, m:tel or HT Eronet, turn off automatic network selection and choose Tele2 or A1 by hand. It is worth checking on the hills above the city, around the airport and along the coast towards Cavtat.
Kotor, Trebinje and Mostar: day trips out of the pack
The best-known day trips leave the EU. Kotor and Herceg Novi are in Montenegro; Trebinje, about 30 km inland, and Mostar are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Neither country is in the Croatia pack, and both are also outside the 33-country Europe pack.
For a day there, install a small Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina pack at home next to the Croatia one and switch the data line at the border, or travel with offline maps and upload the photos back in Dubrovnik. Our Balkans guide goes through the crossings one by one.
How much data for Dubrovnik
A long weekend inside the walls, with Lokrum and the cable car, fits in 3 GB for 15 days. A week that adds the Elaphiti islands and a drive to Ston is a 5 GB trip on a 30-day pack. On a boat day one phone can share its data with the rest of the group, since hotspot is allowed; size the pack for everyone using it.
Arriving on a cruise? The Croatia pack works once the ship is in port at Gruž, but not on the ship's own network at sea, as our cruise guide explains. The data calculator helps if you are between two sizes.
Does the Croatia eSIM work in Kotor?
No. Kotor is in Montenegro, which is outside both the Croatia pack and the Europe pack. A Montenegro pack covers the day.
Why does my phone show a Bosnian network in Dubrovnik?
The border is just behind the hills and phones pick the strongest signal. Select Tele2 or A1 manually to stay on a Croatian network.
Is there a train from Dubrovnik airport?
No. Dubrovnik has no railway. The airport shuttle bus goes to Pile Gate and Gruž, and taxis and ride-hailing apps work from the terminal.
Can I share the eSIM's data with my family?
Yes. Hotspot is allowed, so one phone can share with others on a day at the islands. Choose the size for everyone who will use it.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Croatia