Mobile internet in Paris: a visitor's guide
Paris runs on the metro and the RER, and both eat phone battery and data. Two questions are worth answering before you go: does your plan charge roaming in France, and where will you lose signal?
See eSIMs for FranceRoaming in Paris
- EU phone plans: France is in the EU, so roam-like-at-home applies, sometimes with a fair-use data cap.
- UK phone plans: since Brexit it depends on your operator, and several charge a daily fee for France.
- Plans from outside Europe: usually international roaming prices or a daily pass. The full picture is in our France internet guide.
- A France data eSIM keeps it simple: fixed price on local networks (Orange (5G)).
eSIM for France
Data on your phone the moment you land in France. No account, no app, no shop.
Choose your data
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.
And if it turns out yours cannot use it, write to us and you get every cent back.
Discount code
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.
From Charles de Gaulle or Orly into the city
Both airports reach the centre by RER train, by coach and by taxi or ride app, and every one of those is looked up on a phone. You want data before you leave the terminal: to check which RER or bus to take, to buy or show the ticket, to find the pickup point and to message your accommodation. Airport Wi-Fi normally asks for a registration and often stops after a set time. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi (step by step): it starts counting when the phone connects in France, not when you install it.
Signal on the metro and the RER
Coverage inside metro and RER tunnels depends on the line and the station, and it is not the same everywhere, so expect stretches with nothing between stops. Deep stations and long interchange corridors are the usual dead spots. Load the route, the ticket or the podcast before you go down, not while the doors are closing.
City Wi-Fi, maps and tickets
- The free city Wi-Fi exists in parks, libraries and some public buildings, but it asks you to register, the session ends after a while and it comes and goes. Treat it as a bonus, not a plan.
- Offline maps: download central Paris before you fly. In quarters of narrow streets and inner courtyards, GPS drifts and the blue dot jumps.
- Timed-entry museum tickets are shown from the phone. Download them the night before so the queue does not depend on signal.
- Photo and video backup to the cloud is the quiet data drain of a walking day: set it to Wi-Fi only.
How much data for a few days in Paris
- 3 GB: a long weekend of maps, messaging and tickets.
- 5 GB: a week with photos, social media and some video calls.
- 10 GB: two weeks, or two people sharing over the hotspot.
- 20 GB: a month, or working from the city. The data size guide turns your habits into a number.
Prices for France
Data eSIMs for France: 3 GB for 4,79 €, 5 GB for 7,49 €, 10 GB for 12,79 € and 20 GB for 17,49 €. Data only, so your own line keeps your number and WhatsApp. The hotspot is included and we do not cap the speed: you get 5G where the network has it.
Is there mobile signal in the Paris metro?
It depends on the line and the station, and deep tunnels and interchange corridors are the usual gaps. Load what you need before going down.
Can I use the free city Wi-Fi instead of mobile data?
You can try it in parks and public buildings, but it needs a registration, the session expires and it is patchy. It is not something to rely on for getting around.
Do I need data at Charles de Gaulle when I land?
It makes the trip in much easier: the RER or bus to take, the ticket, the pickup point and the message to your host all need it. Airport Wi-Fi usually asks you to register.
Does a France eSIM give me a French number?
No, it is data only. Your own line keeps your number and WhatsApp carries on working.
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 France