Mobile data in Phuket for visitors
Phuket is spread out: the airport is at the northern tip, the beaches line the west coast and the island boats leave from piers on the east side. In between, the phone handles the bus, the car and the ferry ticket. The Thailand eSIM runs on TrueMove H and DTAC and gives data only, so your own number stays on for calls and WhatsApp carries on with it.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Thailand?
- Yes. It connects to TrueMove H, DTAC (5G).
- Price
- From 5,29 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 7,49 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Thailand is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Thailand. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
From the northern tip to the beaches
Phuket International Airport sits at the top of the island, so every beach is a long ride south. The Phuket Smart Bus leaves from the airport and runs down the west coast to Rawai, stopping at Patong, Karon and Kata on the way; the orange airport bus goes instead to Bus Terminal 1 in Phuket Town. Both make many stops, which is why so many arrivals end up in a car.
Grab has its own authorised pickup zone at the airport, separate from the taxi ranks, and the app shows you the way to it once you have data. Turn on the eSIM line and its roaming as you walk off the plane: the pack only starts counting with that first connection in Thailand, however long ago you installed it.
eSIM for Thailand
Data on your phone the moment you land in Thailand. 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.
Six bus lines on one live map
Between beaches you travel by road. The Tourism Authority of Thailand runs Phuket OneMap, a free website, with no app to install, that shows six public bus lines with their routes, timetables and live bus positions, including the Smart Bus and the Phuket EV Bus routes. In the old town, the Dragon Line is a free electric shuttle on a loop with 16 stops.
Beyond those lines it is taxis, tuk-tuks and ride apps, and Bolt sits on the Department of Land Transport's list of legal ride-hailing apps alongside Grab. The app shows the fare before you book, which saves a negotiation late at night outside Bangla Road. Set both up at home, because the sign-up codes go by SMS to your usual number.
Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay and the Similans
Most boat days start at Rassada Pier, on the east side near Phuket Town, with ferries and speedboats to Koh Phi Phi (Tonsai Pier or Laem Tong), Ao Nang and Railay in Krabi. Phang Nga Bay and its limestone islands are a tour-boat day. The Similan Islands are a national park further north, and their boats leave from Thap Lamu pier near Khao Lak, on the mainland.
All of it is Thailand, so the same pack keeps working; the gaps are on open water between islands, where signal comes and goes. Keep the boarding pass, the pier name and the pickup time saved on the phone itself, not only in an email that needs data to open. A waterproof pouch protects it on longtail boats and when you wade ashore.
Which pack for Phuket
A week of beach, a boat trip or two and rides between Patong and the old town are fine on the 3 GB pack, valid 15 days, if hotel wifi covers your evenings. If you post video from the boats or carry on to Krabi and the other Andaman islands, take 5 GB, valid for 30 days. Working from a villa with a laptop on the hotspot, or a month on the island, is a 10 or 20 GB stay.
Buy it up to 180 days before the trip and install it on wifi at home. Running low mid-holiday? Top-ups go onto the same eSIM, with no new QR code. The data calculator suggests a size, the Bangkok guide covers a stop on the way, and the packs are on the Thailand eSIM page.
Can I book a Grab at Phuket airport?
Yes. Grab has an authorised pickup zone at the airport, apart from the taxi ranks, and the app guides you to it. All it needs is data, which the eSIM gives you from landing.
Will I have signal on the boat to Phi Phi?
Near the piers and the islands, usually; on open water it can drop. Save your ticket and pickup details on the phone before you board.
Do I need a different eSIM for Krabi or Khao Lak?
No. Krabi, Ao Nang, Phang Nga and Khao Lak lie in Thailand, so the pack you already have covers them.
Is there an app for Phuket's buses?
Phuket OneMap, a free website from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, shows routes, timetables and live bus positions for six lines. It opens in the phone browser, so there is nothing to install.
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 Thailand