Mobile data in Rio de Janeiro for visitors
Rio spreads between the bay, the beaches and the hills, and you cross it by metro, by app car and on foot along the seafront. The Brazil eSIM connects to Claro, TIM and Vivo, all with 5G, and is data only: your number stays on the phone for WhatsApp, which in Brazil handles everything from restaurant bookings to tour pickups.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Brazil?
- Yes. It connects to Claro, TIM, Vivo (5G).
- Price
- From 10,79 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 17,29 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Brazil 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 Brazil. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Galeão or Santos Dumont
International flights land at Galeão, the Tom Jobim airport on Ilha do Governador, north of the centre. The cheapest route is the TransCarioca BRT to Vicente de Carvalho, where you change to metro line 2. The executive bus 2018 goes to the South Zone beaches with room for luggage, but in traffic it can take well over an hour. Most visitors use Uber or 99, which show the fare before you confirm.
Santos Dumont, used for domestic flights, sits on the bay right next to the centre, and the VLT light rail links it with the Novo Rio bus station and downtown. Switch on the eSIM's line when you land: from either airport, a ride app is the simplest way to the hotel door.
eSIM for Brazil
Data on your phone the moment you land in Brazil. 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.
Tap at the turnstile, then put the phone away
MetrôRio turnstiles accept contactless bank cards and phone wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, so you do not need a transport card for the metro. Line 1 runs from the centre through Copacabana to Ipanema, and line 4 continues from Ipanema to Barra da Tijuca. On the VLT and city buses the usual way to pay is the city's Jaé card, so check at the stop before boarding.
On the beaches and in crowds, use the phone and then put it away. Look up the route before leaving the hotel, and if you need the map, step into a shop or café rather than standing on the pavement with it out. Having the ride app open and ready means less time with the phone in your hand at night.
Corcovado, Sugarloaf and the escape to Ilha Grande
The Corcovado train leaves from Cosme Velho; tickets bought on the official website come with a boarding time and spare you the queue at the ticket office. The Sugarloaf cable car starts at Praia Vermelha, in Urca. Keep both tickets on the phone and saved offline.
Ilha Grande has no road access: boats from Conceição de Jacareí reach Vila do Abraão in about 20 to 30 minutes, and on the island you get around on foot or by boat; do not count on signal on the trails. Paraty is about four and a half hours by Costa Verde bus from Novo Rio. If you fly on to Foz do Iguaçu, the Brazilian side of the falls is in the pack, but the Argentine side needs the Argentina eSIM.
How much data for Rio
Four days between the beaches, Corcovado and Santa Teresa, with hotel wifi and ride apps in the evenings, fit the 3 GB pack, valid for 15 days. A week that adds Ilha Grande or Paraty, or a lot of video from the beach, is better on 5 GB, valid for 30 days. For Carnival with friends sharing one connection, or remote work from a rented flat, take 10 GB or 20 GB.
Buy it up to 180 days before the trip and install it at home on wifi; it starts on its first connection in Brazil. If you run short, top it up without reinstalling anything. The packs are on the Brazil page, and the data calculator sizes one for your trip.
Can I pay for the Rio metro with my phone?
Yes. MetrôRio turnstiles take contactless bank cards and phone wallets. The eSIM does not pay for anything; it keeps the map and the ride apps online.
Is it easy to get an Uber or a 99 at Galeão?
Yes, both work at the airport, and the app shows the fare before you confirm. Switch on the eSIM line as you land so you can request the car from the terminal.
Will it work on Ilha Grande?
Ilha Grande is Brazil, so the eSIM is valid there wherever one of the three networks reaches. On the trails and remote beaches do not count on it: download the map in Abraão.
Does it work at Iguazú Falls?
On the Brazilian side, in Foz do Iguaçu, yes. On the Argentine side it stops, so add the Argentina eSIM or download what you need before crossing.
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 Brazil