Mobile internet in Rome: a visitor's guide
Rome is walked, not driven, and the phone works all day: maps in narrow streets, timed tickets shown at the door, a train ticket bought the minute you land. Two things decide how that goes: whether your plan charges roaming, and where the signal drops.
See eSIMs for ItalyRoaming in Rome
- EU phone plans: Italy 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 Italy.
- Plans from outside Europe: usually international roaming prices or a daily pass. The detail is in our Italy internet guide.
- An Italy data eSIM sidesteps the question: fixed price on local networks (TIM (5G), Iliad (5G), Wind (5G)).
eSIM for Italy
Data on your phone the moment you land in Italy. 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 Fiumicino or Ciampino to the centre
Both airports sit outside the city, and the way in is a train, a coach or a taxi. You want data before you leave the terminal: to buy or show the train ticket, to check which coach goes where, to call a ride, and to message the place you are staying. Airport Wi-Fi normally asks for a registration or a phone number and often cuts out after a set time, so do not build the arrival around it. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi (step by step): it only starts counting when your phone connects to a network in Italy.
Where the signal actually drops
The Rome metro is short, but coverage inside the tunnels depends on the line and the station, so expect gaps between stops. The same happens on the lower floors and in the basements of museums and in underground sites: thick stone and no windows. Above ground, the historic centre is a tangle of narrow streets and courtyards where GPS bounces off the walls and the blue dot jumps a street or two.
Apps that eat data here
- Offline maps: download central Rome before you fly. GPS still works without data, the map does not.
- Public transport apps for live times, which refresh constantly while you walk.
- Timed-entry tickets for the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and other sites are shown from the phone. Save them to your phone wallet or as a PDF the night before, and a queue with no signal stops being a problem.
- Photo and video backup to the cloud: the quiet drain of a walking day. Set it to Wi-Fi only.
How much data for a few days in Rome
- 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. If you are unsure, the data size guide works it out from what you actually do.
Prices for Italy
Data eSIMs for Italy: 3 GB for 4,49 €, 5 GB for 6,49 €, 10 GB for 11,79 € and 20 GB for 16,99 €. It is data only, so your own line keeps your number and WhatsApp. Buy it weeks ahead if you like: installing does not start the plan, and the hotspot is included without any speed limit from us.
Is there mobile signal on the Rome metro?
Inside the tunnels it depends on the line and the station, so expect gaps between stops. Load what you need before going down.
Do I need data at Fiumicino when I land?
It helps a lot: the train or coach ticket, the ride app and the message to your accommodation all need it. Airport Wi-Fi usually asks you to register and does not last.
Will my Colosseum or Vatican ticket open without internet?
Only if you downloaded it first. Save the QR to your phone wallet or as a PDF the night before and it opens with no signal.
Does an Italy eSIM give me an Italian number?
No, it is data only. Your own line keeps your number, and WhatsApp carries on working with 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 Italy