Mobile data in San Francisco for visitors
San Francisco is small and steep: you walk, ride a cable car, take BART and book a car when the hills win. The United States eSIM gives the phone data on Verizon and AT&T; it has no number, so your own line keeps calls and texts.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in the United States?
- Yes. It connects to Verizon, AT&T (5G).
- Price
- From 5,99 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 8,99 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: The United States 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 the United States. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
SFO and Oakland: BART into the city
At SFO the BART station is in the International Terminal, a short walk from Terminals 1 and 3, and the free AirTrain connects every terminal with it. The fare gates take contactless bank cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, so you can tap and ride without buying a ticket; tap the same card or phone again at the exit. Each rider needs their own card or device.
If you fly into Oakland, BART also links that airport with the city. Either way, once the eSIM is connected the BART app or the map shows the next train to Powell Street or Embarcadero before you reach the platform.
eSIM for United States
Data on your phone the moment you land in United States. 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.
Clipper, Muni and driverless cars
Clipper is the Bay Area's transit card and works on every system, including BART and Muni. You can add it to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before the trip and skip the station machines, which also helps with agencies that do not take bank cards. Muni runs the buses, the Metro streetcars and the cable cars, and its MuniMobile app sells passes.
Waymo's driverless cars operate across the city and are booked in the Waymo app, like any ride app; they need a data connection to call, track and unlock the car. On the hills, walking times are longer than the map suggests, so a quick ride often makes sense.
Alcatraz and Muir Woods: book first, then go
Alcatraz is reached only on the ferries of Alcatraz City Cruises, the Park Service's authorised operator, from Pier 33. Same-day tickets are often unavailable, so book on the official site and keep the ticket on the phone; reseller sites charge more and do not carry the concessionaire logo.
Muir Woods, across the Golden Gate in Marin, needs a parking reservation through GoMuirWoods.com for every car, and the seasonal shuttle is booked in advance too. The Park Service tells visitors to save the reservation on the phone because cell service in the park is unreliable, so do it before you cross the bridge.
Yosemite and the coast road south
Yosemite is the big trip inland. According to the Park Service, AT&T and Verizon, the two networks this eSIM uses, cover mainly the eastern end of Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point, with Verizon also at Wawona and Crane Flat; at Tuolumne Meadows there is no reliable service. Save maps, trail details and your lodging confirmation before you leave the Central Valley.
Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the coast road south to Los Angeles all stay inside the United States pack. On the remote stretches of Highway 1, an offline map is again the safer plan than counting on signal.
How much data for San Francisco
Three or four days of walking, BART and the odd ride, with wifi at the hotel, fit in the 3 GB pack, valid for 15 days. A week that adds Yosemite or a drive down the coast is better on 5 GB, valid for 30 days, because navigation stays on for hours. If you work from a laptop through the hotspot, go to 10 GB.
The eSIM only starts counting when it first connects in the United States, so you can buy it whenever suits you, up to 180 days ahead, and top it up later without reinstalling. The packs are on the United States page.
Do I need a Clipper card for BART from SFO?
No. BART gates take contactless bank cards and phone wallets. Clipper is useful if you will ride several Bay Area systems, and it can sit in your phone wallet.
Will I have signal at Muir Woods?
Do not count on it. The Park Service says cell service there is unreliable and asks visitors to save their parking or shuttle reservation on the phone before arriving.
Does the eSIM work in Yosemite?
Where AT&T or Verizon have signal, mainly in eastern Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point and Wawona, yes. Large parts of the park, including Tuolumne Meadows, have no reliable coverage.
Does it work in Oakland, Berkeley and Silicon Valley?
Yes. The whole Bay Area, like the rest of California, is covered by the United States pack, so nothing changes when you cross the bridges.
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 the United States