Are you planning a trip to Berlin and wondering how to stay connected in Germany? Don't get fooled by slow overseas data roaming plans or let high roaming charges ruin your trip to Berlin. This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport.
Find out where to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists, my recommendation, up to date prices as per Febraury 2024, the best e-sim cards for Germany, a vlog with my experiences arriving at Brandenburg Airport, info about international sim cards and everything else you need to know when looking for the best sim card for Berlin.
Providing travelers with resourceful information about sim cards became a passion and combine that with Traveltomtom's journey to travel to every country in the world and you know why there are already more than 200 sim cards guides for tourists on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Europe, London, United Kingdom, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Spain, USA, Canada, Dubai, Istanbul, Turkey, Qatar, Thailand, Bangkok, Bali and many more.
Traveltomtom also wrote a guide for buying a prepaid sim card at Frankfurt Airport as well as a complete guide for finding the best prepaid sim card for tourist in Germany in 2024.
If you are all about e-sims then Traveltomtom has the ultimate guide guide for you with a comparison of the best e-sim cards for traveling to Germany in 2024.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and e-sim card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport. There is only one prepaid sim card for tourist available and the value for money is NOT good.
Buying a prepaid sim card for Germany in a phone store in Berlin city center gets you a much better sim card deal. Check out my detailed article for buying a tourist sim card in Germany in 2024 or get yourself an e-sim card for Germany.
For just $26 USD you get an e-sim with 20 GB data. Or you can already order an e-sim card for just $5 USD. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Germany via either Airalo, Nomad or SimOptions.
Find more detailed info in Traveltomtom's guide for finding the best e-sim card for your trip to Germany in 2024.
Another option and also cheaper than buying a sim card at Berlin Airport is ordering an international sim card online. Check out my comparison of the best international travel sim cards in 2024 and pick the one that suits your trip the best.
Best e-sim cards for Germany
The easiest way to get a data connection on your phone when traveling to Berlin in 2024 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything directly online. No more swapping physical sim cards and visiting a phone store.
You order an e-sim card for Berlin on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Germany e-sim card installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Berlin it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Make sure your phone is e-sim compatible before ordering an e-sim card for Germany.
Traveltomtom wrote a complete guide for using e-sim cards when traveling to Germany, including a comparison of the best e-sim cards, all FAQ's answered and everything else you need to know about e-sim cards.
There are a couple trusted e-sim card providers, here are Traveltomtom's recommendations.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable e-sim provider that sells e-sim cards from pretty much every country in the world. Airalo offers the following e-sim card deals for Germany in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $6.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $22.50 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
Click here to order a Germany e-sim cards directly through Airalo.
Keep in mind that the above Hallo! Mobil e-sim cards for Germany are data-only and only valid in Germany. They operate on the 4G/LTE network of O2 Germany. The 20 GB data e-sim card for $26 USD is the best buy e-sim card for Germany with only $1.3 USD per Gigabyte.
SimOptions
SimOptions is a reliable e-sim provider and Traveltomtom has used SimOptions in more than 50 countries around the world and never faced an issue.
If you also want to make phone calls with your e-sim card then check out the e-sim card deals on SimOptions. SimOptions sells international e-sim cards for Germany with unlimited calling/texting included and free EU data roaming and calls all over Europe.
Here are the SimOptions e-sim card plans for Germany for 2024:
- 15 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 10 GB data-only (5G ready) for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 12 GB data + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 50 GB data (5G ready) + unlimited calls/text for 28 days = $59.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international e-sim card for Germany via SimOptions.
Nomad
Another trusted and reviewed e-sim provider is Nomad and Traveltomtom has used Nomad now in more than 10 countries. Nomad sometimes has amazing competitive e-sim card plans with cheap prices.
Here are the Nomad e-sim card plans for Germany in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $6 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $8 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $19 USD
- 15 GB data for 30 days = $27 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $33 USD
Click here to order an e-sim card for Germany from Nomad.
Before you order an e-sim card for Germany make sure your phone is e-sim card compatible. How to find out? Simply ask Google about your phone model.
For much more detailed information about using e-sim cards for traveling to Germany, FAQ about e-sim cards, more e-sim offers, plans and the best deals can be found in my detailed guide about the best e-sim cards for traveling to Germany in 2024.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport
After more than 10 years of disputes, trials, construction failures and many more problems the Brandenburg Airport finally opened. I was impressed by a very modern, spacious and easy to navigate airport. There are two doors into the Arrival Hall: 1 and 2.
International tourists can find a lot of valuable tourist information at the luggage belts like public transport info, machines for train and tram tickets and also ATM’ and exchange offices.
In the Arrival Hall there is even a Tourist Information Center where you can not only ask for help but the staff can also directly book your hotel, bus, public transport tickets, etc.
Where to buy a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport
Unfortunately there are very few options to buy a sim card for Germany upon arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Tourists can only buy a prepaid sim card at the Travelex - Currency Exchange stores.
Before going through the final customs baggage check you can buy a sim card at the Travelex - Currency Exchange shop at Luggage Belt A3.
If you enter the arrival hall after the customs baggage check there is another Travelex - Currency Exchange shop opposite Arrivals 1 next to the Relay shop.
Both Travelex - Currency Exchange stores are only open from 6.00 am until 6.00 pm. If you arrive outside these hours then tourists can NOT buy a prepaid sim card for Germany at Berlin Airport and the only way to buy a sim card for Germany is in Berlin city center.
Check out my YouTube video above about my experiences and my arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. In the video I show you what it looks like disembarking the plane and walking through Berlin Airport and where you can buy a prepaid sim card for tourists.
Prices prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport
All the below info and prices are up to date as per February 2024. Prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.91 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.09 USD.
The Travelex store only offers a Lycamobile prepaid sim card deal:
- 15 GB data* + unlimited calls & text in Germany for 1 month = €40 EUR - ($44 USD)
*data only valid in Germany, NO EU data roaming included!
Lycamobile is an MVNO and operates in Germany on the network of O2 Germany.
If you only visit Germany and no other country on your trip to Europe and you are ok with paying €40 EUR - ($44 USD) for 15 GB data then you know where to get your sim card.
But since I also showed you above that an e-sim card for Germany for $15 USD can give you already 5 GB data, you can understand why I don’t recommend buying a sim card at Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
Order a prepaid sim card for Germany online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Berlin online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Berlin with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Germany, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Germany:
1. O2 Go Card - $24.90
- 10 GB data
- $2 calling credit (no top-up)
- valid for 30 days
- valid in 34 countries
- 4G/LTE
2. Three Data Pack - $24.90
- 10 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms
- Valid 30 days
- Valid in 56 countries
- 4G/LTE
3. Orange Holiday ZEN - $29.90
- 12 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 30 minutes worldwide
- 200 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
- Valid in 34 countries
- 4G/LTE
4. Bouygues Telecom - $44.90
- 30 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- Valid 30 days
- Valid in 47 countries
- 4G/LTE
5. Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 30 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
- Valid in 34 countries
- 4G/LTE
Click here to directly order an international sim card for Germany online.
Personally Traveltomtom recommends the Bouygues Telecom or the Orange sim card with 30 GB data. I have used these sim cards a lot in the past and never had an issue.
But as mentioned many times before nowadays when traveling to Europe or Germany I always use an e-sim card. It is just so easy and done fast and as soon as the plane lands you are online.
Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Germany via either Airalo, Nomad or SimOptions.
For more detailed info check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before ordering an e-sim card for traveling to Germany in 2024.
I hope all that the above tips for staying connected in Germany and buying a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport were helpful for your upcoming trip. If you still have any questions then please leave me a comment below.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of February 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Berlin!