eSIM for Netherlands

Viasimo's Netherlands eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 1 day, running on KPN and Vodafone with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Netherlands

Amsterdam
Drenthe
Flevoland
Friesland
Gelderland
Groningen
Limburg

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$6.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$6.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

Does my phone take an eSIM? Check now

Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

Not sure it works on your phone? Check compatibility

Network

Which networks does the Netherlands eSIM use?

Host networks: KPN / Vodafone

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 500 MB – 50 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE / 5G
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Starts when you first connect in your destination
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$1.591 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$4.595 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$8.0010 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$13.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.29

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

The Netherlands is small, dense and almost entirely navigated by app: train departures, bike routes, museum time slots and canal-boat pickups all live on a screen. That makes a working data line less of a convenience here and more of the thing that holds the day together. A Netherlands eSIM gives you one from the moment you step off at Schiphol, running as a second line so your usual number stays switched on behind it.

Getting online when you land

Add the profile before you travel, at home, on wifi. Installing it is a download in its own right, and doing it at the gate or in a taxi queue is how people end up standing offline next to a machine that wants them to be online.

At Schiphol, Eindhoven or Rotterdam The Hague, drop out of airplane mode, turn the travel line on, and select it for mobile data. Data roaming is set per line, so enabling it for the travel line leaves your home number untouched. Switch mobile data off on the home line, keep its calls and texts running, and that is the whole setup.

The first thing it earns you is the train. Schiphol has a station directly beneath the terminal, and everything about using it, from checking which platform the Intercity leaves from to buying a ticket in the app, assumes you have data in your hand. Same story for the OV bike you pick up at the other end.

The networks you'll be on

Traffic here rides on two Dutch national operators, KPN and Vodafone, both carrying 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out. Your handset picks and moves between them without asking you, and the practical experience is 4G LTE or better nearly everywhere you will be standing.

Whether you land on 5G matters less than you might think in a country this well built out. Capacity in the Randstad is good, and the things you are doing here, journey planning, maps, tickets and messaging, are not bandwidth problems.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

This is one of the easier countries in Europe to stay connected in. The Randstad is effectively continuous coverage: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Delft, Haarlem and Leiden all hold signal at street level, and so do the intercity corridors linking them. Trains keep a usable connection for most of the run, with brief drops in cuttings and under stations. Eindhoven, Groningen, Maastricht, Nijmegen and Arnhem are all fine.

Where it eases off, it does so gently. Rural Friesland, Drenthe and Zeeland, the polder roads, the dyke routes and the quieter parts of the Hoge Veluwe can slow down rather than disappear. The Wadden Islands are the real exception: on Texel, Terschelling, Vlieland, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, coverage clusters around the villages and harbours and gets unreliable out on the dunes, the beaches and the mudflats. Ferry crossings and the far end of a long beach walk are worth planning around.

Underground, expect the usual: metro tunnels in Amsterdam and Rotterdam are variable, and thick-walled old buildings and church interiors can swallow a signal entirely.

What you'll actually use data for here

Transport, mostly. The national rail app for live departures and disruptions, tram and metro planners in the cities, ferry timetables in Zeeland and up to the islands, and a bike navigation app that routes you along the fietspad rather than the road, which is a genuinely different route.

Then bookings. The Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum and Keukenhof in season all run on timed entry, and those slots get bought and shown on a phone. Restaurant reservations work the same way, especially in Amsterdam and Utrecht on a weekend.

Everyday payment and parking apps assume connectivity, and so does anything involving a shared bike or scooter. Add weather, which here is not small talk but an actual input into whether you cycle or take the tram, plus messaging, maps and the occasional translation when a sign or a menu is Dutch only.

Before you fly

Install the profile on home wifi and check it shows as active before you pack.

Download an offline map of the cities you are visiting, and if you are cycling between towns, download the region rather than just the city. Bike routing works far better with the map already on the device.

Install the national rail app and any city transport app before you arrive, so the first thing you do at Schiphol is buy a ticket rather than wait for an app store.

Book timed museum entry in advance and save the QR codes to your phone wallet so a weak signal in a queue is not a problem.

Keep your home line active for calls and texts with its data switched off, and let the travel line carry everything else.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Netherlands?

Yes. Your Netherlands eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are KPN, Vodafone. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

Do I get 5G in Netherlands?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on KPN, Vodafone in Netherlands, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

Can I pay for Dutch trains and trams with my bank card?

Yes. With OVpay you check in and out on trains, trams, buses and metros using a contactless Mastercard, Visa, Maestro or V PAY card, or a phone linked to them through Apple Pay or Google Wallet. In Amsterdam, GVB trips paid this way are capped at €10.50 a day. Always tap out with the same card or phone.

Is the OV-chipkaart being discontinued?

Yes. Trans Link Systems announced in January 2026 that the OV-chipkaart will be fully discontinued by 2027 and replaced by a new card, the OV-pas, which works with OVpay. Visitors can skip it entirely by tapping a contactless bank card or phone. Use up any balance left on an old card.

Is there still 3G in the Netherlands?

Not on KPN, which ran its 3G network until 31 March 2022 and reused the spectrum for 4G and 5G. KPN still runs 2G for basic calls, but mobile data in the Netherlands now depends on 4G and 5G. In weak spots, such as remote parts of the Wadden Islands, expect slow or no data rather than 3G.

Do I need to carry ID in the Netherlands?

Yes. Everyone aged 14 or over must be able to show identification, and GOV.UK tells British visitors to carry their passport. Fines are €100 for those aged 16 and over and €50 for 14- and 15-year-olds. Keep a photo of your passport on your phone as a backup, not a replacement.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Netherlands?

For 7 days in Netherlands, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $1.59 and unlimited data for $13.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Netherlands: what to know before you land

In the Netherlands you no longer need a transport card: OVpay lets you check in and out on trains, trams, buses and metros with a contactless bank card or a phone wallet, and the old OV-chipkaart is due to be withdrawn by 2027. Your eSIM uses KPN and Vodafone. KPN switched off 3G in March 2022, so data runs on 4G and 5G.

Emergency: 112 police non-emergency 0900 8844
Plugs: CF 230V
Currency: Euro (EUR)

Main airports

AMS Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
EIN Eindhoven Airport
RTM Rotterdam The Hague Airport

Apps worth having NSOVpay9292GVBWhatsAppGoogle Maps

OVpay: tap your bank card or phone on NS, GVB and RET

OVpay has run alongside the OV-chipkaart since 2022 and brings contactless payment to public transport across the Netherlands. You tap in when you board a train, tram, bus or metro and tap out at the end. No separate app or ticket is required.

According to Amsterdam's official visitor site:

Accepted cards include contactless Mastercard, Visa, Maestro and V PAY, plus Dutch bank debit cards, and phones linked to them through Apple Pay or Google Wallet.
On Amsterdam's GVB network, trips paid this way are capped at €10.50 a day.
For heavier use, the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket gives one, two or three days of unlimited travel on GVB, Connexxion, EBS, R-net and other regional lines, including NS trains in the area.

Trans Link Systems announced in January 2026 that the OV-chipkaart will be fully discontinued by 2027, replaced by a new OV-pas card that works with OVpay. If you still have an old anonymous OV-chipkaart from a previous trip, use up the balance.

Two phone tips: tap out with the same card or phone you tapped in with, and keep your phone charged. A flat battery means no phone wallet and an incomplete journey. The OVpay app lets you check what you have been charged, which needs data.

KPN, Vodafone and Odido after the 3G switch-off

The Netherlands has three national mobile networks:

KPN, the former state telecom company and owner of the Dutch fixed-line network, is the country's leading mobile operator under its own brand. It also runs budget brands such as Simyo.
VodafoneZiggo, the joint Vodafone and cable operator.
Odido, created on 5 September 2023 when T-Mobile Netherlands and Tele2 were rebranded together. It had about 6.9 million customers in January 2024.

Your eSIM connects to KPN and Vodafone. Between them they cover the country closely, and the Netherlands had around 22 million mobile connections in 2023, about 1.26 per person.

3G has gone. KPN's UMTS network ran until 31 March 2022 and its spectrum now carries 4G and 5G. KPN still operates a 2G GSM network for basic calls and older devices, but it is not something you will use for data. If an old travel guide talks about 3G fallback in the Dutch countryside, it is out of date: where 4G and 5G fade, for example on outer parts of the Wadden Islands, expect slow or no data rather than 3G.

With 4G and 5G as the base layer, video calls, map downloads and photo backups work well on trains between the Randstad cities.

ID checks, pickpockets and fake police around Amsterdam Centraal

Three Dutch rules and risks change how you carry your phone and documents.

You must be able to show ID. Anyone aged 14 or over must always be able to identify themselves. GOV.UK tells British visitors to carry their passport. Fines are €100 for those aged 16 and over and €50 for 14- and 15-year-olds. A photo of your passport on your phone is a useful backup, but it does not replace the document.

Pickpocketing is common. GOV.UK says it happens a lot in central Amsterdam and around Amsterdam Centraal, and that gangs work on the trains and trams between Schiphol and Centraal. One person distracts you while another takes your bag or phone. Do not leave your phone on a table or seat, and avoid sleeping on the airport train. An eSIM cannot be pulled out and reused like a plastic SIM, but you will still want to lock or erase a stolen phone remotely.

Fake police scams target tourists. Criminals posing as plain-clothes officers ask to check cash and cards, often citing a counterfeit money investigation. Real Dutch police rarely do this and do not carry shiny badges. If in doubt, ring the police non-emergency line, 0900 8844, to be put through to the nearest station. For emergencies, dial 112.

Researched October 2026 · 6 sources

iamsterdam.com Public transport in Amsterdam – I amsterdam
en.wikipedia.org OV-chipkaart – Wikipedia
ovpay.nl OVpay – Trans Link Systems
en.wikipedia.org KPN – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org Odido – Wikipedia
gov.uk Netherlands travel advice: safety and security – GOV.UK

7-day itinerary

Seven days in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Kinderdijk and Delft

A train-based week that suits first-time visitors: two days of canals and museums in Amsterdam, then short hops to Haarlem and Zaanse Schans, Utrecht, Rotterdam's modern architecture, the windmills of Kinderdijk, Delft and The Hague, tapping in with a bank card throughout.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 3

When to go Mid-March to mid-May for tulips, with Keukenhof open for about eight weeks in spring; June to September is mild and long-lit, while King's Day on 27 April packs Amsterdam and winter is grey but quiet.

Day 1 Amsterdam

Amsterdam: the canal ring and the Rijksmuseum

Trains from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal take about 15 to 20 minutes; tap in and out with a contactless card.

Take the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal. Walk through the UNESCO-listed canal ring along Herengracht and Keizersgracht, then cross to the Museumplein. Spend the afternoon at the Rijksmuseum, where Rembrandt's Night Watch hangs in the Gallery of Honour, or at the Van Gogh Museum next door; book both ahead. End with a canal boat tour or a walk through Vondelpark.

Signal KPN and Vodafone 5G are strong across central Amsterdam. Signal can dip briefly in the tunnels under Centraal and on the Noord-Zuidlijn metro.
Day 2 Amsterdam

Anne Frank House, the Jordaan and Amsterdam Noord

Start at the Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht; tickets are sold only online and are released six weeks ahead, so book early. Wander the narrow streets and hidden courtyards of the Jordaan, including the Begijnhof near Spui. In the afternoon, take the free ferry behind Centraal across the IJ to Amsterdam Noord for the EYE Film Museum and the A'DAM Lookout.

Signal Excellent 5G across the city and on the IJ ferries. Keep your Anne Frank House ticket saved offline.
Day 3 Amsterdam

Zaanse Schans and Haarlem

About 20 minutes by train to Koog-Zaandijk for Zaanse Schans; Haarlem is about 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam.

Go early to Zaanse Schans, a riverside collection of working windmills, wooden houses and craft workshops, before the tour buses arrive. Then take the train to Haarlem. See the Grote Kerk on the Grote Markt with its huge organ, and the Frans Hals Museum for Dutch Golden Age portraits. Walk the quiet canals and almshouse courtyards before returning to Amsterdam.

Signal Strong 4G and 5G throughout. Download the NS app to check connections between stops.
Day 4 Utrecht

Utrecht

About 25 to 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal.

Take the train to Utrecht. Climb the 465 steps of the Dom Tower, the tallest church tower in the Netherlands, for views across the country. Walk the Oudegracht, a canal with two-level wharves and cellars at water level, and visit the Centraal Museum. If you like design, book a tour of the Rietveld Schröder House, a UNESCO site and a landmark of the De Stijl movement.

Signal Good 5G in the city centre. The Dom Tower's stone staircase and the canal cellars can weaken signal.
Day 5 Rotterdam

Rotterdam and the windmills of Kinderdijk

Utrecht to Rotterdam is about 40 minutes by train; the Waterbus from Rotterdam's Erasmusbrug pier to Kinderdijk takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the route.

Travel to Rotterdam and drop your bags. Take the Waterbus up the river to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO site with 19 windmills built in the 18th century to drain the polders; walk or cycle along the dikes and go inside a museum mill. Back in Rotterdam, see the Cube Houses and the Markthal by Blaak station, then walk across the Erasmus Bridge at dusk.

Signal Good 4G and 5G in Rotterdam and on the Waterbus. Coverage is reliable along the Kinderdijk dikes, though it can be weaker inside the mills.
Day 6 Rotterdam

Delft and The Hague

Rotterdam to Delft is about 15 minutes by train; Delft to The Hague is about 10 minutes.

Take the train to Delft. Walk the Markt between the New Church, where the Dutch royal family is buried, and the Renaissance town hall, and visit the Royal Delft pottery to see the blue-and-white earthenware being painted. Continue to The Hague and the Mauritshuis for Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, then take the tram to the beach at Scheveningen for the evening.

Signal Strong 5G in Delft, The Hague and on the coast at Scheveningen.
Day 7 Amsterdam

Leiden and departure

About 35 minutes by train from Rotterdam to Leiden, and about 15 to 20 minutes from Leiden to Schiphol.

Head to Leiden on your way to the airport. Walk the canals and visit the Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, or the National Museum of Antiquities. In spring, you could instead take the express bus from Leiden Centraal to Keukenhof for its tulip gardens. Continue to Schiphol for your flight.

Signal Reliable 5G throughout. Download your boarding pass before Schiphol, where crowds can slow mobile data.

Staying connected on this route

Use a contactless bank card or phone wallet with OVpay for trains, trams and the Waterbus where accepted; keep using the same card to tap in and out.
Book the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum online in advance and save the tickets offline.
Carry your passport or ID; everyone over 14 must be able to show identification.

Itinerary sources · 4

holland.com Holland.com (Netherlands Board of Tourism)
annefrank.org Anne Frank House: tickets
whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout
whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026