eSIM for North Macedonia

Viasimo's North Macedonia eSIM starts at $1.79 for 500 MB over 1 day, running on vip 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 North Macedonia

Arachinovo
Berovo
Bitola
Bogdanci
Bogovinje
Bosilovo
Brvenica

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$12.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$12.99

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.

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Network

Which networks does the North Macedonia eSIM use?

Host networks: vip

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

Data: 500 MB – 20 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
Connects via: Austria
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	$2.591 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$9.005 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$17.0010 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$27.99Unlimited, 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

$1.79

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

North Macedonia is compact enough to cross in an afternoon and mountainous enough that the crossing takes longer than the map suggests. Most visitors run a simple circuit between Skopje, Ohrid and a national park or two, which means a lot of driving on roads where you will want navigation working and few places where you truly lose it. A North Macedonia eSIM sets that up before you land, sitting as a second line beside your usual number.

Getting online when you land

Put the profile on the phone at home, over wifi. It needs a connection to install, and Skopje airport is a small terminal where you will be at the car rental desk within minutes of clearing passport control.

After landing, exit airplane mode, enable the travel line and make it your data line. The roaming toggle is per line, so switching it on for the travel line leaves the home number alone. Turn the home line's mobile data off, keep its calls and texts on, and you are set.

If you are flying into Ohrid instead, the same applies, with the added benefit that you can check your accommodation's location before driving the lakeside road in the dark. Either way, having the map live before you pull out of the airport car park is worth more than anything else you do in that first ten minutes.

The networks you'll be on

Your line runs on vip in North Macedonia, across 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out. Given the sort of travel most people do here, mapping, messaging, bookings and looking up which monastery is open, the radio generation is rarely the thing you notice.

The phone falls back and steps up between the two layers on its own, without any input from you. On the main roads and in the towns, expect 4G/LTE. In the mountains, expect to spend more time on 3G, and treat it as functional rather than fast.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

The corridor most visitors use is well covered. Skopje holds a good signal throughout the city and out to the airport, and Ohrid, Struga, Bitola, Tetovo, Kumanovo, Prilep, Strumica and Veles are all reliable. The main north to south route, and the road over to Ohrid, keep you connected for most of the drive.

The mountains are where it goes. The Sar range along the western border, the higher parts of Mavrovo, Galicica and Pelister, the passes and the switchback sections between valleys all drop out. Matka Canyon has coverage near the dam and much less as you go up the gorge or onto the trails. Remote villages in the highlands, forest roads and hiking routes above the treeline should be treated as offline.

Lake Ohrid itself is generally fine along the developed shore and less so on the far southern stretch toward the border and up on Galicica. Border crossings can be slow, and a dead signal in the queue is common enough to be worth having your documents ready offline.

What you'll actually use data for here

Navigation does the heavy lifting. Road signage improves the closer you are to a city and gets thin in the hills, junctions in villages are unmarked, and satellite navigation is how most visitors avoid a wrong turn that costs an hour of mountain road.

After that, opening hours and access details. Monasteries, churches, the archaeological sites at Stobi and Heraclea, cave churches around the lake and the boat trips to Sveti Naum all keep hours that are easier to confirm online than to guess at, and some of them shift seasonally.

Then the everyday material: restaurant listings and reviews, translating a menu or a road sign written in Cyrillic, weather before a hike in Mavrovo or Pelister, accommodation messaging, and parking or ticketing where it is handled by app. If you are continuing into Albania, Kosovo, Greece or Bulgaria, you will also want to check what your line does at the border before you cross rather than after.

Before you fly

Install and activate the profile at home, and leave the line switched off until you land.

Download offline maps covering the whole country. It is small enough that there is no reason to be selective, and the mountains are exactly where searching fails.

Save your accommodation pins and any trailhead locations before you set off for the day, particularly for Mavrovo, Galicica and Matka.

Add a Macedonian offline translation pack, mainly for reading Cyrillic signage and menus outside the tourist centres.

Take a car charger. A rental car, a phone running navigation all day and mountain roads that keep the screen on add up quickly.

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

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 North Macedonia?

Yes. Your North Macedonia 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 vip. 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 North Macedonia?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on vip in North Macedonia, 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.

Why does my phone show A1 instead of vip in North Macedonia?

They're the same network. Vip has been part of A1 Telekom Austria Group since 2017 and now operates as A1 Macedonia, so depending on your phone you may see vip, A1 or A1 MK. Leave network selection on automatic. If you choose a different operator manually, your data may stop working.

Can I use Google Maps on my phone while driving in North Macedonia?

You can follow navigation, but holding or using your phone while driving is an offence and can be fined. Set your route before you leave and use a dashboard mount. Remember that dipped headlights or side lights are required during the day, and seat belts are compulsory for everyone.

Can I hike in Macedonian national parks in summer?

Usually, but check first. The UK Foreign Office says summer bans on entering forest and wilderness areas are common during wildfire season, which runs from April to October, and fines are severe. Before hiking in Mavrovo, Galičica or Pelister, check local announcements, and call 112 if you see a fire.

What emergency numbers should I save in North Macedonia?

Save 112 for general emergencies and wildfires, 192 for police, 194 for ambulance and 196 for roadside assistance. These numbers come from the UK Foreign Office. Your eSIM is data only, so you'll need your home SIM or a local phone to call them.

How much data do I need for 7 days in North Macedonia?

For 7 days in North Macedonia, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $2.59 and unlimited data for $27.99. 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

North Macedonia: what to know before you land

In North Macedonia your eSIM connects to vip, the network that has been part of Austria's A1 Telekom Austria Group since 2017 and now trades as A1 Macedonia, so your phone may show either name. For most visitors, mobile data matters most on the drive between Skopje and Ohrid, where daytime headlights are compulsory, phone use at the wheel is fined, and summer forest bans can close hiking areas.

Emergency: 112 police 192, ambulance 194
Plugs: CF 230V
Currency: Macedonian denar (MKD)

Main airports

SKP Skopje International Airport
OHD St Paul the Apostle Airport, Ohrid

Apps worth having WhatsAppViberGoogle MapsGoogle Translate (Macedonian)

From vip to A1: what your phone will show

The operator your eSIM uses has changed names more than once. Vip launched in North Macedonia in 2007 and merged with its rival One in 2015 to form one.VIP, later Vip Macedonia. Austria's Telekom Austria Group initially owned 55%, then bought out Telekom Slovenije's share in 2017. The company now operates as A1 Macedonia, a subsidiary of A1 Telekom Austria Group.

In practice, your status bar might say vip, A1 or A1 MK, depending on your handset and software. They're all the same network. If you notice a different operator name on the list, it's the competitor's network, so leave network selection on automatic rather than choosing it.

The same company also took over blizoo, which at the time was the country's biggest cable operator, in 2016. That's why you'll often see the A1 brand on hotel and apartment wifi routers as well. If your accommodation's wifi is slow, your mobile data will usually be the faster option for video calls.

Skopje (SKP) and Ohrid (OHD) airports and the drive between them

Both of North Macedonia's international airports are run by TAV Airports under a 20-year concession signed in 2008. Skopje International is by far the busier, with about 3.2 million passengers in 2025. Taxis, private transfers and the WTransporter airport bus link it with the city. St Paul the Apostle Airport at Ohrid is about 170 km south-west of Skopje and mainly handles seasonal flights.

If you're renting a car, keep the UK Foreign Office's driving rules in mind:

Dipped headlights or side lights are required, even during the day, and you can be fined without them.
Using a mobile phone while driving is an offence. Set your navigation before you leave and use a mount.
Seat belts are compulsory for everyone, and drink-driving rules are strictly enforced.
Snow chains may be required in winter on mountain roads such as the passes around Mavrovo.

The Foreign Office says accidents are common and driving standards vary widely. Save the roadside assistance number, 196, and keep a copy of your passport photo page with you for identification.

Wildfire bans and summer hiking in Mavrovo, Galičica and Pelister

North Macedonia's national parks are popular in summer, which is also wildfire season. The UK Foreign Office says wildfires are possible from April to October, and that summer bans on entering forests and wilderness areas are common, with severe fines if you break them.

Before you set off for a hike in Mavrovo, Galičica above Lake Ohrid, or Pelister near Bitola, check the latest local announcements on your phone and ask your accommodation whether access is restricted. A trail that was open last week may be closed during a heatwave.

While you're out:

Only light fires or barbecues in designated areas, fully put out cigarettes, and take your rubbish with you.
If you see a fire, call 112 and follow police or local authority instructions.
Keep your phone charged, and download offline maps before you leave town, so you can find another way out if a road is closed.

Take care with your camera too. The Foreign Office says photographing military installations or sites of government or strategic importance is illegal, so don't photograph checkpoints, barracks or anything that looks official.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

en.wikipedia.org A1 Macedonia – Wikipedia
gov.uk North Macedonia travel advice: safety and security – GOV.UK
gov.uk North Macedonia travel advice: getting help – GOV.UK
en.wikipedia.org Skopje International Airport – Wikipedia
worldstandards.eu Plug, socket & voltage by country – WorldStandards

7-day itinerary

Seven days in North Macedonia: Skopje, Matka, Mavrovo, Ohrid and Bitola

A road-trip week by hire car through the country's highlights: Skopje's old bazaar and Matka Canyon, the mountain monastery of Bigorski on the way to Lake Ohrid, three nights by the lake with Galičica National Park, then Bitola and the ruins of Stobi on the way back.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 3

When to go Late May to June and September are warm and good for swimming in Lake Ohrid without the July and August crowds; wildfire season runs from April to October, when forest entry bans can close trails.

Day 1 Skopje

Skopje: the Old Bazaar and fortress

Skopje International Airport is about 20 km from the centre; taxis and the airport bus run into town.

Cross the Stone Bridge over the Vardar from Macedonia Square into the Old Bazaar, one of the largest surviving Ottoman bazaars in the Balkans. See the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the Daut Pasha Hamam, now an art gallery, and the old caravanserais such as Kapan An. Climb to the Kale Fortress for views over the city, then visit the Memorial House of Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje.

Signal Your eSIM connects to vip, now shown as A1 or A1 MK, with 5G in central Skopje. Leave network selection on automatic.
Day 2 Skopje

Matka Canyon

About 30 minutes by car from Skopje; city buses also run to Matka.

Drive or take a bus to Matka Canyon, a steep limestone gorge on the Treska river just south-west of the city. Visit the frescoed St Andrew's Monastery at the dam, then take a boat or kayak up the canyon to the Vrelo Cave, or walk the cliffside path above the water. Return to Skopje in the afternoon for the Archaeological Museum on the riverbank.

Signal Good coverage at the car park and monastery, but signal fades deeper in the canyon and inside Vrelo Cave.
Day 3 Ohrid

Mavrovo and Bigorski Monastery

About 4 hours of driving in total from Skopje to Ohrid via Mavrovo and Debar.

Drive west into Mavrovo National Park and stop by Lake Mavrovo to see the half-submerged church of St Nicholas, which emerges when water levels drop. Continue through the Radika valley to Bigorski Monastery, known for its carved wooden iconostasis. Carry on via Debar and Struga to Ohrid, arriving by early evening. Use dipped headlights all day: they are compulsory.

Signal Coverage is patchy in the Mavrovo hills and the Radika gorge, where you may lose signal for stretches. Download offline maps before leaving Skopje.
Day 4 Ohrid

Ohrid old town

Explore Ohrid, part of the UNESCO-listed Ohrid region. Start at the 11th-century church of St Sophia for its frescoes, climb through the old town past the Roman theatre to Samuel's Fortress, then walk down to Plaošnik and the rebuilt church of St Panteleimon, linked to St Clement. Finish at the church of St John at Kaneo on a cliff above the lake, best at sunset.

Signal Strong 4G and 5G across the old town and lakefront. The fortress walls and churches may weaken signal indoors.
Day 5 Ohrid

Galičica and St Naum

About 45 minutes from Ohrid to St Naum along the shore; the Galičica pass road adds about an hour.

Drive south along the lake to the Bay of Bones museum, a reconstructed prehistoric pile-dwelling settlement on the water. Continue to the monastery of St Naum near the Albanian border, and take a rowing boat over the springs that feed the lake. Return over the Galičica National Park mountain road, stopping at the viewpoint where you can see both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.

Signal Signal is generally good along the lakeshore. Near St Naum your phone may pick up an Albanian network; check it stays on vip/A1. Coverage is weaker on Galičica's high ridge.
Day 6 Bitola

Bitola and Heraclea Lyncestis

About 1 hour 15 minutes by car from Ohrid to Bitola.

Drive east to Bitola and visit Heraclea Lyncestis on the edge of town, an ancient city founded by Philip II of Macedon with fine Roman and early Christian floor mosaics. Walk the pedestrian Širok Sokak, lined with 19th-century consulate buildings and cafés, to the clock tower and the old bazaar. If you have time, drive into the foothills of Pelister National Park, after checking for any wildfire access bans.

Signal Strong coverage in Bitola; signal becomes patchy higher up in Pelister National Park.
Day 7 Skopje

Stobi and back to Skopje

About 1 hour 30 minutes from Bitola to Stobi, then about 1 hour to Skopje.

Head north-east via Prilep to Stobi, the ruins of a Roman and early Byzantine city near the confluence of the Vardar and Crna rivers, with its theatre, basilicas and mosaic-floored houses. Continue on the motorway back to Skopje for your flight, or spend a final evening around the riverside and the Old Bazaar.

Signal Good 4G along the main roads and at Stobi. You can't use your phone while driving, so set the route before leaving.

Staying connected on this route

Your phone may display vip, A1 or A1 MK: they are the same network, so don't switch manually to another operator.
Download offline maps for the Mavrovo and Galičica mountain roads, where signal comes and goes.
Check local announcements before summer hikes; forest entry bans are common in wildfire season.
Near St Naum and Lake Prespa, watch for your phone switching to an Albanian or Greek network.

Itinerary sources · 4

whc.unesco.org Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
gov.uk North Macedonia travel advice: safety and security – GOV.UK
en.wikipedia.org A1 Macedonia – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org Skopje International Airport – Wikipedia

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