eSIM for Switzerland

Viasimo's Switzerland eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 7 days, running on Salt and Sunrise 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 Switzerland

Aargau
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Innerrhoden
Basel-City
Basel-Landschaft
Bern
Fribourg

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$6.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$6.99

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Network

Which networks does the Switzerland eSIM use?

Host networks: Salt / Sunrise

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

Switzerland packs an enormous amount of vertical terrain into a small country, and that shapes your data experience more than anything else. The valleys, cities and rail corridors are exceptionally well served, including 5G in the urban centres. Go up, and the picture depends entirely on whether the mountain you are standing on faces a populated valley. Nothing about that is a flaw in your plan; it is just how radio works in the Alps.

Getting online when you land

The main gateways at Zurich, Geneva and Basel all sit in strong coverage, and your line should register before you reach passport control. Install the eSIM at home first, then enable it and confirm data roaming is allowed on that line once you are on the ground.

Get the national rail app working straight away, because in this country your phone is your ticket. Timetables, platform changes, seat reservations, connections down to the minute and most passes live in that app, and Swiss transfers are tight enough that a live departure board genuinely saves you. If you have bought a travel pass, load it before you leave home and check it opens offline as well as online.

One quirk worth knowing at Geneva and Basel: both airports sit right on an international border, and phones near a frontier sometimes attach to a network on the wrong side of it. If you land and your data behaves oddly, open network selection manually and pick a Swiss operator.

The networks you'll be on

Both Salt and Sunrise operate here, running 4G LTE and 5G. Coverage from either is strong across the inhabited parts of the country, and 5G is normal in city centres and larger towns rather than exceptional.

Because the two networks have built out differently in mountain areas, there are places where one has a usable signal and the other does not. If your phone offers a choice and you are stuck at the edge of coverage, a manual network search is worth a minute of your time. Down in the valleys and along the rail lines you will not need to think about any of this.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Cities and their surroundings are excellent. Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Basel and Lausanne hold strong service throughout, as do resort towns such as Lucerne and Interlaken, where a lot of visitors base themselves. The lakeshores, the main motorway network and the intercity rail spine are consistently connected.

The gaps come in three shapes. First, tunnels. Switzerland is full of them, several are very long indeed, and both rail and road journeys will drop your connection repeatedly. Second, deep side valleys, where steep rock walls cut you off from the transmitter serving the main valley floor a few kilometres away. Third, high ground away from lift infrastructure. Cable car top stations and busy summit viewpoints are often well served because the operators put equipment where the crowds are, so you can find yourself with a solid signal at altitude and none at all an hour's walk further on.

Backcountry huts, glacier routes and high passes outside the ski season should be treated as offline. That includes some very popular hiking terrain, so plan for it.

What you'll actually use data for here

Transport and weather, in that order. Swiss mountain weather changes fast, and the difference between a clear summit and paying for a viewing platform inside a cloud is often a webcam check an hour before you commit. Lift status, avalanche bulletins in winter and trail conditions in summer are all worth checking the same morning rather than the night before.

Then there is the ordinary business of a trip: mapping walks, translating a menu in whichever of the country's language regions you have wandered into, splitting a bill, booking a restaurant table, and photographing scenery that will make your camera roll balloon. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, so payment does not depend on your connection, but many parking machines, some ticket kiosks and a growing number of small services expect an app.

Before you fly

Download offline maps covering your valleys and hiking areas, and download them properly rather than assuming a cached map counts. Save your rail app tickets and any passes so they render without a connection, and screenshot the QR code as a backup.

Set the travel eSIM as your data line and keep your home number active if your bank texts verification codes. If you are hiking, share your route with someone and carry a paper map for the high sections; that is standard practice here and a phone is a poor substitute above the tree line.

Finally, plan for the border effect if your trip touches Geneva, Basel or the southern valleys near Italy. A country-scoped plan works on Swiss networks, so if your handset drifts onto a neighbour's network, switch manually and you will be back where you should be.

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

Good to know

Before you travel to Switzerland

Do I have to register a SIM here?

Switzerland requires anyone buying a mobile SIM, prepaid included, to show a passport or ID card, which the seller copies. A travel eSIM is not affected.

Local SIM-registration rules apply to buying a SIM in the country. A travel eSIM is a foreign profile roaming onto the local network, so you are not registering anything locally and there is no counter to queue at.

Checked 23 September 2026 against fedlex.admin.ch , privacyinternational.org . Rules change — verify anything that affects your trip.

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 Switzerland?

Yes. Your Switzerland 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 Salt, Sunrise. 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 Switzerland?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on Salt, Sunrise in Switzerland, 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.

Does EU roam-like-at-home work in Switzerland?

No. The EU's consumer guidance lists the countries covered as EU members, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine, and Switzerland is not among them. Some operators include Switzerland in their bundles anyway, but many charge roaming fees, so check your plan. Our eSIM uses local Swiss networks Salt and Sunrise, including 5G.

What is the number for mountain rescue in Switzerland?

Call 1414 for Rega, the Swiss air rescue service, or 112 for general emergencies. Rega flies from 15 locations and does not charge its paying patrons, but visitors should check their travel insurance covers helicopter rescue. Our eSIM is data only, so call from your home SIM or another phone.

Do I need a vignette to drive in Switzerland?

Yes, on motorways. You can buy the vignette at most border crossings, petrol stations and post offices, by phone or online through the government's Via portal. Driving on a motorway without one can lead to a large fine. Cars hired outside Switzerland often do not have one, so check before crossing the border.

Which mobile networks does the eSIM use in Switzerland?

Salt and Sunrise, two of Switzerland's three national networks, with 5G on compatible phones; the third is Swisscom. Having two networks helps in mountain valleys, where one may reach and the other may not. Near Geneva, Basel or the Italian border, check your phone has not switched to a foreign network.

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

For 7 days in Switzerland, Viasimo sells 500 MB for $1.29, 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

Switzerland: what to know before you land

Switzerland is outside the EU's roam-like-at-home rules, so even EU visitors can face roaming charges on a home SIM. Our eSIM connects to two of the three Swiss networks, Salt and Sunrise, including 5G. In the mountains, save Rega's helicopter rescue number, 1414, and check your insurance covers it. If you drive, you need a motorway vignette.

Emergency: 112; 117 police, 118 fire, 144 ambulance, 1414 Rega air rescue
Plugs: CJ 230V
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)

Main airports

ZRH Zurich Airport
GVA Geneva Airport
BSL EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg

Apps worth having SBB MobileMeteoSwissRegaTwint

Why EU roaming rules stop at the Swiss border

Many visitors assume that Switzerland, surrounded by EU countries, works like the rest of Europe for mobile roaming. It does not. The EU's own consumer guidance lists where roam-like-at-home applies: the EU member states, the EEA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, plus Moldova and Ukraine. Switzerland is not on the list. Some operators choose to include it in their bundles, but many charge separately, so check your home plan before you rely on it.

Switzerland has three national mobile networks: Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt. Our eSIM connects to Salt and Sunrise, including 5G where your phone supports it, which gives your handset two networks to choose between in valleys where one has a better signal than the other.

The border cuts both ways. If your trip includes Geneva, Basel, Ticino or a day across into France, Germany, Italy or Austria, your phone can pick up a neighbouring country's network near the frontier. A Swiss plan is for Swiss networks, so if your network name changes to a foreign operator, select Salt or Sunrise manually.

Keep your home SIM switched on for calls and bank codes, but turn its data roaming off so it does not quietly run up charges in the background.

Rega 1414 and paying for alpine rescue

In the Swiss mountains, the number to know alongside 112 is 1414, which calls Rega, the Swiss air rescue service, directly. Rega runs helicopter rescues from a network of 15 locations, with its operations centre at Zurich Airport. It is a non-profit funded mainly by annual contributions from patrons: about 3.2 million people, or 38% of the population, in 2016. Rega does not charge its patrons for search, rescue and repatriation, but visitors who are not patrons should not assume the same.

The UK Foreign Office advises making sure your travel insurance covers mountain rescue, helicopter costs and transfer to a neighbouring country for treatment if needed. Check this before any hiking, ski touring or glacier trip.

The FCDO's mountain advice is to carry a map, compass, GPS and a fully charged phone, not to go alone, to consider a guide and to leave your itinerary with someone. Hazards include avalanches, rockfalls, crevasses, thunderstorms, altitude sickness and sudden changes in weather. For avalanche risk it points to MeteoSwiss; carry avalanche search equipment off-piste.

Where there is no mobile coverage at all, Swiss climbers can use the emergency radio channel 161.3 MHz. Our eSIM is data only, so call 1414 or 112 from your home SIM or a companion's phone.

The motorway vignette and orange emergency phones

To drive on Swiss motorways you must have a valid vignette. You can buy one at most border crossings, petrol stations and post offices, by phone, or online through the federal government's Via portal. Driving on a motorway without one can lead to a large fine. Hire cars registered in Switzerland usually include it; cars hired across the border in France, Germany or Italy often do not, so check before you set off.

Swiss traffic law is strictly enforced. Speed limits, alcohol limits and child safety rules are policed closely, and serious breaches can mean heavy fines or prison. In winter, use winter tyres and carry snow chains on alpine roads, and slow down to suit conditions. A UK photocard licence is valid for visitors.

If you have an accident or break down on a motorway, the FCDO advises using the orange emergency phones along the roadside. That matters for travellers on a data-only eSIM, which cannot make voice calls.

Other numbers to save: 117 police, 118 fire (including wildfires), 144 ambulance and 112 for any emergency. Check live traffic on your phone before long motorway drives or alpine passes.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

europa.eu Roaming costs in the EU - Your Europe
gov.uk Switzerland travel advice: safety and security - GOV.UK
gov.uk Switzerland travel advice: getting help - GOV.UK
en.wikipedia.org Rega (air rescue) - Wikipedia
royalbrinkman.com Voltage, frequency and plug type per country - Royal Brinkman

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Switzerland by train: Zurich, Lucerne, the Jungfrau region, Zermatt and Lake Geneva

A rail-based week that needs no car: Zurich's old town, Lucerne and a lake-and-mountain day on Rigi, the Luzern–Interlaken Express to Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau region, then Zermatt and the Matterhorn before finishing on Lake Geneva.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 5

When to go June to September is best for high-mountain lifts and walking, with July and August busiest; December to March suits skiing, while in late spring and late autumn some cable cars close for maintenance.

Day 1 Zurich

Zurich: the old town and the lake

Zurich Airport to Zurich HB by train, about 10–15 minutes.

Take the train from Zurich Airport to Zurich HB in about ten minutes. Walk along the Bahnhofstrasse to the lake, then cross into the old town to see the Fraumünster with its Chagall windows and the twin towers of the Grossmünster. Climb up to the Lindenhof for the view over the Limmat, and visit the Swiss National Museum beside the station in the afternoon.

Signal Salt and Sunrise 5G are both widely available in central Zurich, and the eSIM can use either. Switzerland is outside EU roaming rules, so keep data roaming on your home SIM switched off.
Day 2 Lucerne

Lucerne: Chapel Bridge and the old town

Zurich HB to Lucerne by train, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Take the train to Lucerne. Walk across the Chapel Bridge, the covered wooden bridge with its painted gable panels, and its stone water tower, then through the old town squares with their painted façades. In the afternoon walk the Musegg Wall, part of the old city walls with several towers you can climb, and see the Lion Monument carved into the rock.

Signal Strong 5G across central Lucerne and on the main line. Signal stays good on the walls and around the lakefront.
Day 3 Lucerne

Lake Lucerne and Mount Rigi

Boat from Lucerne to Vitznau about an hour; rack railway to Rigi Kulm about 30–40 minutes.

Take a lake steamer across Lake Lucerne to Vitznau, then ride the Vitznau–Rigi rack railway, Europe's oldest mountain railway, up to Rigi Kulm. Walk part of the panorama trails along the ridge, with views over the lakes and towards the Alps, then descend by rack railway or cable car to Arth-Goldau or Weggis and return to Lucerne by train or boat.

Signal Coverage is usually good on the lake and at Rigi Kulm. It can dip on some lower trail sections in the forest; check the lift timetable before heading down.
Day 4 Lauterbrunnen

Luzern–Interlaken Express to Lauterbrunnen

Lucerne to Interlaken Ost about 1 hour 50 minutes; Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen about 20 minutes.

Take the Luzern–Interlaken Express over the Brünig Pass, past a string of mountain lakes, to Interlaken Ost. Change for the train up to Lauterbrunnen, a steep-sided valley with dozens of waterfalls. Walk to the foot of the Staubbach Falls in the village, then up the valley to the Trümmelbach Falls, glacier meltwater thundering through a series of caves inside the mountain.

Signal Signal holds on most of the Brünig line, with short drops in tunnels. 4G is good in Lauterbrunnen village, but expect none inside the Trümmelbach caves.
Day 5 Lauterbrunnen

Jungfrau region: Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and the high Alps

Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg by rack railway, about 45 minutes; Jungfraujoch about 35 minutes further.

Ride the rack railway up to Wengen and on to Kleine Scheidegg, beneath the north face of the Eiger. From there, either continue on the Jungfrau Railway through the Eiger tunnel to Jungfraujoch, the high station beside the Aletsch Glacier, or walk the Eiger Trail or the easy path down towards Wengen. Check the weather webcams before paying for the summit.

Signal Coverage is generally good at Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg, but drops on the long tunnel up to Jungfraujoch and on some high trails. Save Rega's number, 1414, before walking.
Day 6 Zermatt

To Zermatt and the Gornergrat

Lauterbrunnen to Zermatt via Interlaken, Spiez and Visp, roughly 3 hours; Gornergrat railway about 30–35 minutes.

Travel south through the Lötschberg base tunnel to Visp and up the valley to Zermatt, a car-free village. Ride the Gornergrat rack railway to its summit at about 3,089 metres for the classic view of the Matterhorn, the Gorner Glacier and many of Switzerland's four-thousand-metre peaks. Walk part of the way down past the Riffelsee lake on a clear afternoon.

Signal Strong 4G and 5G in Zermatt, and usually good coverage at the Gornergrat summit. Signal can drop briefly in the long tunnels on the way.
Day 7 Montreux or Geneva

Lake Geneva: Montreux and the Château de Chillon

Zermatt to Montreux, roughly 2.5 hours by train; Montreux to Geneva Airport about 1.25 hours.

Take the train down to Visp and along the Rhône valley to Montreux on Lake Geneva. Walk the lakeside promenade to the Château de Chillon, the medieval castle built on a rock in the lake, and explore its halls and dungeons. Continue along the shore through the Lavaux vineyards to Geneva for your flight, or stay a final night in Montreux.

Signal Good coverage along the Rhône valley line and lakeside. Near Geneva your phone may pick up French masts, so check it stays on Salt or Sunrise.

Staying connected on this route

Switch off data roaming on your home SIM; Switzerland is not covered by EU roam-like-at-home rules.
Check mountain webcams and lift status in the SBB or operator apps each morning before buying summit tickets.
Save Rega's helicopter rescue number, 1414, and keep your home SIM on for calls, as this eSIM is data only.
Near Geneva and Basel, lock your phone to a Swiss network so it does not roam onto French or German masts.

Itinerary sources · 4

myswitzerland.com MySwitzerland: Luzern–Interlaken Express
gornergrat.ch Gornergrat Bahn
gov.uk GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Switzerland
rega.ch Rega: Swiss Air-Rescue

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
Local rules: SIM registration and device rules, checked against the sources below.Source: fedlex.admin.ch, privacyinternational.org; Verified September 23, 2026