SIM card and eSIM in Madrid: getting mobile data as a traveller

Having internet on arrival in Madrid is about more than sending photos: maps, transport tickets, museum bookings and calling a taxi all go through your phone. There are three options: your home plan with roaming, an eSIM installed before you leave and a Spanish prepaid SIM. The right choice depends on your nationality, the length of your stay and your phone. Operators' offers and prices change often: this guide gives the method and the points to check, not a price to copy as it stands.

Which option for which traveller

Your situation	Option to look at first	What to check
You come from an EU country	Your usual plan with roaming	Data cap abroad
Short stay from outside the EU	Travel eSIM installed before departure	Compatible, unlocked phone
Stay of several weeks	Spanish prepaid SIM or local eSIM	ID, validity of the data
Older phone without eSIM	Physical SIM bought locally	Card size and unlocking
Remote work	Plan with plenty of data	Tethering allowed

Roaming from the European Union

If your plan comes from a European Union country, it works normally in Spain at the same rate as at home, under the "roam like at home" rule. Some plans cap the data you can use abroad, though: check that cap before you leave, especially if you tether a laptop. Outside the EU, notably from the UK, Switzerland or North America, roaming depends on your operator and can be expensive: ask about a travel add-on before leaving.

eSIM: the simplest option for a short stay

An eSIM is installed from a code or an app, with no physical card. You can set it up at home and switch it on when you land. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked (not tied to your carrier). Keep your usual line active if you need bank text messages, and turn off data roaming on that line to avoid charges. Many travel eSIMs sold online are valid for a few days to a month; compare the amount of data, the validity period and the country covered, not just the headline price.

Spanish prepaid SIM card

The best-known Spanish operators are Movistar, Vodafone and Orange; Yoigo and other brands also exist. Prepaid cards are sold in operators' shops, in electronics stores, at Madrid-Barajas airport and online. In Spain, buying a SIM generally requires ID, often a passport: take it with you, along with an unlocked phone. Ask the seller to install and test the card before you leave the shop, check the number, the data allowance and the expiry date, and confirm whether European roaming is included and within what limits.

Shops in the centre, around the Puerta del Sol and the Gran Vía, are convenient but busy. Allow time if you arrive on a Saturday, and remember that neighbourhood shops sometimes close at midday; see Spanish opening hours.

A mobile phone in hand

At the airport or in town

On arrival at Madrid-Barajas, operator counters and vending machines may offer cards, but what is on sale varies by terminal and time of day. An eSIM already installed avoids the queue; a physical SIM bought in town may cost less than an airport kiosk, though that is not guaranteed. Either way, do not put your original SIM card somewhere you could lose it.

Pitfalls to avoid

An "unlimited" plan may slow your speed after a certain volume: read the terms.
A tourist SIM sold on the street or by an unknown seller may not be registered in your name; buy in an identified shop.
A phone locked to its carrier will not accept a foreign card.
Tethering is sometimes limited or charged extra.
An eSIM deleted by mistake cannot always be recovered: keep the installation code if possible.
Do not send your passport by email or messaging to a stranger; verification is done in the shop or on the operator's website.

Public wifi and security

Cafés, some museums, stations and the airport offer wifi, but an open network is not safe for banking or passwords. Use mobile data for sensitive operations. For other precautions in the city, see scams to avoid in Madrid.