RetireJapan

Is it better to buy a SIM in Europe or use a Japan-based service? I suspect the former is the best choice, but I would like input from those who travel to Europe.

I came across an ad for Maya eSIM which looks good. I have never had an eSIM. Anyone tried it?

https://maya.net/plans/europe

I use eSIMs exclusively when travelling now. Airalo is the provider I use and have had no problems with them - I think they are all much of a muchness.

Stating the obvious maybe, but make sure your phone supports eSIMs before going down that route. Some older models do not. Here's a comprehensive and fairly recent list:
https://esim.holafly.com/how-to/esim-phones/

Deep Blue wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 4:51 am I use eSIMs exclusively when travelling now. Airalo is the provider I use and have had no problems with them - I think they are all much of a muchness.

Good to know. My iPhone is just 2yrs old so should be fine.

Are you gonna be in Europe long? A lot of the cheaper phone plans come with free roaming now. Ahamo, for example, offers 20 GB free for 14 days.

Deep Blue wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 4:51 am I use eSIMs exclusively when travelling now. Airalo is the provider I use and have had no problems with them - I think they are all much of a muchness.

I second that.... Airalo very useful, surprisingly cheap, good coverage.

TJKansai wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 4:36 am Is it better to buy a SIM in Europe or use a Japan-based service? I suspect the former is the best choice, but I would like input from those who travel to Europe.

I came across an ad for Maya eSIM which looks good. I have never had an eSIM. Anyone tried it?

https://maya.net/plans/europe

Hey TJKansai! I've had experience with both options and I'd recommend buying a SIM in Europe. The rates are usually more competitive and you'll have better coverage. I've used a Japanese-based service before and the roaming fees added up quickly.

As for Maya eSIM, I've heard good things about it. A friend of mine used it on their last trip to Europe and had no issues. The convenience of an eSIM is hard to beat, especially if you're traveling to multiple countries. No need to swap out physical SIMs or worry about running out of space in your phone. If you're considering it, I'd say give it a try!

+1 vote for eSIM with Airalo - I travel overseas almost every month and works seamlessly in every destination. I’ve probably saved thousands of dollars over these years versus paying roaming charges with SoftBank.

smalldog wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2024 6:32 am +1 vote for eSIM with Airalo - I travel overseas almost every month and works seamlessly in every destination. I’ve probably saved thousands of dollars over these years versus paying roaming charges with SoftBank.

Thanks for the tip.
Softbank offered ¥1,000 a day plan (they readily said it didn't make sense too).
My son will stay for 10 months so he'll probably get a local SIM, unless a local eSIM is an option for him too.

To add to this, does anyone know if there is a UK sim card plan that includes Japan in their plan? We are in the UK, but travel to Japan every year. There are lots of UK sim cards that include destinations in Europe, but are there any that include Japan?