5 Best SIM Cards for Poland for Tourists & Expats

Do you want to stay connected while visiting Poland? Read this list for the 5 best SIM cards for Poland for any traveler! In today’s always-connected world, most people want to remain connected to the Internet even while traveling abroad. However, most cellular providers, especially in the US, have high roaming charges that add up quickly, making the cost of staying connected too high for most. However, this is of no concern when visiting Poland! 

Poland has a fantastic telecommunications sector with cheap and fast internet widely available for both locals and visitors alike. SIM cards are the easiest way to get access to the Internet while visiting some of the many amazing places in Poland. The best part is that you can easily customize packages to your needs, and they will remain cost-effective, as good competition has lowered prices greatly for consumers! Getting a SIM card in Poland will also allow you to pay less for data in other countries under the EU roaming data laws! 

This article holds 5 of the best SIM cards a tourist or expat can buy in Poland, with the 5^th choice being an E-SIM you can buy before you arrive in Poland! There will be general information about the services provided, as well as the costs of various packages available. Additionally, I have included information on why having a SIM card is worthwhile, where to buy them for the best price, and how to install them, but also advise if you are not able to get a SIM card. Read on to learn more! 

1. Play/Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile Website | Play Website 

Details: Play and Virgin Mobile are two separate companies that offer SIM cards, but as they undergo a lot of their operations together, I will consider them as the same. I have been using a Virgin Mobile SIM card via Play since I arrived in Poland in September of 2022, and I have been very happy with the service provided. The price is good, the internet is fast, and the management of the account is super easy. I bought my Virgin Mobile SIM card in a convenience store at the airport and had it set up in less than 5 minutes. Set-up involves entering an activation code dialed into the phone, and then you will be all good to go.  

Once you have the SIM card activated, you will be able to upgrade your service from the first starting pack by adding money to your account. This can be done easily with Apple Pay, or if you have a Polish bank account, using BLIK. Then, if you have the proper amount of funds in your account at the end of the billing month (usually the 24th), your package will be auto-renewed. Even if you are in a different country outside the EU and have your data off, the package will still be auto-renewed, which is very convenient if you plan to travel a lot. 

So, what is the difference between Play and Virgin Mobile? From my experience, Play may require you to sign a longer contract of a year for the best deals on data, while with Virgin Mobile, you can choose your package as you go, month by month, based on what you need. So, Play may be better suited for someone staying long-term like an expat, while Virgin Mobile would be perfect for more temporary stays. 

What is convenient about both is that the easily downloadable Play24 Mobile Application will help you manage your account for both Play and Virgin Mobile. The app is nice because part of it is available in English, so you will just have to learn a few Polish words. Additionally, you can easily add funds through the app for future payments. You can also buy more phone minutes, texts, and extra GBs if you are going over your monthly allowance. Here you can also buy extra roaming data for the EU, the UAE, and a bunch of places around the world if you want. 

However, the most important part is whether the Internet works and is fast. I have traveled all over Poland since I arrived, and I have yet to find a major city where the Internet is slow. The Internet even works in places in the middle of nowhere at great speeds. Additionally, you can still connect to other Polish networks in places where the Virgin Mobile or Play networks are slow or unavailable for no charge.  

Are there downsides? There are a few: 

• The roaming capabilities are limited. You only can use roaming for a certain amount of your allotted gigabytes for free, and even then, the amount does not replenish at the end of each month. But extra data is not super expensive if you need it.  
• I could not get the SIM card to work in Germany if you plan to do any traveling outside of Poland with the Polish SIM card. I think that was more a problem with German telecommunication companies constraining the internet of non-German SIM cards more than anything else (from what I have found they limit data to a mind-numbingly slow 128 kbps, which is still technically legal by EU standards).  

But, other than that, I highly recommend this SIM card for whatever your need is.  

Packages and Costs: 

All packages offered are in the table below. The SIM card itself should cost 5 PLN. I use the Giga Daje package because although I could spend 5 PLN more to get double the data, I have never come close to using 15 GB in a month, so I find there is no point in the large packages. However, if you are constantly on the go, or need to work on trains or buses across Poland, or are a digital nomad, the larger packages are worth the money! The best part about the packages below is that they are all paid for on a month-by-month basis.  

Package Name	Package Price	What is in the Package?
#GigaCzad	35 PLN/month	Unlimited text/calls, 50 GB data
#GigaMaks	30 PLN/month	Unlimited text/calls, 30 GB data
#GigaDaje	25 PLN/month	Unlimited text/calls, 15 GB data
#Mini 9	9 PLN/month	300 minutes/texts, 1 GB data
#Mini 3	3 PLN/month	30 minutes/texts, 300 MB data
#GigaDaje7	7 PLN/week	Unlimited text/calls, 3 GB data

You can also add other services to your package. These are also in the below table 

Serviced Added	Price	Service Added	Price
1 GB in Poland	Starting at 1 PLN	3 GB EU data	28 PLN
120 Minutes calling	5 PLN	150 MB UAE data	60 PLN
400 texts	3 PLN	300 MB World Data*	50 PLN
500 MB EU data	6 PLN	1 GB World Data*	100 PLN
1 GB EU data	10 PLN	5 GB World Data*	150 PLN

*Note that the world data can be used in the following countries: Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jersey/UK, Kuwait, Malaysia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United States of America, Vietnam.  

**Note that all packages of roaming data are valid for 14 days upon activation.  

2. Plus

Website 

Details: Of the SIM cards on this list, Plus is the other one I have used. I used Plus for my first-ever 2-week visit to Poland back in May of 2022. I was happy with what Plus provided at the time. The only reason I did not use Plus again was because it was not available in the store where I bought my current SIM card. The two main advantages of Plus compared to Play & Virgin Mobile were that set-up was as easy as inserting the SIM card, and then I was good to go, and that the initial fee for the SIM card included 2 weeks of complementary data.  

The Plus SIM card also worked well anywhere I traveled in Poland and provided very high internet speeds for download, upload, and streaming. Additionally, it was easy to manage the SIM card online, but they also have an app that can be used for this purpose. The main difference with Plus is that you can also buy a certain amount of GB that lasts for differing amounts of time, not just set packages that expire at the end of each month. This can allow for greater flexibility if you are looking for it.  

All in all, for the easiest set-up process, Plus might be the best choice for you. Just be warned that some packages may involve phone number activation, but the instructions are very easy to follow. Just look for the green numbers next to a green icon and enter those numbers into your phone dial for easy activation.  

Packages and Costs: 

The main packages offered by Plus are listed below. 

Data package	Validity	Roaming allowed	Calls, SMS, MMS	Price
35 GB	monthly	8.69 GB	Unlimited	40 PLN
30 GB	30 days	Unsure	Unsure	30 PLN
25 GB	monthly	7.61 GB	Unlimited	35 PLN
10 GB	10 days	Unsure	Unsure	10 PLN
5 GB	5 days	Unsure	Unsure	5 PLN

The following table includes the costs of top-ups, and how long they are valid for.  

Amount	Validity	Cost
2 GB	5 days	5 PLN
4 GB	10 days	10 PLN
4 GB	20 days	20 PLN
15 GB	30 days	30 PLN
15 GB + free messenger usage	30 days	40 PLN
25 GB	90 days	50 PLN
50 GB	180 days	100 PLN
100 GB	180 days	200 PLN

As with many of the SIM card providers in Poland, they also offer super high amounts of GB per month if you sign certain contracts, including amounts of up to 4800 GB. I would not select such a promotion without going to a physical store and talking to a real person about the requirements of such packages. Unless you want a lot of data, the monthly packages are good deals.  

3. Orange

Website 

Details: Orange is one of the most popular providers of telecommunication services in Poland. They provide Internet, Television, and other services for individual clients and large businesses. You will see bright orange SIM card packages in every place you can buy them, and they have kiosks in almost every mall. They also have their app, available in English, and an easy payment and activation process.  

What are the two main downsides of Orange compared to the other providers already mentioned? Firstly, Orange is the company most likely to sell you services you do not need if you visit a kiosk. Thus, I recommend buying the SIM card at a location other than Orange Kiosks and doing the activation and account set-up yourself. Secondly, the packages offered have a lower level of flexibility. While other companies have different amounts of GBs available for the same number of days, for SIM cards, Orange offers set amounts of GBs for certain days.  

However, if you are looking for higher amounts of GB per month, Orange is probably the most cost-effective with using a SIM card. Also, if you are looking to stay long-term and have TV and Wi-Fi at home, packaging with an Orange SIM card may save you a lot of money. So, consider Orange if you are in these categories. Visit this specific page for English-language help.  

Packages and Costs: 

Orange only offers packages, which are listed below. Top-ups do not seem available. If you go over, you will automatically be charged for the 10 PLN in 10 days package until your data package expires.  

Package (GB/validity)	Roaming Limit per package	Cost
1 GB/1 day	0.11 GB	1 PLN
3 GB/3 days	0.32 GB	3 PLN
5 GB/5 days	0.53 GB	5 PLN
7 GB/7 days	0.75 GB	7 PLN
10 GB/10 days	1.06 GB	10 PLN
30 GB/30 days	3.18 GB	30 PLN
50 GB/50 days	5.30 GB	50 PLN
100 GB/100 days	10.59 GB	100 PLN

As you will notice in the packages, roaming is not super high, so if you plan to travel a lot, paying for a higher-level package is worth it so that you do not have to pay extra for roaming. It will save you money even if you are only traveling for 2 weeks, to get a 30-day package.  

4. T-Mobile

Website 

Details: If you are looking for a familiar American cellular service provider in Europe, T-Mobile is the best (and really only) one available in Poland. They also provide one of the largest arrays of packages and the prestige of using the T-Mobile 5G network. Additionally, they offer special services for people who might want to use their phone mostly for calls rather than the Internet, and some of the most exorbitant packages you can imagine if you are willing to commit for an entire year. 

As with the other packages on this list, you can buy these packages at many stores across Poland, activate them easily using a phone code, and pay for packages using their T-Mobile application. They have great online help on the website for every service (it was one of the easiest websites to find the information I was looking for to write this article) and offer a ton of different incentives and bonuses.  

In my opinion, T-Mobile is the best choice if you want the fastest Internet speeds, the most flexible lengths of contracts, and the familiarity of an American company (if you are an American reading this).  

Packages and Costs: 

T-Mobile offers a huge array of Internet packages that also include texting and calls. They are listed below. Note that the packages that are labeled with “+calls” have a longer account validity for solely the purpose of taking calls, but not using the Internet. So, if you want your account to be valid longer than you are planning to stay in Poland for calling purposes in the EU, this is the package to choose.  

Package (GB/validity)	Price Range	Package (GB/validity)	Price Range
2 GB/5 days	5 PLN – 9 PLN	20 GB/30 days	35 PLN – 44 PLN
5 GB/5 days	10 PLN – 19 PLN	30 GB/30 days	45 PLN – 49 PLN
5 GB/5 days (+calls)	20 PLN – 24 PLN	30 GB/60 days	50 PLN – 99 PLN
10 GB/30 days	25 PLN – 29 PLN	50 GB/100 days	100 PLN – 199 PLN
15 GB/30 days	30 PLN – 34 PLN	100 GB/100 days	200 PLN – 500 PLN

Without buying a package myself, I am unsure of what price you will pay within the price range. I think it will depend on the amount of roaming you want, as well as maybe how many devices you get to use it. Also, all GBs you buy are not lost once your package expires, they roll over to the next period if you renew one.  

The final service of interest is related to those of you who may come to Poland from time to time! For a small fee of 30 PLN, you can keep your SIM Card active and validated for an entire year without having to pay to have a package included. This is great if you want to keep your phone number for the EU, but want to extensively travel somewhere else, maybe back home or in a non-EU country. 

5. Airalo

Website 

Details: When you choose to buy a SIM card, you must go through the process of removing your current SIM card and replacing it with a new one. One way to avoid this is to buy an E-SIM card. These versions of SIM cards function the same as a normal SIM card, accepting they are installed directly onto your device. You can also have multiple e-SIMs on one device. Added advantages of E-SIMs are that they can be tracked if your phone is stolen, and you do not need to worry about storing your old SIM card until you want to re-install it. 

e-SIMs are offered by a variety of carriers, but by far the most comprehensive provider of e-SIM cards is Airalo offers both packages for specific countries and entire regions. So, you can get one just for use in Poland, or one for use all over Europe if you plan to do more extensive traveling. All of this can be done through the app at home before you arrive, or after you arrive using Wi-Fi connectivity, in just a few moments. You can also keep the same phone number as you travel, which is perhaps the best quirk! 

All in all, Airalo is the best choice for convenience, and for those of you who may be traveling more extensively and want the flexibility of being able to buy multiple SIM cards at once. The one downside is that the costs are a little bit more expensive, which will be covered in the next section.  

Packages and Costs: 

When choosing Airalo, you can choose a Poland package or a Europe package. The Polish packages are listed in the 1^st table, and the Europe packages are listed in the 2^nd table. 

Poland Package		Validity	Cost
1 GB		7 days	$5
3 GB		30 days	$7
5 GB		30 days	$10
10 GB		30 days	$13
Europe Package	Validity		Cost
1 GB	7 days		$5
3 GB	30 days		$13
5 GB	30 days		$20
10 GB	30 days		$37
50 GB	90 days		$100
100 GB	180 days		$185

Why buy SIM cards in Poland?

You are likely to have found this article because you were already considering buying a SIM Card when coming to Poland. But, if you are not already convinced, below are 6 reasons you should get one of the best SIM cards for Poland on this list. 

• The low prices: Poland, compared to other countries in Europe, is relatively a budget destination. As you may have noticed in the prices of the SIM cards above, this is no exception. And, since Internet speeds in Poland are extremely fast, and all companies have access to the high wireless speeds, the companies must compete in price. Thus, you will pay a low price no matter which SIM card you choose! 
• Take advantage of roaming: Are you planning to travel to other countries in the European Union? If you arrive in Poland first, you can take advantage of the EU laws on roaming data! By law, you can access data networks in other countries using your SIM card bought in Poland without paying extra fees or having to get a new SIM Card! My only warning is I have yet to get a SIM Card to work in Germany (I believe they may make the Internet so slow that you are forced to pay for the much more expensive German SIM Card). It also only works in EU countries, so not the UK for example.  
• For communication: While you are still able to call emergency numbers without a SIM card in Poland, if you want to keep in touch with friends, family, or other people you are meeting with, having a SIM Card is the best way to stay in touch! Especially if you have a reservation somewhere and you are running late, having a SIM card will allow you to connect and change your plans on the go.  
• For translation purposes: Let’s face it, the Polish language is very hard! I have been studying it for almost 16 months, and I still have only learned a small percentage of the language. While most restaurants, hotels, and tourist sites will have signage in English, being able to translate on the go can be very useful, especially if you are going to a more rural setting.  
• To navigate: Poland has amazing public transportation in all its major cities, and even smaller cities and villages usually have train and bus connections to larger regional hubs. With access to the Internet, you can easily take advantage of this great, low-cost system, and save lots of money on transport costs! Or, if you would prefer to rent a car, it can be used to help your passengers find the nearest restaurant or petrol station. Finally, it is useful for safety! With a SIM card, you can use apps like Uber and Bolt and get a guaranteed rate on a taxi and be able to get safely home at night (But a reminder that Poland is very safe!). 
• For work or social media: If you are a digital nomad or chronically online, having constant access to the Internet can be very useful. Especially if you plan to spend time on trains between destinations, which typically do not have Wi-Fi, and if they do it is very slow, you will want a connection. Some of the packages provide you with more than enough data for needs related to this! A SIM card is your key to staying connected to Poland’s fast Internet and thus to your followers or co-workers.  

Where can I buy a SIM card in Poland?

Firstly, if you are choosing to buy an E-SIM card, you will do the entire process online. Thus, you can have a SIM card ready to activate as soon as you land at your destination in Poland, or as soon as you cross the border by train, car, or bus. Otherwise, there are two main places you can buy a SIM card. 

At a mall: Poland loves their malls. Warsaw has at least a dozen malls of varying sizes, and each one will have a phone provider listed above. They will mostly be selling phone planes but will also sell SIM cards. This might be an especially good choice for ex-pats, as it is easier to set up a long-term contract at one of these storefronts than online or elsewhere. In most cases, the staff should speak English well enough to help you out, and if not, there is always more than one choice in each mall.   

However, I do not recommend this choice. From what I have heard, the employees in the mall are all too eager to try to get you to pay for much more than you need, and the chance of paying a foreigner tax is much higher, especially if you cannot speak any Polish. Mostly, they will try to get you onto a long-term contract by advertising it as cheaper. So, be prepared, and be firm in what you want, and you will ultimately be fine.  

Additionally, I recommend trying one of the smaller malls. The malls in the center of the city, such as Arkadia or Złote Tarasy are much more likely to try to up sale you, as more foreigners shop at these malls than other ones. Try a smaller mall to avoid issues such as these. But, in general, you should not have any problems, you just might as some people I know have.  

Recommended – A corner store: This is by far the best choice. It is quick, you do not have to talk to anyone, you avoid the sales pitch of long-term contracts, and you will not have to wait in line. At actual phone company shops, you are likely to get stuck behind people who are asking lots of questions about their contracts, how phones work, or other things, and the wait may be too long, especially if you are only coming to Poland for a short time. At a corner store, you should not have such problems.  

My recommended store is Żabka. Żabka is a store that can be found almost anywhere in Poland, with dozens in each large city (if not hundreds), and they can even be found in tiny villages in the middle of nowhere. Every Żabka will have a rack of SIM cards bought from the cashier, and all the SIM cards listed above can be found in a Żabka. Just look for the green logo and enter! The odds are you are not too far from your closest Żabka. Otherwise, consider a corner store such as Carrefour Express, but I would not trust any non-name-brand stores.

Tips for buying and installing SIM cards

Once you have decided to buy a SIM Card, and picked the place where you will buy it, there are some other important things to know before you buy and install the SIM Card. Find out three very important things below.  

• Bring your passport: Without your passport, you will not be able to activate your SIM Card! This is due to laws in Poland about registering the SIM Card to a user, and since you are likely not a Polish citizen, your passport is the best identification document available for this purpose. So, do not be surprised as you checkout that you will hear the cashier ask “paszport” after they scan. At this point, hand them your passport with the main page open, so that they can enter all your information, and then the SIM Card will be fully ready to go! 
• Have a SIM card tool: If you are planning to buy your SIM card at a convenience store, you will have to install the SIM card yourself. So, make sure you have a tool that will allow you to remove your current SIM card and install the one you just bought. There are SIM tools that can be bought online for a low price. A safety pin or paper clip can work as a good alternative for removing the SIM Card tray. A plastic bag is also useful for holding your old SIM Card if you are planning to change back after your trip. Don’t forget most providers will remove you from your phone number after 30 days! 
• Translate before installment: To no surprise, the information on the package for the SIM card you buy will not be in Polish. Thus, it is best to translate what is on the package before starting the process to install, so that you understand fully what to do! In my experience, if you are still at the store while making the change (or at the airport), the staff should be able to tell you what to do to install it. But, be prepared for some translation! 
• Top-ups are on you: For all SIM cards in Poland, after the first 15 days (about 2 weeks) of the package is up, your phone will at once stop working. It is up to you to download the proper app and upload funds to activate the SIM card. You may have to do this anyway to get your phone to work, as with Play, Orange, or Virgin Mobile (and maybe by now Plus).  

Based on the third point, below are some useful Polish words to know related to SIM Cards. 

• Rejestracja: Registration 
• Aktywacja Kodem: Code for Activation 
• Nielimitowane rozmowy: Unlimited calls 
• Samoodnawialne: Self-renewable  
• Oferty: Offers 
• Doładować: Top-Up 

What if I cannot buy a SIM card in Poland?

As in the case with some people’s phone planes, you are not allowed to remove your SIM card on pain of death. So, maybe you do not want to pay the exorbitant daily prices to use your phone in Europe (in most cases, the same price per day as 2 months of data in Poland). Is it possible to get by in Poland without data connections? In my opinion, it is possible, but you must be willing to both plan certain things and be flexible. As someone who spent almost 4 months living in Lisbon, Portugal without a data plan, and traveled through European cities on solo trips, I know it is possible. Here are my tips and tricks below. 

• Download Google Maps offline: Yes, this is possible! Just go into the Google Maps app, go to your account settings (by clicking on your profile picture in the search bar at the top right), and select “offline maps.” From here, you will be able to select an area to download, which will download every street, and every attraction, restaurant, and business in the area. The only downside is that you only get driving directions, but it is still useful for walking navigation! 
• Download Google Translate offline:  In the same process for Google Maps, you can download an entire language on the Google Translate app. Just follow the same steps above, except click “downloaded languages” and then select the language you want to download. You will be able to translate every word you see on a menu, sign, or other. 
• Know your surroundings before you travel: Are you someone who needs to use the bathroom at a moment’s notice? Do you want to use public transport? Without data, you will need to search for these things before leaving your hotel, or other location with Wi-Fi. Having a document of some sort with basic information about buses, trains, trams, metros, or others can be very useful. But do not be afraid to ask locals for help if you are lost, in most big cities younger people will speak English as well as Polish! 
• Have screenshots of tickets: Have you bought tickets in advance for a museum, or maybe train tickets? If they are on your phone, make sure to screenshot them in advance if you are not planning to have access to data. Especially on trains, the ticket inspectors will have no sympathy if you cannot access your ticket in your email because of a lack of internet access. Be prepared! 
• Take advantage of free Wi-Fi spots: Need to check some information? There are always places in Polish cities where you can get access to Wi-Fi. While most restaurants in Poland will not have public Wi-Fi access, every coffee shop, fast food restaurant, mall, and some museums will have free Wi-Fi networks that you can use to plan your next steps.  
• Travel with a friend who can use a SIM card: Are you someone who gets lost and overwhelmed easily, but cannot use a SIM card due to contractual reasons? In my opinion, you could still manage without a SIM card, but it might be very stressful for you. Thus, my advice is to come with a friend who can use a SIM card! You will feel much better, and they can hotspot you, taking advantage of the low costs of data from their SIM card. But this is a last resort for those of you who need Internet access to feel comfortable! 

Conclusions about the best SIM cards for Poland

There are a lot of great cost-effective choices for SIM cards in Poland. There are packages for almost every length imaginable starting from as low as 1 PLN! There are also great e-SIM options such as Airalo, and even further options beyond the 5 mentioned in this article. I hope you have found all the information you are looking for about SIM cards and enjoy your connected trip to Poland soon!