Planning your trip to Croatia and flying to Zagreb and wondering if you can buy a prepaid sim card on arrival? Don't let slow overseas data roaming plans or high roaming charges ruin your Croatia holiday. Here is a complete guide for buying a sim card for Croatia at Zagreb Airport.
Buying a prepaid sim card at Zagreb Airport is easy but ordering an e-sim card for Croatia on the internet is even easier. Find out where to buy a sim card at Zagreb Airport, up to date prices as per April 2024, my recommendation, a YouTube video of my arrival, the best e-sim cards for Croatia, information about European and international sim cards for Croatia and everything else you need to know before buying a sim card at Zagreb Airport.
Being connected to the internet is part of our lives and it makes traveling to Zagreb so much easier and therefore the first thing I do when planning my next trip abroad is finding the best sim card for my next destination. In the past I always used to buy a local prepaid sim card on arrival but nowadays I mostly use e-sim cards as there is no easier way to stay connected when traveling Croatia or Europe.
As Traveltomtom is on a journey to travel to every country in the world I use on average about 40 to 50 prepaid sim cards and e-sim cards per year to stay connected and that is how Traveltomtom became the ultimate specialist in sim cards for tourists.
This guide is specialized in buying a sim card at Zagreb Airport. But Traveltomtom also wrote a guide for thebest Croatia sim card for tourists in 2024, including a comparison of the best prepaid and e-sim cards for Croatia.
As I like to document all my travel tips you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Milan, Geneva, Venice, Budapest, New York JFK Airport, Istanbul, Dubai, London, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt, South Africa, Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt and many more.
So if you are planning your next adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and e-sim card advice for your destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying an T-Mobile prepaid sim card at Zagreb Airport. It is very easy to get one on arrival, but keep in mind that none of the Croatia sim cards for tourists, including T-Mobile, include EU data roaming and sim cards are only valid in Croatia.
Prepaid sim cards for tourists are cheap and for $10 USD you get unlimited internet for a couple days, but you can only get them on arrival in Zagreb. On the internet you can order e-sim cards for Croatia with 15 GB data + unlimited calls in all of Europe for 15 days = $23.90 USD
Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Croatia via SimOptions or Airalo.
Are you traveling to more countries on your trip to Europe and your phone is not e-sim compatible then check out Traveltomtom's review and comparison of the best international sim cards for traveling in 2024. These sim cards can be ordered online and will be delivered to your home address before your trip to Croatia.
Best e-sim cards for Croatia
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Zagreb in 2024 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything online in just a couple clicks. No more visiting a phone store and swapping physical prepaid sim cards.
You order an e-sim card for Croatia on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Croatia e-sim card installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Zagreb it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Make sure your phone is e-sim compatible before ordering an e-sim card for Croatia.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable e-sim provider and Traveltomtom has used Airalo in more than 50 countries around the world and never faced an issue. Here are the Airalo e-sim card plans for Croatia for 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $7 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $21 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $32 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Croatia via Airalo.
The above e-sim cards for Croatia from Cronet are data-only and calling and texting is not supported. The Cronet e-sim cards operate on the 4G/5G network of Telemach and A1 Croatia.
SimOptions
SimOptions is another reliable e-sim provider that sells e-sim cards from pretty much every country in the world. Traveltomtom has been using SimOptions sim cards for more than 5 years now and never had an issue.
SimOptions offers e-sim cards for Croatia that support calls and sms as well as free EU data roaming, which means these e-sim cards are valid all over Europe.
Check out the SimOptions e-sim cards for Croatia in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 15 days = $9.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $17.9 USD
- 10 GB data (5G ready) for 30 days = $22.90 USD
- 15 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $23.90 USD
- 12 GB data + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 50 GB data (5G ready) + unlimited calls/text for 28 days = $59.90 USD
Click here to order an international e-sim card for traveling to Croatia.
There is also a third e-sim card provider that Traveltomtom has used and it is called Nomad. They often have great e-sim card deals but they will need to work on reliability and performance before Traveltomtom starts recommending them more. Traveltomtom has faced some issues with the installation of the e-sim cards in the past.
Before ordering an e-sim card for Croatia make sure your phone is unlocked and e-sim compatible otherwise an e-sim card won't work on your phone.
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you still would like to order a sim card for Croatia online then a great alternative is a physical prepaid sim card for Croatia. These prepaid sim cards will be delivered to your home address before your trip.
You can already get 10 GB data + unlimited calls/text in all of Europe for $24.90 USD. SimOptions is the only sim card provider who offers physical prepaid sim cards for Croatia. Click here to order a physical prepaid sim card for Croatiaorder a physical prepaid sim card for Croatia.
Croatia sim cards and EU data roaming
Although Croatia is an EU country and officially part of Schengen since January 2023 there is no free EU roaming included in Croatia prepaid sim cards for tourists. Data on Croatia tourist sim cards is only valid in Croatia which is a bummer for people traveling onwards to other countries in Europe.
In case Croatia is your first stop on your Europe trip this is bad news, but don't worry.
Are you traveling around Europe then look into my guide for the best sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2024. If you want to know more about EU data roaming then check out my guide for buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival in Europe in 2024.
Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport (ZAG) is a new and beautiful airport and super easy to navigate. There aren't that many intercontinental flights that arrive here, most of the arriving flights come from within Europe. Zagreb Airport is very small and there is only one Arrival Hall.
Getting lost at Zagreb International Airport (ZAG) is impossible!
Where to buy a sim card at Zagreb Airport
When you walk out into the Arrival Hall you will see that everything is very easy going at Zagreb Airport. There are only some car rental companies, a Nero coffee shop, an exchange office, an information center and a little convenience store.
The convenience store is called Tisak and this is where you can buy prepaid sim cards for traveling in Croatia.
In case the Tisak shop in the Arrival Hall is closed or they are sold out for tourist sim cards then head upstairs. The escalators will bring you to the Departure Hall where you will see another Tisak Media shop that sells the exact same products and of course prepaid sim cards for tourists.
Here is my YouTube video of what it looks like arriving at Zagreb Airport and buying a sim card for tourists.
Prices Croatia sim cards Zagreb Airport in 2024
Previous years you could only buy Telemach and A1 prepaid sim cards at Zagreb Airport, but T-Mobile finally joined. Luckily, because in my article about the best sim cards for traveling in Croatia in 2024 Traveltomtom rated T-Mobile as the best sim card for Croatia.
At the Tisak convenience store at Zagreb Airport they sell prepaid sim cards from all 3 mobile internet providers.
Prices for prepaid sim cards at Zagreb Airport are the same as in all of Croatia. No tourist prices, so it does not matter if you buy your sim card for Croatia in an official sim card shop in the city center of Zagreb or in the convenience store at Zagreb Airport.
The difference is that when buying a sim card at Zagreb Airport you will need to fix the settings yourself, but with most phones the sim cards are plug and play. There is obviously much more service in an official retail store of one of the internet providers.
Prices and info below are updated in April 2024. Prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.92 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.09 USD.
Telemach
- 10 GB data + 200 minutes + €1.33 credit for 30 days = €9.95 EUR - $11 USD
- Unlimited data for 10 days = €9.95 EUR - $11 USD
The Telemach prepaid sim card is only valid in Croatia and NOT in the EU. There is NO EU data roaming with the above Telemach prepaid sim cards.
A1
- Unlimited data + 100 minutes/sms valid for 10 days = €10 EUR - $11 USD
All of the credit on A1 prepaid sim cards for tourists is only valid in Croatia and NOT in the EU. There is NO EU data roaming available.
T-Mobile
- Unlimited data for 10 days = €11.49 EUR - $13 USD
Same for T-Mobile prepaid sim cards: data valid only in Croatia. No free EU data roaming included.
Best sim card at Zagreb Airport in 2024
The conclusion for buying a sim card at Zagreb Airport is the same as my conclusion for the best sim card for Croatia. Prices are more or less the same, the big difference is the mobile data network coverage.
As T-Mobile has by far the best 4G/5G network in Croatia Traveltomtom rates T-Mobile as the best sim card in Croatia for tourists and thus for Zagreb.
See for more info about the best 4G/5G network coverage in Croatia Traveltomtom's article about buying a sim card for Croatia in 2024.
If you prefer e-sim cards for Croatia than Traveltomtom recommends either SimOptions or Airalo for ordering a Croatia e-sim on the internet.
Order a prepaid sim card for Croatia online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Croatia online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Zagreb with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Zagreb, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Croatia:
1. O2 Go Card - $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data
- €2 EUR calling credit
- Valid 30 days
2. Three Data Pack - $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- Valid 30 days
3. Orange Holiday ZEN - $29.90 USD
- 12 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 30 minutes worldwide
- 200 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
4. Bouygues Telecom - $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data
- Unlimited calls in Europe
- Valid 30 days
5. Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 30 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
Click here to directly order an international prepaid sim cards for traveling in Croatia.
Traveltomtom recommends these physical prepaid sim cards and has used the physical sim card of Bouygues Telecom many times in the past. But as I said nowadays I always use e-sim cards to stay connected when traveling to Croatia. Much easier, faster and more convenient.
Here is a last reminder that if your phone is e-sim compatible you can arrange everything online in just a couple clicks by ordering an e-sim card for Croatia.
Check out Airalo for ordering a data-only e-sim card for Croatia or go to SimOptions for an international e-sim card for Croatia valid all over Europe including unlimited calls and sms.
How to get from Zagreb Airport to Zagreb city center
Apart from an expensive taxi you can also take the bus to Zagreb from ZAG airport. There are two different busses, a local one and a direct tourist bus. The local bus leaves every 35 minutes from the main street, about 3 minutes walk away from the airport and costs €1 EUR/USD. It is cheap but takes a while to get into the city and only drives till Kvaternikov Square.
There is also Uber and Bolt in Zagreb and getting to the city center will cost you around €20 - €30 EUR ($22 - $33 USD) depending on the time of the day.
Much cheaper is the direct tourist bus that leaves every 30 minutes just outside the arrivals hall. This bus costs €5 EUR ($5.5 USD) and goes directly to the central bus station in Zagreb.
I hope all the above tips for buying a sim card for traveling in Croatia at Zagreb Airport were helpful. In case you have any additional questions please leave me a comment below and I am more than happy to help you out. Also with Croatia travel tips.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of April 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Zagreb!