Are you planning a trip to Berlin and wondering how to stay connected in Germany? This is a complete guide for buying a sim card in Berlin. Where to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists, my recommendation, up to date prices as per August 2023, the best e-sim cards for Germany, a vlog with my experiences arriving at Brandenburg Airport and info about international sim cards for Germany.
Traveling to every country is one of my passions together with providing useful travel tips for tourists. That is how on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 prepaid sim card guides from all over the world: Europe, Germany, London, United Kingdom, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Spain, USA, Canada, Dubai, Istanbul, Turkey, Qatar, Thailand, Bangkok, Bali and many more.
Don’t waste money on high roaming costs and stay connected with a prepaid sim card for Germany on your trip to Berlin or even easier: get an e-sim card for Germany.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport. There is only one prepaid sim card deal available and the value for money is NOT good.
Buying a prepaid sim card for Germany in Berlin city center gets you a way better deal. Check out my detailed article for buying a sim card in Germany in 2023 or get yourself an e-sim card for Germany.
Another option and also cheaper than buying a sim card at Berlin Airport is ordering an international sim card online. Check out my comparison of the best international travel sim cards in 2023 and pick the one that suits your trip the best.
Best e-sim cards for Germany
The easiest and most convenient way to stay connected when traveling to Berlin in 2023 is an e-sim card. You order an e-sim card online, receive a unique QR-code and instructions, follow the steps and within just a couple minutes your e-sim card for Germany is activated.
Check out the following Germany e-sim card deals:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $6.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $22.50 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
Click here to order an e-sim cards for Germany directly online.
The above Hallo! Mobile e-sim cards for Germany are data-only and only valid in Germany. They operate on the 4G/LTE network of O2 Germany.
On another website I found international e-sim cards valid in more than 70 countries including Germany and on top of that they also include calling time.
- 8 GB data + unlimited minutes/sms for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited minutes/sms for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click on the link to order an international e-sim card for Germany or find many more offers.
The above e-sim cards are only compatible with the newer smartphones and are data only sim cards. Calls and text are not supported!
Berlin Brandenburg Airport
After more than 10 years of disputes, trials, construction failures and many more problems the Brandenburg Airport finally opened. I was impressed by a very modern, spacious and easy to navigate airport. There are two doors into the Arrival Hall: 1 and 2.
International tourists can find a lot of valuable tourist information at the luggage belts like public transport info, machines for train and tram tickets and also ATM’ and exchange offices.
In the Arrival Hall there is even a Tourist Information Center where you can not only ask for help but the staff can also directly book your hotel, bus, public transport tickets, etc.
Where to buy a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport
Unfortunately there are very few options to buy a sim card for Germany upon arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Tourists can only buy a prepaid sim card at the Travelex - Currency Exchange stores.
Before going through the final customs baggage check you can buy a sim card at the Travelex - Currency Exchange shop at Luggage Belt A3.
If you enter the arrival hall after the customs baggage check there is another Travelex - Currency Exchange shop opposite Arrivals 1 next to the Relay shop.
Both Travelex - Currency Exchange stores are only open from 6.00 am until 6.00 pm. If you arrive outside these hours then tourists can NOT buy a prepaid sim card for Germany at Berlin Airport and the only way to buy a sim card for Germany is in Berlin city center.
Prices prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport
All the below info and prices are up to date as per August 2023. Prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.91 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.10 USD.
The Travelex store only offers a Lycamobile prepaid sim card deal:
- 15 GB data* + unlimited calls & text in Germany for 1 month = €40
*data only valid in Germany, NO free EU roaming included!
Lycamobile is an MVNO and operates in Germany on the network of O2 Germany.
If you only visit Germany and no other country on your trip to Europe and you are ok with paying €40 for 15 GB data then you know where to get your sim card.
But since I also showed you above that an e-sim card for Germany for $15 USD can give you already 5 GB data, you can understand why I don’t recommend buying a sim card at Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
Interested in watching a vlog about my experiences and my arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport then click on the video below showing you what it is like buying a sim card for Germany at Berlin Airport.
Order a sim card for traveling in Germany online
There is also still the option of ordering a physical sim card for Germany. Advantage is that these international travel sim cards include calls and text in all of Europe as well as free EU data roaming.
These pre-activated sim cards will be shipped to your home address before your trip and it is plug and play when you arrive in Germany. Check out the following sim card deals for Germany:
- 10 GB data + unlimited calling/texting for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 12 GB data + unlimited calling/texting for 30 days = $29.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calling/texting for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 24 GB data for 2 years = $79.90 USD
Click here to directly order an international prepaid sim card for Germany online or find more offers and info in the link.
Also a last reminder that you can also order an e-sim card for Germany and arrange everything online within just a couple minutes. Click here to get a Germany e-sim card through either Airalo or Simoptions.
I hope all that the above tips for staying connected in Germany and buying a prepaid sim card at Berlin Airport were helpful for your upcoming trip. If you still have any questions then please leave me a comment below.
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 August 2023 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Berlin!