We explored Albania for nearly a month, hiking around the remote Theth mountain village, driving over mountain passes and through deep valleys, visiting historic towns and cities, and enjoying the picturesque beaches on the Albanian Riviera. We got to test the Sim Local eSIM in real travel conditions.
Spoiler alert: We got FAST 4G/5G speeds, no hotspot limits, and it worked nationwide.
How to get your eSIM
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty details of our experience using the Sim Local eSIM in Albania, here is how to get it (and how to save money on your purchase).
- Buy an eSIM for Albania.
- Activate your new eSIM by downloading the plan or scanning the QR code (newer phones allow you to simply click a link to install it).
- Turn on Data Roaming in the Mobile Data settings.
- Enjoy your new eSIM with excellent coverage and fast speeds.
Heads up, here’s how to save some money!
Click here to get your plan and save 10% – or use the code SHIPPEDAWAY10 on checkout.
eSIM Activation Tip: We recommend installing your eSIM before the trip when you have a stable signal, so it’s ready as soon as you arrive at your destination. It’s a tried-and-tested method we always use.
Refund Tip: We love that Sim Local offers a no-questions-asked cancellation policy – if you don’t activate your eSIM (or it doesn’t work), you get your money back.
Need Help? The 24/7 customer support is super helpful (via email, phone, and WhatsApp).
Our experience in Albania
We flew to Tirana, Albania’s capital, from Vienna, and before boarding the flight, we installed our Sim Local eSIMs so that we could use them immediately upon landing.
This worked out perfectly. Our eSIM started working right away, so after passing through immigration, we ordered a taxi through SpeedTaxiAlbania in just minutes.
To sum up our experience, we explored almost the entire country of Albania, from the mountains and rivers to the lakes and seaside, as well as historic cities. We encountered no issues whatsoever and enjoyed fast speeds throughout.
As we did a big Albania road trip, we relied heavily on our eSIM for up-to-date navigation information, planning our stops, finding gas stations and restaurants, contacting our hotels, and more. No problems there.
Sim Local really delivered on their promise of a reliable and fast connection, since we had a great signal throughout our trip.
Additionally, a must-have feature for any eSIM we use is the ability to reliably hotspot the data to our laptops. We often do at least some minimal administrative work while on the road, or simply want to watch Netflix on a bigger screen. Sim Local doesn’t limit hotspotting, which we truly appreciate.
Did you know? Sim Local also has selling points at major airports (including Vienna, where we flew from). However, we personally prefer buying the eSIM online.
OUR FAVORITE ALBANIAN EXPERIENCE
On one of our first nights in Albania, we attended the Albanian Night show, where we had the opportunity to experience Albanian culture up close through dance, singing, and performance. Read all about it here.
Albania eSIM plans
- 1GB valid for 7 days
- 3GB valid for 30 days
- 5GB valid for 30 days
- 10GB valid for 30 days
- 20GB valid for 30 days
Depending on how long you plan to stay in Albania, there are different data plans available for your eSIM.
Regardless of the plan, Sim Local connects to multiple networks, including Telekom Albania Sh.A. and Vodafone Albania, which are the best for optimal connectivity and speed.
As heavy internet users, we opted for two 20GB plans, which worked out great, offering both 4G and 5G speeds.
Do European plans include Albania?
Unfortunately, the European plans don’t include internet coverage in Albania.
However, you can get the Global eSIM, which covers 153 countries, making it perfect for trips visiting multiple countries, including Albania. It also offers a good amount of data at high speeds, so it’s not severely limited as you might expect from a global plan.
For example, the 31-day global plan offers 20GB of data for $35, while the smaller 3GB data plan costs just $14. Check all global plans.
In addition to using Sim Local throughout Albania, we also tested one of their eSIMs extensively in Italy, where we had a great experience.
Psst, we have a discount for you!
Click here or use code SHIPPEDAWAY10 to save 10% on your Albania eSIM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the Sim Local eSIM gets you connected throughout Albania by connecting to the best networks.
Unfortunately, the eSIM by Sim Local doesn’t give you a local Albanian number. But, after traveling for almost a month in Albania, we had no need whatsoever for a local number. We contacted everyone through WhatsApp, and only the host of one accommodation wasn’t on it, but it wasn’t a problem.
At the Shala River, you will have a signal, but not at every part, as in the narrow part of the river, there really is none.
Yes, we had 4G speeds during our hike in Theth to the Valbona Pass, and even on top of it.
Final thoughts
After using the Sim Local eSIM for Albania for almost a month while traveling throughout the country, we can highly recommend it as the best eSIM for Albania.
It’s an affordable and reliable option, with no limits on hotspotting, speed, and connectivity.
