eSIM for Germany
Covered by our Europe plan, from $10.00.
What the network is actually like
4G is close to universal in cities and along the autobahn network, and 5G covers most large towns. Rural Germany is the weak spot by Western European standards, particularly in Bavaria and the eastern states, and regional trains lose signal in cuttings for minutes at a time.
Networks: Telekom, Vodafone, O2 Telefónica
How much data you'll need
Ten gigabytes sees out a fortnight of maps, messaging and the odd call home. The thing that'll blow through it is tethering a laptop, and German hotel wifi is bad enough that you probably will.
City guides
Where the signal actually drops, and how to get around.
Where people go
Berlin
Sprawling and cheap to cross by U-Bahn. Cash still rules in bars.
Munich
Base for the Alps and, for two weeks a year, Oktoberfest.
Hamburg
Port city, brutal wind off the Elbe, best live music in the country.
Cologne
Cathedral, Carnival, and the only place to drink Kölsch properly.
What's on
Timings are month-level, because most of these move year to year.
Oktoberfest
Mid-September to early October
Munich
Six million people on one field. Mobile networks visibly struggle inside the tents.
Karneval
February or March
Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz
Rose Monday shuts the Rhineland down completely.
Christmas markets
Late November to 23 December
Nuremberg, Dresden, everywhere
Nuremberg is the famous one. Dresden is the oldest.