“Call as if you were at home.” That’s exactly the slogan for European roaming, which most of us have been using for so long that we don’t even think about it.

I hadn’t given it a second thought either.

Until one day I found myself stuck on a ferry between Corsica and Sardinia (after all, both islands are in the EU –what could possibly go wrong?!) with my mobile data switched on. It was only later that I realised free roaming only worked until the ferry had moved away from the coast.

I’ve had similarly unpleasant surprises in the past in Andorra and Switzerland. On the map, they’re surrounded by EU countries, but ‘free European roaming’ doesn’t work there.

If you’re travelling around Europe, it’s worth knowing a few exceptions. Some might only cost you a few dozen crowns, whilst others could easily run into the thousands.

What does free roaming mean?

Since 2017, the ‘Roam Like At Home’ rule has been in force in the European Union.

In practice, this means that:

• you make calls at the same rates as at home
• you send text messages at the same rates as at home
• you use mobile data under the same conditions as at home (almost – but more on that below)

However, there are a few important exceptions that most travellers aren’t aware of. And I didn’t know about them either, until I found out the hard way (i.e. lost quite a bit of money 😅).

Where free roaming applies

Free roaming applies in all European Union member states and also in several other European countries.

European Union countries

• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Croatia
• Ireland
• Italy
• Cyprus
• Lithuania
• Latvia
• Luxembourg
• Hungary
• Malta
• Monaco
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Austria
• Romania
• Greece
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden

Other countries

• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Moldova
• Norway
• San Marino
• Ukraine
• Vatican City
• United Kingdom

The biggest roaming traps in Europe

I’ve fallen into these traps myself several times whilst travelling around Europe.

I don’t think I was the first, nor will I be the last. But I hope you’ll share this article with your friends and acquaintances so that such mistakes are kept to a minimum.

Switzerland

This is by far the most common surprise.

Many people simply associate Europe with free roaming.

However, Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, nor is it subject to European roaming regulations.

If, for example, you’re travelling by car to Italy via Zurich or Geneva, or even just changing flights at Zurich Airport, switch off your mobile data and use Wi-Fi instead.

Andorra

This small country between France and Spain takes thousands of tourists by surprise every year.

Although it lies in the heart of Europe, free roaming does not apply here.

Northern Cyprus

In the northern part of Cyprus, you can connect to Turkish mobile networks.

However, Turkey is outside the EU and outside the European roaming zone, so if you’re travelling from the Greek to the Turkish part (for example, in Nicosia), always switch off your mobile data before crossing the border.

Similarly, if you’re travelling with a tour operator to resorts in Northern Cyprus, bear in mind that you’ll need to arrange data in advance, for example via an eSIM.

Get a Turkish eSIM – Airalo.com

Watch out for ferries. That’s where the highest bills can be incurred

If I had to pick just one situation where you can rack up a really high bill in a matter of minutes, it would be on ferries.

Why doesn’t free roaming work on ferries?

As long as the ferry is sailing close to the coast, your phone is connected to the standard mobile network on the mainland.

But as soon as the ferry moves further from the coast:

• your phone loses the land-based signal
• it automatically searches for another network
• it often connects to a satellite network operated directly by the ferry

And at that point, free European roaming ends.

The phone behaves completely normally.

Instagram works.

WhatsApp works.

Maps work.

But data is charged completely differently.

How much might using the internet on a ferry cost?

The exact price depends on your mobile operator.

However, it’s not unusual for:

• 1 MB of data costs 15 eur
• a minute’s call costs 3 eur
• uploading a few photos to social media can cost tens of euros

To give you an idea:

• Instagram or Facebook can easily use up 100 MB of data in 15 minutes
• videos on TikTok or YouTube can use up hundreds of MB in just a few minutes

A bill of several hundred euros in a single payment is therefore nothing out of the ordinary.

Ferries where you need to be most careful

On these routes, ferries regularly travel beyond the range of coastal networks:

Italy and France

That’s where I got caught out. On a journey from Corsica to Genoa in Italy, I was connected to the internet all night (I passed the time watching streamed videos) and ended up paying around 300 eur...

Even if you’re sailing within a single country, once you’re far from the mainland you’ll lose connection to the standard network and end up paying high charges.

Typical routes:

• mainland Italy – Sardinia
• Sardinia – Sicily
• Corsica – mainland Italy
• Corsica – mainland France
• Sicily – mainland Italy (long routes from Palermo only; if you’re sailing from Reggio to Messina, you’ll be within range of standard mobile networks the whole time)

Greece

This is often where things get most confusing.

Many routes are short and you’ll be within range of standard mobile networks the whole time.

However, some routes take you further from the mainland, most commonly:

• Crete – anywhere
• mainland Greece – Lesbos
• Mainland Greece – Chios

Italy – Greece / Croatia

You will always lose connection to the standard network here.

The routes sail for several hours completely out of range of land-based mobile phone masts.

Northern Europe

• Helsinki – Stockholm
• Stockholm – Turku
• Germany – Sweden
• Poland – Sweden
• Denmark – Norway
• Sweden – Estonia
• Sweden – Latvia
• Sweden – Lithuania
• and other long-distance routes

Spain

• Mainland Spain – Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca)
• Mainland Spain – Canary Islands

💬 Do you know of any other routes where you need to switch off mobile data? Let us know in the comments. Thanks!

Book a ferry ticket – directferries.com

How to protect yourself

The simplest solution: As soon as the ferry leaves the port, switch to aeroplane mode or turn off your mobile data.

If you need the internet, only connect to the ferry’s Wi-Fi network (though you often have to pay for this).

If you’ve got a long journey ahead of you, I’d download some offline videos or offline maps in advance, if you’re interested in your current location.

Be aware of proximity to borders

Another common problem you might run into – even in countries within the ‘European zone’ – is when you’re near the border of another country.

This has happened to me several times in Greece and Croatia.

Unlike on ferries, you don’t usually spend much time near the border, so any data charges are unlikely to be too high.

But do be careful, for example, if your hotel is near the border.

It may happen that your mobile phone fails to connect to the network operator in the country you’re currently in (for example, due to a weak signal, the mast being far away, etc.), but picks up a stronger signal from a neighbouring country.

The most common locations

Typical well-known locations where your mobile may disconnect from your ‘home’ network and connect to a neighbouring country’s network are as follows:

Greece

Mainly the islands near the Turkish coast:

• the eastern part of Samos
• Kastellorizo
• Symi

In exceptional cases, you can also connect to the Albanian network on the north-eastern coast of Corfu.

Croatia

When travelling to Dubrovnik, you will often connect to the Bosnian network near Neum.

France

In the towns of Annemasse or Saint-Genis-Poully, near Geneva, mobile phones often connect to the Swiss network.

Spain

Problems occur very frequently in the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, where many mobiles connect to the Moroccan network.

I have an unlimited data plan at home. Does that mean I have unlimited data in the EU as well?

In most cases, no. This is another very common misconception.

Operators may apply a so-called Fair Use Policy limit for roaming within the European Union on unlimited tariffs.

In practical terms, this means:

• you can use an unlimited amount of data at home
• abroad, you only have access to a certain amount

The exact limit depends on the specific plan.

For example, some people may have 30 GB available in the EU, others 60 GB, and some over 100 GB.

If you’re planning to work remotely, share your internet connection with a laptop or stream videos, it’s worth checking your data limit before you travel.

Dependent territories outside Europe: this is where things start to get more complicated

Many travellers automatically assume that if a territory belongs to a European country, free roaming will work there too.

This is often the case. But not always.

In places marked “✅”, you can make calls, send texts and use data just as you would at home. In places marked “❌”, this doesn’t work and you’ll have to pay for standard roaming or use an eSIM for data – I’ve always used airalo.com.

• France
  • ✅ Guadeloupe
  • ✅ Martinique
  • ✅ French Guiana
  • ✅ Réunion
  • ✅ Mayotte
  • ✅ Saint Martin (French part of the island)
  • ✅ Saint Barthélemy
  • ❌ French Polynesia
  • ❌ New Caledonia
  • ❌ Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • ❌ Wallis and Futuna
• United Kingdom
  • ✅ Gibraltar
  • ✅ Jersey
  • ✅ Guernsey
  • ✅ Isle of Man
  • ❌ Anguilla
  • ❌ Bermuda
  • ❌ British Virgin Islands
  • ❌ Cayman Islands
  • ❌ Falkland Islands
  • ❌ Saint Helena
  • ❌ Montserrat
  • ❌ Pitcairn Islands
  • ❌ Turks and Caicos
• Portugal
  • ✅ Madeira
  • ✅ Azores
• Spain
  • ✅ Canary Islands
  • ✅ Balearic Islands
  • ✅ Ceuta and Melilla
• Netherlands
  • ❌ Aruba
  • ❌ Bonaire
  • ❌ Curaçao
  • ❌ Sint Maarten (only the Dutch part of the island)
  • ❌ Sint Eustatius + Saba
• Denmark
  • ❌ Faroe Islands
  • ❌ Greenland

The story of the island of Saint Martin

One of the most interesting roaming situations in the world can be found in the Caribbean.

The island of Saint Martin is divided between France and the Netherlands.

• On the French side, roaming is subject to European conditions
• On the Dutch side, it is not (you have to pay for roaming)

In practice, this means that a drive of just a few minutes is enough for your phone to connect to a different network with a different billing system.

This is a great example of how roaming isn’t a question of the continent, but of the specific mobile network.

What to check before every trip

• Check whether your destination country is covered by European roaming
• Check your EU data limit
• Switch to flight mode on ferries
• In Switzerland, Monaco or Andorra, turn off automatic network selection
• Read the welcome text message from your mobile operator
• Don’t assume that ‘Europe = free roaming’

It is precisely this mistake that is one of the most common reasons why, after your holiday, you receive a much higher mobile bill than you expected.

Whenever I’m travelling outside the European roaming area, I always buy an eSIM in advance.

There are many apps available; I use Airalo.com, with whom our website has a long-standing partnership.

Get a data eSIM – Airalo.com