Where To Get A SIM Card In Kraków

Getting connected in Kraków is straightforward and good value. Whether you use your existing plan, buy a local Polish SIM on arrival, or set up an eSIM before you leave home, here is what you need to know.

You can buy a SIM at the Orange store in Galeria Krakowska.

At a Glance: Your Options In Kraków

Option	Best for	Approx. cost
EU plan (existing)	EU citizens	Free (check fair use cap)
UK plan (O2, Vodafone, Three)	UK citizens on eligible plans	Free (check fair use cap)
UK plan (EE and others)	Short UK visits	~£2.47/day
eSIM (Airalo, Nomad)	Short trips, light data use	From ~4€ (1GB)
eSIM (Holafly)	Longer stays, heavy data use	From ~$11 (3 days unlimited)
Local SIM (Orange, Play, T-Mobile, Plus)	Any visitor wanting a local number	From ~20–50zł/month

Mobile Roaming For EU Citizens

If you have a phone contract based in an EU or EEA country, you can use it in Poland exactly as you would at home — calls, texts, and data included — with no additional charges. EU roaming rules have been in force since 2017 and are guaranteed until at least 2032. Your operator may apply a fair use data cap while roaming, but in practice this is rarely an issue on a short city break. Make sure roaming is enabled on your phone before you travel.

Mobile Roaming For UK Citizens

Since the UK left the EU, British travellers are no longer automatically covered by free roaming in Poland. The situation varies significantly by network:

• O2: Roaming included across 49 European destinations; 25GB monthly fair use cap.
• Vodafone: Roaming included across 51 European destinations; 25GB monthly fair use cap.
• Three: Go Roam service includes Poland for eligible plans.
• EE: Requires a Roam Abroad pass on most plans (~£2.47/day); roaming available in 47 destinations.

Check your specific plan before travelling. EE customers staying more than three or four days are often better off with a local SIM or eSIM. Keep your existing number active on any plan if you need to receive calls or texts on your UK number during your trip.

Mobile Roaming For Non-EU and Non-UK Visitors

For travellers from the US, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, international roaming from your home network can be expensive — daily passes from US carriers typically run around $12, and without a pass, costs can be significantly higher. For most visitors staying more than two or three days, a local Polish prepaid SIM or an eSIM purchased in advance offers significantly better value.

General Advice For Buying A Polish SIM Card

If you decide to buy a SIM for use in Poland, you will need an unlocked phone and your passport — EU regulations require ID for all SIM registrations. Store staff can usually get everything set up in 10 to 15 minutes.

Poland’s four main networks — Orange, T-Mobile, Play, and Plus — all offer competitive prepaid plans. A price war between them keeps costs low. Prepaid plans (known as na kartę) typically cost 20–50zł per month and include very generous data allowances alongside unlimited calls and texts to Polish numbers.

• Orange
• T-Mobile
• Play
• Plus (Polish-only site)

Please note: Polish SIMs are designed for use within Poland. If you try to use a Polish SIM in another EU country, EU regulations apply a data cap based on a formula — in practice, you will often get only a fraction of your Polish data allowance while roaming abroad. If you need a SIM for multi-country travel across Europe, Poland is not the country to buy it.

Buying A SIM Card At Kraków Airport

Kraków Airport (John Paul II International) has no dedicated mobile phone or SIM card shops, so we recommend waiting until you reach central Kraków.

If you urgently need to get online, the airport offers 15 minutes of free WiFi — select ‘KRK Free WiFi’ in your settings. It is slow but requires no login or registration. There are also yellow phones throughout the building that let you call any Polish landline or mobile number for free.

Look for the yellow public phones at Kraków Airport.

Charging points are available throughout the airport, including in cafes and waiting areas. These have standard plug sockets (Type E/F — the European two-pin), so bring the correct adapter.

The Relay store in Kraków Airport is useful for SIMs and other emergency supplies.

If you cannot wait, the Relay store near the Check-in Hall (look for the red shop) stocks SIM starter packs from all four main providers. Staff are helpful but may not be able to answer detailed questions about specific tariffs — it is better to set up your SIM properly at a network store in town.

Buying A SIM Card At Galeria Krakowska

If you are arriving from the airport by train or bus, you will most likely pass through Galeria Krakowska, a large shopping mall directly adjacent to the train and bus station, five minutes from the Old Town. Arrivals from the airport are led directly into the mall’s basement — a convenient first stop.

From the basement level, walk past the McDonald’s and small Carrefour, continue past the escalator, and look for the bright orange ING Bank fascia. Orange, Plus, and T-Mobile stores are within easy sight of the bank; the Play store is opposite Burger King in the next aisle.

Each store will have English-speaking staff who can help you find the right plan and register your SIM on the spot. Get the rep to confirm that the SIM is set up and working before you leave the store.

MediaMarkt in Galeria Krakowska has every kind of tech supply.

If you need an unlocked phone, the MediaMarkt store — next to the escalators on the same floor — stocks a wide range of handsets at competitive prices.

eSIM Options For Kraków

If your phone supports eSIM (most iPhones from the XS onwards, and the majority of recent Android flagships), this is increasingly the most convenient option. You can activate a data plan before you leave home, with no SIM card hunting on arrival. Your phone must be carrier-unlocked to use an eSIM from a third-party provider.

The three most reliable eSIM providers for Poland are:

• Airalo: Data-only plans from around €4 (1GB) to €12 (10GB/30 days). Runs on the Plus network. Best for short trips and light data users.
• Holafly: Unlimited-data plans priced by duration — from around $11 for three days to $96.50 for 30 days. Data-only, but WhatsApp calling is supported. Best for longer stays or heavy data users.
• Nomad: Plans from $4.50 (1GB) to $30 (20GB), running on Orange and Play networks with 5G in parts of Kraków. Their Europe-wide 50GB plan at $29 is excellent value for multi-country trips.

You can also purchase an eSIM directly from Orange, T-Mobile, Play, and Plus in Poland if you prefer a local carrier.

You can find more information about using mobile phones and other practicalities on our Kraków Basics page.