Customer reviews

88 verified reviews

4.9

Based on 88 reviews

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  • Wei L.

    Singapore, SG · Jun 2026

    Decent, but Some Issues

    While esima generally worked well, I did face some connectivity issues in rural areas. The installation was smooth, but I had to reset my connection a couple of times. Still cheaper than roaming!

  • Ryan B.

    Seattle, US · May 2026

    Perfect for roaming in Romania

    I was skeptical about using an eSIM, but esima exceeded my expectations. It provided great 4G coverage throughout my trip, from the bustling streets of Bucharest to the scenic views in Sibiu. Highly recommend for anyone traveling in Romania!

  • Marco D.

    Rome, IT · May 2026

    No more roaming headaches!

    Switching to esima's eSIM was the best decision for my trip to Romania. The installation took just 30 seconds, and I enjoyed seamless connectivity throughout the cities. Perfect for quick updates and staying in touch with family back home! 🌍

  • Hugo P.

    Paris, FR · May 2026

    Super easy setup!

    I scanned the QR code upon landing in Bucharest, and within a minute, I was connected. The 5G speed was phenomenal for streaming and navigation.

  • Emma T.

    Edinburgh, GB · May 2026

    Seamless connection in Romania!

    I activated my esima eSIM as soon as I landed in Bucharest and was online within seconds! The speed was impressive, even streaming Netflix without a hitch. Highly recommend for anyone traveling to Romania!

  • Daniel J.

    Sydney, AU · May 2026

    Great Coverage in Transylvania

    Esima worked well during my trip through Transylvania. The installation took just 30 seconds with the app, and I had no issues connecting in even remote villages. A bit slow in the forests, but otherwise a solid choice!

  • Sven A.

    Stockholm, SE · May 2026

    Convenient and reliable

    Esima's eSIM was convenient and worked well in both urban and suburban areas. I loved being able to connect right away without hunting for local SIM cards. Just a minor issue with data speed in some rural spots, but otherwise very satisfied.

  • Wei L.

    Singapore, SG · Apr 2026

    Fast and user-friendly

    I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to set up the esima eSIM. The manual code option worked like a charm. While I had a few slow moments in the mountains, the overall experience was great with reliable 5G in major towns.

eSIM vs roaming in Romania

Typical home-carrier roaming

$10$18

per day

Esima eSIM

$2.57

Flat rate

Most international carriers charge a daily roaming fee for Romania — often a flat rate for the first gigabyte or two, then throttling to 3G speeds or an overage surcharge. Hotspot is frequently blocked or costs extra.

Your home network routes data through its own infrastructure, so latency is higher and speeds are capped even when you are standing in a 5G zone in Bucharest.

An esima eSIM plugs you directly into Orange Romania or Vodafone Romania as a local prepaid customer, so you get the same speeds a Romanian user gets and hotspot works by default. The price is fixed for the validity window — no surprise bill if you stream a CFR train ride or navigate the Transfăgărășan.

Roaming bundles make sense for a two-day layover; an eSIM makes sense for a week in Transylvania or a summer on the Black Sea coast.

Real trips, real travelers

Built for travelers like you

Different trip, same eSIM — here is how it lands for the most common visitors to Romania.

You drive the Transfăgărășan, hike the Făgăraș ridges, and sleep in Brașov guesthouses. The eSIM navigates you through mountain switchbacks (offline maps essential — signal dies above the tree line), books your next Airbnb from a Sibiu café, and lets you share photos from Bran Castle without hunting for Wi-Fi.

Transylvania road-tripper

You work from a Lipscani co-working space, take client calls on WhatsApp, and ride the metro with STB Activ mobile tickets. The eSIM keeps you online between cafés, validates your transit QR code, and hotspots your laptop when the café Wi-Fi throttles during lunch rush.

Bucharest digital nomad

You spend two weeks in Constanța and Vama Veche, book beach clubs on Instagram, and split bills with Revolut. The eSIM handles Bolt rides to the beach, live navigation to the Danube Delta (3G-only past Tulcea), and streaming on the train back to Bucharest.

Black Sea summer traveler

Apps you'll need data for in Romania

The apps locals and travelers actually use — the ones that need real cell data, not just hotel Wi-Fi.

  • STB Activ

    Bucharest metro and bus mobile tickets with live QR validation

  • Uber app icon

    Uber

    Rideshare in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, and Constanța

  • Bolt app icon

    Bolt

    Rideshare and scooter rental across Romanian cities

  • Revolut app icon

    Revolut

    Mobile payments and bill splitting at Romanian cafés and restaurants

  • Google Maps app icon

    Google Maps

    Navigation and transit schedules (download offline maps for mountains)

  • CFR Călători app icon

    CFR Călători

    Romanian rail tickets and schedules (trains have no onboard Wi-Fi)

  • Glovo app icon

    Glovo

    Food delivery in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Brașov

How much data you'll burn per day

WhatsApp

~50MB per day for chats and voice calls, ~150MB per day with video calls.

Maps

~60MB per day for live navigation in Bucharest or Brașov; download offline maps for the Transfăgărășan and Făgăraș trails.

Rideshare

~20MB per day for Uber or Bolt rides in Bucharest; add ~10MB if you use STB Activ for metro tickets.

When you're travelling matters

Black Sea resorts (Mamaia, Vama Veche, Constanța) see heavy network congestion on weekends in July and August when Bucharest empties to the coast. LTE speeds drop during peak hours, and café Wi-Fi becomes unreliable.

The Transfăgărășan mountain road is closed from late October to late June due to snow, so summer is the only window for that drive — download offline maps in Brașov or Sibiu before you start, because the road has long stretches with no signal on any carrier.

Winter ski season in Poiana Brașov (December to March) brings weekend congestion on Orange Romania and Vodafone Romania; LTE works but expect slower speeds Saturday and Sunday.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does the eSIM work in Brașov and around Bran Castle?

Yes. Brașov city center and the Bran Castle area have full 4G on Orange Romania, Vodafone Romania, and Telekom Romania. Orange and Vodafone deliver 5G in the old town. The Transfăgărășan mountain road and high-altitude trails lose signal — download offline maps before you drive.

Does the eSIM work on the Bucharest metro?

Yes on platforms, no in tunnels between stations. Bucharest metro finished cell-service rollout in all stations in 2024, so your eSIM works while you wait. STB Activ requires live data to validate mobile tickets, so the eSIM is essential if you skip paper tickets.

Does the eSIM work in the Danube Delta?

Partially. Tulcea and the main delta towns have LTE on Telekom Romania, but the rural channels and smaller villages are 3G-only or no signal. Orange Romania and Vodafone Romania thin out fast past Tulcea. Download offline maps and expect dead zones on boat trips.

Does the eSIM work in Sibiu and the Făgăraș Mountains?

Sibiu city center has 5G on Orange Romania and Vodafone Romania. The Făgăraș Mountains hiking trails drop to 3G above 1,200 meters on all carriers, and some ridgelines have no signal. Download trail maps and weather forecasts before you hike.

How much data do I need for a week in Bucharest and Brașov?

Three to five gigabytes covers daily navigation, STB Activ transit tickets, Uber or Bolt rides, WhatsApp calls, and occasional Instagram. Add two gigabytes if you plan to hotspot a laptop or stream on CFR trains. Bucharest and Brașov both have café Wi-Fi, so you can offload heavy downloads.

Can I make WhatsApp calls in Romania on this eSIM?

Yes. WhatsApp voice and video calls work over the eSIM's data connection on Orange Romania, Vodafone Romania, or Telekom Romania. Quality is good in cities with 5G or LTE, but expect dropouts in the Carpathian foothills and the Danube Delta where coverage thins to 3G.

Does STB Activ work on this eSIM?

Yes. STB Activ is Bucharest's official transit app and requires live data for QR validation on metro and buses. The eSIM provides that connectivity. Paper tickets are harder to find at smaller stations, so the app is the default for most travelers.

Orange Romania vs Vodafone Romania coverage in Cluj-Napoca?

Both deliver 5G in Cluj-Napoca's old town, university quarter, and Someșeni business district. Orange Romania has slightly better reach in the surrounding villages. Telekom Romania runs LTE. The eSIM hands off between all three, so you get the strongest tower at each location.

Orange Romania vs Vodafone Romania on the Transfăgărășan?

Neither works reliably. The Transfăgărășan mountain road has long stretches with no signal on Orange Romania, Vodafone Romania, or Telekom Romania. Download offline maps in Brașov or Sibiu before you drive. Signal returns in the valleys on both sides.

Does the eSIM work on CFR trains?

Yes, but CFR trains on the Bucharest-Brașov-Cluj route have no onboard Wi-Fi, so the eSIM is your only connectivity. Coverage is LTE in the plains and 3G in the Carpathian foothills. Tunnels between Brașov and Predeal drop signal for a few minutes.

eSIM vs airport SIM in Romania — which is better?

An eSIM installs before you board and connects the moment you land. An airport SIM requires a queue at the Digi Mobil or Orange kiosk, a passport photocopy, and sometimes a Romanian address. Pricing is similar, but the eSIM saves thirty minutes and lets you validate your STB Activ metro ticket before you leave the terminal.

Does Revolut work on this eSIM in Romania?

Yes. Revolut needs live data to fetch exchange rates, confirm payments, and split bills. The eSIM provides that connectivity across Bucharest, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, and other cities. Revolut is widely accepted in Romanian cafés, restaurants, and shops.

How much data does Google Maps use for a day of navigation in Romania?

Fifty to eighty megabytes for a full day of turn-by-turn navigation in Bucharest or Brașov. Add another twenty megabytes if you search for restaurants or check transit schedules. Download offline maps for the Transfăgărășan and the Făgăraș Mountains before you drive or hike.

Does the eSIM work in Constanța and on the Black Sea coast?

Yes. Constanța and the Black Sea resorts (Mamaia, Vama Veche) have reliable LTE on Orange Romania and Vodafone Romania in summer. Expect congestion on weekends in July and August. The rural Danube Delta is 3G-only on Telekom Romania.

Can I hotspot my laptop on this eSIM in Romania?

Yes. Hotspot is enabled by default on esima eSIMs for Romania. You can share data with a travel partner or connect a laptop in a Bucharest café or a Brașov hotel. No extra charge, no throttling on the first few gigabytes.

Need broader coverage?

Going further than Romania? These plans include Romania plus everywhere in between.