eSIM Providers in Hungary: Magyar Telekom, One (Vodafone), Yettel and Travel eSIMs

Looking for an eSIM for Hungary? If you're visiting, the simplest option is a travel eSIM: you buy it online, install it at home and it connects when you land in Budapest. If you live in Hungary or want a Hungarian number, the main mobile operators all offer eSIM: Magyar Telekom, One (the former Vodafone Hungary) and Yettel. You need a line with them first, and that involves an ID check. Coming from another EU country? Your home plan may already work in Hungary at no extra cost. This guide covers each option so you can pick the right one.

Just visiting? These Hungary eSIMs are data only, so you keep your home number for calls and texts. Pick the one that matches the length of your trip.

Data-only plans for Hungary · 5 GB, 10 GB or 20 GB · See all Hungary eSIMs · Visiting more of Europe? See Europe eSIMs

eSIM providers in Hungary at a glance

Magyar Telekom, One and Yettel all offer eSIM. Apple's list of carriers that support eSIM on iPhone includes Magyar Telekom, One and Yettel for Hungary (Apple: carriers that offer eSIM service). Here's a quick overview:

• Magyar Telekom: free eSIM for monthly plans and Domino prepaid lines, requested in the Telekom app or your online account. Visitors can buy a data-only Travel SIM as an eSIM in a Telekom store.
• One (formerly Vodafone Hungary): free eSIM for monthly, prepaid, mobile internet and smartwatch plans. You need to verify your identity, and the eSIM can only be activated in Hungary.
• Yettel (formerly Telenor Hungary): free eSIM with all its retail prepaid and monthly voice plans, plus a tourist eSIM you can buy online.
• Travel eSIMs: sold online by providers like SimOptions. No Hungarian line, no store visit, ready before you travel.

Here's what each operator says about its eSIM.

Magyar Telekom eSIM (Telekom Hungary)

Magyar Telekom explains its eSIM on its eSIM page (in Hungarian). According to Telekom:

• Which plans: eSIM is free with every residential monthly plan and with Domino, Telekom's prepaid service.
• Switching from a plastic SIM: you can swap it for an eSIM online, free of charge, in the Telekom app or in your telekom.hu account. You then get the QR code that activates your line.
• Use Wi-Fi: Telekom says the switch only works if you're not connected through the mobile data of the line you're changing.
• iPhone: you can move your line to a new iPhone, or turn your plastic SIM into an eSIM, from the iPhone's own settings. Apple lists Magyar Telekom for eSIM Carrier Activation and eSIM Quick Transfer.
• PIN: every Telekom eSIM has a PIN and PUK, and the default PIN is 0000.

Telekom Travel SIM for visitors

Telekom also sells a Travel SIM for visitors, and it comes as an eSIM too (Telekom: Visiting Hungary). Here's what Telekom says:

• It's data only: no calls or SMS.
• There's a 10-day and a 30-day option, usable in Hungary and the EU.
• The eSIM version is only sold in Telekom stores. Online purchase isn't available for eSIM.
• You need a passport, ID card or driver's license, and only people with an ID not issued by Hungarian authorities can buy it.
• There are no top-ups. Once your data runs out, the SIM can't be used anymore.

One eSIM (formerly Vodafone Hungary)

If you're searching for a Vodafone Hungary eSIM, you'll now find it under the One brand. Vodafone Magyarország changed its name to One Magyarország on 1 January 2025 (4iG: One brand announcement, in Hungarian). The eSIM details are on One's eSIM page (in Hungarian). According to One:

• Which plans: eSIM is available for residential monthly plans, prepaid plans, mobile internet and smartwatch plans.
• New line: when you order a plan online, choose eSIM in the "Személyre szabás" (personalise) step. It's free.
• Switching from a plastic SIM: pick the SIM you want to switch in your One online account.
• ID check: using an eSIM requires identification. You can do it digitally with your smartphone in a few minutes, or in person in a One store.
• Activation in Hungary only: One says you can only activate the eSIM within Hungary, on a Hungarian mobile network or Wi-Fi.
• Cost: ordering an eSIM or switching to one is free. Replacements, for example after theft or loss, cost the same as a physical SIM.
• PIN and PUK: you can see them in your One online account, or ask on 1270 (free from Hungarian numbers) or in a One store.

One more thing to know: your eSIM can only be active on one device at a time. If your phone is lost or stolen, One says you can block the eSIM in a store or on 1270.

Yettel eSIM (formerly Telenor Hungary)

Yettel took over from Telenor in Hungary in March 2022 (Yettel: Goodbye Telenor, welcome Yettel). Its English eSIM page explains how it works. According to Yettel:

• Which plans: eSIM is available with all retail voice prepaid and monthly plans.
• Cost: requesting an eSIM is free for new customers and for existing customers with a physical SIM. Replacement fees are the same as for a physical SIM.
• How you get it: the QR code comes on a paper card, for a new line or when you replace a physical SIM. You can switch in a Yettel store, and new lines can also be ordered online with delivery.
• One device at a time: while the eSIM is active on one device, the same QR code can't activate it on another.
• PIN and PUK: they're on the eSIM card and in your Yettel account. The PIN prompt is off by default, and you can turn it back on.

Yettel tourist eSIM

Yettel also sells a prepaid tourist eSIM online, the Yettel Pass (Yettel: eSIM for your trip to Hungary). According to Yettel, there are 3, 7 and 30-day versions, each includes data in the EU and a few other European countries, and you get a Hungarian phone number. You can't top it up: you buy another pass instead. Yettel also notes that this eSIM only works on 5G-capable phones, and it lists models that aren't compatible, including the iPhone XR, XS and 11 series and the iPhone SE (2nd generation).

Can tourists get a local eSIM in Hungary?

Yes, but each route has its catch. The Yettel tourist eSIM is sold online. The Telekom Travel SIM eSIM needs a store visit with your passport or ID. And a regular prepaid line comes with ID rules: Yettel explains that Hungarian law requires mobile operators to verify the identity of prepaid voice customers every year. If you don't have an ID issued by Hungarian authorities, you have to go to a Yettel store with your passport or residence permit to get a prepaid service, and you can't buy it online (Yettel: data reconciliation for prepaid customers).

That's fine if you're moving to Hungary or staying for months. For a city break in Budapest or a short business trip, a travel eSIM you buy online before you leave is usually quicker. You arrive with data already working, and nobody needs to see your passport.

Do you need a Hungarian eSIM if you live in the EU?

Probably not. Under the EU's "roam like at home" rules, you use your home plan in Hungary the same way you use it at home. The rules cover the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as Moldova and Ukraine. Roaming should be occasional, so a fair use policy can apply if you spend more time abroad than at home (Your Europe: mobile roaming costs).

The UK isn't covered by these rules, so check your UK operator's roaming terms. If you're coming from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Israel or anywhere else outside the EU, roaming on your home plan can get expensive. That's where a travel eSIM helps.

Hungary travel eSIM: get connected before you travel

A travel eSIM is a data plan you buy online. You get a QR code by email, install it on Wi-Fi at home, and it connects when you arrive. Here's what the SimOptions Hungary plans include, according to their plan details:

• Data only: no Hungarian phone number, no calls or SMS. You call and message with apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage.
• Speed: 4G and 5G.
• Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you reach Hungary.
• No paperwork: no Hungarian line, no ID check in a shop.
• Top-ups: available if you run low on data.
• Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year, it becomes invalid.
• Coverage: Hungary only. Going on to Vienna, Bratislava or Prague? Pick a Europe eSIM instead.

How much data do you need for Hungary?

The Hungary plans range from 1 GB for 3 days to 100 GB for 180 days. As a rough guide:

• A weekend in Budapest: 1 GB to 3 GB for maps, messages and tickets.
• Up to a week: 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days.
• One to two weeks, for example Budapest plus Lake Balaton: 20 GB for 15 days.
• A month or longer: 50 GB for 30 days, or the larger plans for long stays.

Not sure what uses the most? Our guide to eSIM data plans explains it.

Need a phone number, or visiting more countries?

Hungary is often one stop on a longer trip through Central Europe. If that's you, or you need calls and texts, Travel Basic+ from Bouygues Telecom fits better. It covers 46 destinations, including Hungary and its neighbours Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia, and comes with a French (+33) number with unlimited calls and SMS within Europe for 15 days. More options in our guide to Europe eSIMs with a phone number.

How to set up your Hungary eSIM

1. Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID, your phone supports eSIM. More in our guide to checking eSIM compatibility.
2. Buy your plan and wait for the QR code by email.
3. Install it on Wi-Fi before you travel. On iPhone, open the Camera app, scan the QR code and follow the steps to add the eSIM (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Step by step for iPhone and Android: how to install an eSIM.
4. Label the line "Hungary" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
5. When you arrive, make the travel eSIM your data line and turn on data roaming for it.

Not connecting after you land? Go through our eSIM activation fixes.

Local eSIM or travel eSIM: which one is right for you?

A Telekom, One or Yettel eSIM fits if

• You live in Hungary or stay for several months.
• You need a Hungarian phone number for banks, apps or local services.
• You're fine with verifying your ID, in a store or online.

A travel eSIM fits if

• You're on holiday or a business trip of a few days to a few weeks.
• You want data the moment you arrive, for maps, trams and messages.
• You'd rather skip the shop and the ID check.
• You want to keep your home number on your phone at the same time.

Comparing travel eSIM options for Hungary? See our list of eSIMs for Hungary. Crossing the border? Read about eSIM providers in Slovakia and eSIM providers in Austria. Going on to Serbia or Greece? Read eSIM providers in Serbia and eSIM providers in Greece.

FAQs

Which eSIM should I get for Hungary?

If you're visiting, a travel eSIM is the simplest choice. You buy it online, install it before you travel and it connects when you arrive. If you live in Hungary or need a Hungarian number, pick a local operator: Magyar Telekom, One or Yettel.

Does Vodafone Hungary offer eSIM?

Vodafone Hungary is now called One. One offers a free eSIM with its monthly, prepaid, mobile internet and smartwatch plans. You need to verify your identity, and the eSIM can only be activated in Hungary.

Does Telekom Hungary offer eSIM?

Yes. Magyar Telekom gives you a free eSIM with monthly plans and Domino prepaid lines, in the Telekom app or your online account. Visitors can buy a data-only Travel SIM as an eSIM in a Telekom store.

Does Yettel offer eSIM?

Yes, with all its retail prepaid and monthly voice plans, free of charge. Yettel also sells a tourist eSIM online with data and a Hungarian number.

Can I buy a Hungarian prepaid eSIM online as a tourist?

Only some. Yettel's tourist eSIM is sold online. A regular prepaid line needs an ID check, and without a Hungarian ID you have to visit a store. A travel eSIM from SimOptions is bought online with no Hungarian line needed.

Do I get a Hungarian phone number with a travel eSIM?

No. The SimOptions Hungary plans are data only. If you need a number, Travel Basic+ and the My European eSIM plans come with a French (+33) number for calls and SMS within Europe.

Does a Hungary eSIM work in other countries?

Not the SimOptions Hungary plans: they cover Hungary only. If you're also visiting Austria, Slovakia, Croatia or Romania, a Europe eSIM covers your whole trip.