Looking for an eSIM for Switzerland? You have two routes. The three Swiss mobile carriers, Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt, all offer eSIM. Swisscom and Sunrise also sell prepaid eSIMs you can order online as a visitor, but Swiss law says you must verify your ID first. A travel eSIM is the simpler option for a short trip: you buy it online, install it before you fly and it connects when you land. One thing to know before you go: Switzerland is not in the EU, so free EU roaming doesn't automatically cover it. This guide shows what each eSIM provider in Switzerland offers, the ID rules and how to set up a travel eSIM.
Just visiting? These Switzerland eSIMs fit a trip of one to two weeks. You install them at home and use them for data the moment you arrive.
Data-only plans for Switzerland · 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days · See all Switzerland eSIMs · Also visiting France, Italy or Austria? A Europe eSIM covers Switzerland and 33 more countries
eSIM providers in Switzerland: the mobile carriers
Switzerland has three mobile network operators: Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt. Here is what each one says about eSIM on its own website, checked in October 2026.
Swisscom eSIM
Yes, Swisscom offers eSIM, and the eSIM itself is currently free. If you order a new Swisscom Mobile subscription, you choose the eSIM option. Once the subscription is active, you find your eSIM QR code in My Swisscom. On an iPhone, you can install the eSIM straight from the My Swisscom app without the QR code. Existing customers order a new eSIM in My Swisscom too (Swisscom: Order, set up and use an eSIM).
Swisscom prepaid eSIM: Swisscom Prepaid is also available as an eSIM. You select the eSIM option when you order and get an activation code to set it up (Swisscom: Prepaid).
For tourists, Swisscom sells the Prepaid Flat for 7, 15, 30 or 90 days, with unlimited data and calls within Switzerland. You can buy it before your trip. It starts when the eSIM first connects to the Swisscom network, and you get a new Swiss number. Swisscom warns that activating the eSIM in My Swisscom may need two-factor login with a Swiss number, so it sometimes only works once you arrive. A Swisscom shop can help if it doesn't (Swisscom: Prepaid for tourists).
Sunrise eSIM in Switzerland
Yes, Sunrise offers eSIM. Existing customers can convert their SIM card to an eSIM or order a new eSIM in My Sunrise. New customers select the eSIM option when they order online (Sunrise: eSIM).
Sunrise prepaid eSIM: you can order Sunrise Prepaid as an eSIM online and usually get started within minutes (Sunrise: Prepaid). Sunrise's prepaid travel eSIM page says you upload your ID and record a short video selfie, and you can register the eSIM with a foreign address. Its Europe options add data for many European countries on top of unlimited use in Switzerland (Sunrise: Prepaid travel eSIM).
Sunrise multi SIM: searching for a second SIM on the same Sunrise plan? Sunrise calls it the We Connect extra SIM. It lets you use your mobile subscription on a tablet, laptop, watch or tracker, and it comes as a physical SIM or an eSIM (Sunrise: We Connect extra SIM).
Salt eSIM in Switzerland
Yes, Salt offers eSIM on its Salt Mobile plans. You choose eSIM instead of a physical SIM, and Salt sends you an eSIM voucher with the QR code by post. Your phone needs an internet connection, such as Wi-Fi, to download the profile (Salt: eSIM). Salt also sells PrePay SIM cards, but its PrePay page doesn't mention eSIM, so ask Salt before you count on a prepaid eSIM (Salt: PrePay).
eSIM for IoT and business in Switzerland
Connecting machines or devices rather than a phone? Two Swiss operators describe eSIM options for IoT on their business sites. Swisscom's Connectivity Management Platform manages SIM cards, chips and eUICC services, meaning programmable SIMs that can load a profile remotely (Swisscom: Cellular IoT). Sunrise's IoT Starter Services include solderable eSIM chips, delivered in batches of 500 (Sunrise: IoT Starter Services). For pricing and remote provisioning details, contact their business teams.
Prepaid eSIM in Switzerland: the ID rules
Swiss law requires carriers to identify everyone who buys a SIM card, and that includes prepaid eSIMs. Salt cites the Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (BÜPF) and keeps a digital copy of your ID document (Salt: Verification of your identity). Here is what that means for you:
- You need a passport or ID card. Swisscom also accepts Swiss residence permits L, B, C and G, but not a driving licence (Swisscom: Prepaid).
- You can verify online. Sunrise and Salt ask you to scan your ID and record a short video of your face. Salt's process must run from start to finish without a break.
- You don't need a Swiss address for a Sunrise eSIM. Sunrise says you can register the eSIM with a foreign address.
- There is a limit per person. Swisscom allows a maximum of five prepaid numbers per person.
So yes, you can get a prepaid eSIM in Switzerland as a tourist, from Swisscom or Sunrise for example. Just plan time for the ID check. More local options are in our guide to the best SIM cards for Switzerland.
Travel eSIMs for Switzerland
A travel eSIM is a data plan you buy online before your trip, with no ID video and no Swiss account. At SimOptions, every plan on the Switzerland eSIM page lists Switzerland in its coverage. You can pick:
- Switzerland-only plans: data for Switzerland, with top-ups on most plans.
- Europe plans: data for Switzerland and 33 other countries, handy if your trip also takes you to France, Italy, Germany or Austria.
- Bouygues Telecom plans: 46 countries including Switzerland. Travel Basic+ and My European eSIM come with a French +33 number for calls and texts.
Most travel eSIMs are data-only, so you won't get a Swiss number. You call and message through WhatsApp, FaceTime or other apps, and your home line can stay on your phone for texts. Comparing providers? See our list of the best eSIMs for Switzerland.
Want an eSIM with a phone number? No travel eSIM at SimOptions gives you a Swiss +41 number. Travel Basic+ from Bouygues Telecom has a French +33 number with calls and texts, plus 20 GB of data for 15 days in 46 countries, Switzerland included.
Does your home SIM work in Switzerland?
- EU and EEA SIM cards: the EU's "roam like at home" rules apply when you travel within the EU and EEA (Your Europe: Roaming costs). Switzerland is in neither, so these rules don't cover it. Some carriers include Switzerland in their plans anyway, so check yours before you cross the border.
- UK SIM cards: the UK government says surcharge-free roaming in EU and EEA countries is no longer guaranteed (GOV.UK: Using your mobile in EU and EEA countries). Switzerland isn't on that list either, so check your provider's charges for Switzerland.
- US, Canadian, Indian, Australian and other SIM cards: your home carrier sets its own roaming prices in Switzerland.
Switzerland's telecom regulator OFCOM sums it up: Swiss operators only run their own network in Switzerland, and the EU's free roaming applies to EU and EEA citizens travelling in EU and EEA countries (OFCOM: Roaming). If your plan charges for roaming, a travel eSIM for data plus your home line for texts and security codes is often the simpler setup.
How to set up a travel eSIM for Switzerland
Before you fly
- 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.
- Install the eSIM on Wi-Fi at home. Scan the QR code from your email. On iPhone, you can also tap and hold the QR code and choose Add eSIM (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Step by step: how to install an eSIM.
- Label the line "Switzerland" or "Travel" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
When you land
- Turn on the travel eSIM line if it is off.
- Make it your data line. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and choose the travel eSIM (Apple: Use Dual SIM with an eSIM). On a Pixel, use Settings > Network & internet > SIMs (Google: Use dual SIMs on Pixel).
- Turn on data roaming for the travel eSIM. On iPhone, it's under Settings > Cellular, then the travel line, then Cellular Data Options (Apple: Use cellular data on iPhone).
- Keep data roaming off on your home line if your plan charges for roaming in Switzerland.
Not connecting? See the correct roaming settings for an eSIM.
Travelling on after Switzerland? See the eSIM providers in neighbouring Italy and Austria, or find an eSIM for your next destination.
FAQs
Which eSIM providers are there in Switzerland?
The three mobile operators Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt all offer eSIM. For a visit, a travel eSIM that covers Switzerland is the easiest way to get data without a Swiss account or an ID check.
Does Swisscom offer eSIM?
Yes, on Swisscom Mobile subscriptions and on Swisscom Prepaid. The eSIM is currently free. Your QR code is in My Swisscom, and on iPhone you can install it straight from the My Swisscom app.
Can I get a Swisscom prepaid eSIM as a tourist?
Yes. Swisscom's Prepaid Flat for tourists comes as an eSIM for 7, 15, 30 or 90 days with a Swiss number. You need a passport or ID card, and activation sometimes only works once you are in Switzerland.
Does Sunrise offer eSIM in Switzerland?
Yes. Sunrise customers order an eSIM in My Sunrise, and new customers pick eSIM when they order. Sunrise Prepaid also comes as an eSIM that you verify online with your ID and a video selfie.
Does Salt offer eSIM?
Yes, on Salt Mobile plans. Salt sends an eSIM voucher with the QR code by post, so it isn't instant.
Do I need ID for a SIM card in Switzerland?
Yes, for any SIM or eSIM from a Swiss carrier, prepaid included. Use a passport or ID card. Swisscom doesn't accept a driving licence.
Does EU roaming work in Switzerland?
Not automatically. Switzerland isn't in the EU or the EEA, so the EU's roam like at home rules don't cover it. Some carriers include Switzerland anyway, so check your plan before you go.
Can I get a Swiss eSIM with a phone number?
A Swiss +41 number comes with a plan from a Swiss carrier, such as Swisscom's or Sunrise's prepaid eSIMs. Travel eSIMs are mostly data-only. At SimOptions, the Bouygues Telecom plans come with a French +33 number for calls and texts.
When should I install my travel eSIM?
Before you fly, on Wi-Fi. When you land in Switzerland, make the eSIM your data line and turn on data roaming for it.
