Travel guide
eSIM for Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, the Islands and AVE Trains
How an eSIM for Spain works: the networks you get, signal on the metro and islands, Wi-Fi on AVE trains and how much data you need, so you land online.
An eSIM for Spain gives you mobile data on a Spanish network as soon as you land in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga or Palma, without roaming charges or a queue at a phone shop. You install it at home, keep your usual SIM for calls and texts, and switch your data over on arrival. Whether your Spain holiday means tapas in Seville or a ferry to Ibiza, your maps and bookings are ready when you need them.
In short:
- Roamy’s Spain plans run on Orange and Movistar, both listed with 5G, and install at home in about a minute.
- The Barcelona and Madrid metros have mobile signal, but expect 4G and the odd dropout in tunnels.
- About 1 GB a day is typical, so 5–10 GB suits most weeks. Heavy users can pick an Unlimited day pass.
- A Spain plan stops at the border, so Gibraltar, Andorra, Portugal and Morocco need a closer look.
Why travellers use an eSIM for Spain
Spain is an easy country to travel with a phone, and a holiday leans on one all day. You use it to find the metro entrance, show a ticket at the Sagrada Família, walk to a restaurant that doesn’t open until nine, translate a menu and check the platform for your train. On a road trip through Andalusia, it is your sat nav as well.
Doing all that on roaming can get expensive if your phone plan comes from outside the EU. A daily roaming pass from a Turkish, UK or American provider adds up over a ten-day trip, and your hotel Wi-Fi is no use once you step outside.
Roamy’s Spain plans start from $4.00 and run on Orange and Movistar, both listed with 5G on the Spain eSIM page. The plans are data-only, so you don’t get a Spanish number, but your usual SIM stays active for calls, texts and bank codes.
Your phone needs to be unlocked and support eSIM. The eSIM-compatible phones page lists the models.
What about EU roaming?
If your phone plan is from an EU or EEA country, you can usually use it in Spain as you would at home. The EU’s Your Europe page on roaming explains these rules and notes that other countries are not covered, though many operators choose to offer similar deals. If your line is from Türkiye, the UK, the US or most of the rest of the world, check your provider’s roaming prices before you go.
Mobile data in Barcelona and Madrid
Above ground, both cities are straightforward. A phone with data handles directions, bookings, translation and ride-hailing with little fuss. Signal can weaken in thick-walled old buildings, basement bars and the narrow lanes of the Gothic Quarter, and it usually returns a few steps later.
Signal on the Madrid Metro
Orange and Movistar have both reported 4G across the Madrid Metro, and Movistar’s report excluded the Metro Ligero light rail. 5G is arriving more slowly. MasOrange, the group behind Orange in Spain, switched on 5G at Sol station in January 2026 and said it planned to reach the whole network by the end of the year. Treat 4G as the baseline, and anything faster as a bonus.
Signal on the Barcelona Metro
We could not find a recent official statement on Barcelona. TMB, the city’s transport operator, wrote in 2017 that coverage reached platforms, corridors, trains and the stretches between stations, and that 4G was due across the network. It also said signal can drop in tunnel sections where radio waves travel badly, and recent posts from riders on an operator forum describe gaps on some lines. Load your route before you go down the stairs.
Tickets for the big sights
Save your tickets where you can open them offline. The Sagrada Família says tickets can be held in its official app or downloaded as a PDF or Wallet file. The Alhambra accepts a QR ticket on paper or on your phone, but you also need your original ID or passport, and the Nasrid Palaces entry time on your ticket is fixed. Neither place is a good spot to start hunting for a signal.
The islands and the coast: Mallorca, Tenerife and Andalusia
The Balearic and Canary Islands are part of Spain, and our site has no separate plan for them, so a Spain plan is the one to look at. Towns, airports and the main resorts are generally the easy part. Expect weaker spots in these places:
- Mountains. The Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca, the high ground on Tenerife and the Sierra Nevada can all have gaps, as can the Pyrenees on the mainland. Download offline maps before you drive or hike, and don’t rely on mobile data alone for navigation.
- Hidden bays. Coves at the bottom of a cliff can lose signal even when the road above has plenty. Screenshot the directions back before you walk down.
- Rural stays. A country house in Andalusia or Extremadura can have good signal in the village and little at the end of the track.
If you’re heading somewhere remote, Roamy’s Europe plans list more networks in Spain, including Vodafone. That wider choice may help, so compare the same data size on both pages.
Ferries between the islands
Signal can fade between ports on an inter-island ferry. There’s also a catch for your home line: the EU warns that ships can connect by satellite, where its roaming rules don’t apply and prices are uncapped. Keep data roaming off on your home line at sea, so it can’t run up charges on a ship’s network.
Wi-Fi on AVE trains
High-speed trains link Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Málaga and Valencia, and on-board Wi-Fi is common on Renfe’s long-distance services.
Renfe’s PlayRenfe page says its free Wi-Fi runs on all AVE services, including AVE trains between Spain and France, on Avlo and on most long-distance trains. You sign in with your ticket number, a Más Renfe number or a promo code, and if you are travelling without a Renfe ticket you ask the staff on board for the code. The page covers only those Renfe services, so if you are booked with another operator such as Iryo or Ouigo, check what they offer.
Train Wi-Fi is fine for messaging and email. For a video call or a large upload, your own data is often steadier, though high-speed lines cross open country and run through tunnels, so it can come and go there too. Hotel and café Wi-Fi varies in the same way, so it helps to have your own connection as a backup.
How much data do you need in Spain?
Most of your data goes on maps, transport apps, messaging and photos. Video calls and uploading reels use far more. As a rough guide:
| Type of use | What it looks like | Roughly per day |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Messaging, maps and train times, Wi-Fi at your hotel | 300–500 MB |
| Typical | The above plus social media, photos, bookings and music | About 1 GB |
| Heavy | Streaming, video calls, uploading videos or sharing your connection | 2–3 GB or more |
That puts a typical week at 5–10 GB and a long weekend in Barcelona at about 3–5 GB. A road trip with sat nav on all day sits towards the top of the range. For a breakdown by app, see our guide on how much data you need for travel.
Fixed data or an Unlimited day pass?
Fixed-data plans for Spain run from 1 GB to 50 GB. The 1 GB plan lasts 7 days, the 2 GB plan lasts 15, most others last 30, and there is a 50 GB option valid for 180 days for longer stays. You can top them up on the same eSIM in the Roamy app, so you can start with a modest plan and add data if you need it.
An Unlimited day pass covers 1 to 90 days. Each day you get 3 GB at full speed, then reduced speed until the next day starts. It costs around $5.10 a day and suits heavy users, couples sharing one connection and anyone working while they travel. Unlimited plans can’t be topped up, so choose enough days at the start.
Spain plus other countries
Many Spain trips cross a border: a walk into Gibraltar, a drive to Lisbon, the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier or a train over to France. A Spain plan works only in Spain, so it stops when you leave.
| Your trip | Plan to look at |
|---|---|
| Spain only, including the islands | Spain: fixed data or an Unlimited day pass |
| Spain plus Portugal, France, Italy or the UK | Europe: check each country is on the list |
| Spain plus Gibraltar or Morocco | Europe, or a separate plan from that country’s page |
| Spain plus Andorra | Not on the Europe list when we checked, so look this up before you go |
Regional plans cover a set list of countries, and the list can change with the plan size, so check every country on your route before you buy. Our guide to an eSIM for Europe across multiple countries explains how to compare options.
Setting up before you fly
A few minutes at home saves time at Barajas or El Prat:
- Check your phone. It must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible.
- Install on home Wi-Fi. It takes about a minute. On iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later, it’s one tap in the Roamy app. Otherwise, scan the QR code or enter the code manually.
- Leave it until you land. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in Spain. Each plan also has an “activate within” window, often 180 days.
- Switch lines on arrival. Turn data roaming on for the Roamy line and keep it off on your home line, so it doesn’t run up roaming charges.
You can pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, card or Roamy Credit, which pays first at checkout. Card payments earn 10% back as credit, up to $20 an order (not with promo codes). Prices are in USD with everything included. If an eSIM can’t be issued after payment, it’s refunded, mostly automatically. For help, message us on WhatsApp or email support@roamyesim.com.
Get connected with Roamy
Roamy’s Spain plans include fixed-data options you can top up and Unlimited day passes, all data-only and installed at home in about a minute. Open the Spain eSIM page to see the networks, plan sizes and current prices, and land in Spain with your tickets and maps ready to go.
Frequently asked questions
Which network does a Spain eSIM use?
Roamy's Spain plans run on Orange and Movistar, both listed with 5G. Roamy's Europe plans list Vodafone, Orange and Movistar with 5G in Spain, plus Yoigo with 4G.
Does an eSIM work on the Barcelona and Madrid metros?
Usually, on platforms and on most journeys. Expect 4G rather than 5G for now, and short dropouts in some tunnels, so save your route and tickets before you go underground.
How much data do I need for a week in Spain?
About 1 GB a day is typical, so 5–10 GB covers most weeks. Heavy users can choose an Unlimited day pass with 3 GB a day at full speed.
Does a Spain eSIM work in Mallorca, Ibiza and the Canary Islands?
The Balearic and Canary Islands are part of Spain, and our site has no separate plan for them, so a Spain plan is the one to look at. Signal can be weaker in mountains and remote bays.
Can I use a Spain eSIM in Gibraltar, Andorra or Morocco?
A Spain plan works only in Spain. Gibraltar and Morocco have their own pages and appear on the Europe plan's list, while Andorra did not appear on that list when we checked.
