Visiting Russia soon and looking for the best SIM card to get on arrival ? With many mobile operators to choose from and it can be confusing to understand which one to buy.
They often come with lots of data and are fairly cheap but not all are good enough depending on where you plan to travel in Russia.
In this post I explain you which ones are the best for your travel in Russia, how much it costs and of course where to buy your Russia SIM card. (Listed in no particular order)
Last updated 28/08/2024
Which SIM card is best for traveling in Russia?
There’s no universal answer to that. It actually depends on where you plan to travel in Russia. For example, if you only stay in Moscow, any mobile phone operator will do the job, but if you plan on travelling in smaller towns and villages away from the major cities, you need an appropriate one to ensure good coverage.
Key Features of a good Russian Mobile Operator :
Here are the top 3 mobile phone operators in Russia (according to Roskomnadzor and myself) :
Megafon
• Popularity: Widely used and available in cities, towns, and airports.
• Performance: Reliable but can slow down during peak times in major cities.
MTS
МТС – Pronounced MTS
• Coverage: said to have the most phone coverage in the country is equally good to Megafon in terms of data, speed and quality.
• Cost: Slightly more expensive than Megafon but offers good quality.
Where to Buy a SIM Card in Russia
You can buy SIM cards at airports, shopping centers, and city centers across Russia. However, I recommend to avoid buying at the airport as they often come with pricier tourist plans (with things you basically don’t need).
Megafon, MTS and Beeline are the most popular ones so you won’t have problem spotting their stores.
Yes you will need your passport to buy a SIM card in Russia. No they won’t take your finger prints.
Note 1 : Just like anything else in the country, you can’t buy your SIM card (nor top-up online) with a foreign bank card, so unless you own a MIR card, you will have to pay cash in rubles.
Note 2 : Even if you have a russian bank card, you will not be able to buy it online and ship it abroad to get it before your arrival in the country.
Cost of SIM Cards in Russia
The prices between all these mobile phone operators are roughly similar. At the time of writing the rate of the russian ruble is more or less 1€ = 100₽s, so expect to pay around 7 to 10€ for 30GB for 30 days. Operators often include unlimited access to specific apps like Telegram and Yandex Maps in their plans.
Example of prices :
| Megafon | 30GB + 800 minutes + unlimited messengers & others | 750₽ |
| MTS | 30GB + 700 minutes + unlimited messengers | 790₽ |
| Beeline | 30GB + 700 minutes + unlimited Telegram & others social medias | 790₽ |
Important : make sure the plan you get will work everywhere you will travel to ! Some are just for Moscow region for example and others are for the whole Russia.
My personal preference
I typically go for the first phone operator I see in the street unless I’m traveling to smaller towns and villages, in which case I choose Beeline. Megafon has generally served me well for city travels, while Beeline has been reliable in the smaller towns and villages like in the Caucasus.
FAQ
Is there 5g in Russia ?
Not really, MTS is testing 5G in Moscow but those frequencies are already used by the Russian Defense Ministry and Roscosmos (the Russian Space Agency).
Can foreigners buy SIM card in Russia ?
Yes foreigners can buy a SIM card in Russia, only a passport is required.
Can I buy a SIM card at Moscow airport ?
Yes, there are kiosks and stores of Megafon and Beeline in Moscow’s airports, however I do not recommend you to buy one there as the “tourist plans” might not be as advantageous as they sound.
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