Traveling to Europe From India? One eSIM for 30+ Countries
The Matrix Europe eSIM covers 37 countries on one profile. That includes 27 of the 29 Schengen states, plus the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland and six more that sit outside Schengen entirely. Data is pooled across all of them, so a Paris to Rome to Zurich itinerary draws from one allowance. Two Schengen countries are not on the list, Poland and Latvia, which is the one thing to check against your route before you pay.
The standard Europe trip out of India is four to six countries in ten to fourteen days. Paris, then Switzerland, then Italy. Or London first, then across the Channel. Every one of those crossings used to mean a new SIM or a roaming bill, which is why a single profile covering the whole continent changed how people plan these trips.
The thing worth understanding first has nothing to do with data. It's that your visa and your connectivity follow two different maps.
Your visa list and your coverage list are not the same list
Indian passport holders think about Europe in terms of Schengen, because that's what the visa application is organised around. There are 29 Schengen countries in 2026, after Bulgaria and Romania completed full membership in January 2025. But network coverage is negotiated through roaming agreements, not treaties, so the two maps overlap without matching.
| Group | Count | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen and covered | 27 | Your visa works and your eSIM works. This is most of the trip |
| Covered but not Schengen | 10 | The UK, Ireland, Turkey and others. Your eSIM works, but check visa rules separately |
| Schengen but not covered | 2 | Poland and Latvia. Your visa works and your data will not |
That third row is small but it's the one that ruins an afternoon. Kraków and Riga are both popular additions to a Europe itinerary, usually booked late, and both fall outside the plan.
The full list of 37
| Region | Countries covered |
|---|---|
| Western Europe | France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland |
| UK and islands | United Kingdom, Jersey, Gibraltar |
| Alpine and Central | Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia |
| Nordic | Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland |
| Southern | Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Malta, Cyprus, Vatican City |
| Eastern and Balkan | Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Estonia, Lithuania, Belarus |
| Bridging Europe and Asia | Turkey |
Three of those deserve a note, because plenty of competing Europe plans exclude them.
The United Kingdom is included. After Brexit, several regional plans dropped the UK or price it as a separate destination. A London leg on a European trip is common enough that this matters.
Turkey is included. Istanbul is one of the busiest connection points between India and Europe, and a stopover there is often long enough to leave the airport.
Switzerland is included, despite not being in the EU. Same for Norway and Iceland. EU membership has nothing to do with coverage, which trips people up in both directions.
What isn't covered
Poland and Latvia are the two Schengen absences. Beyond Schengen, the list doesn't currently include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Andorra, Monaco or San Marino.
Watch the micro-states
Andorra, Monaco and San Marino sit inside or beside countries that are covered, so people assume they're included. They aren't, because each runs its own networks. A day trip to Monaco from Nice, or to San Marino from Rimini, can put you offline without warning. Vatican City is the exception and is on the list.
Country lists get renegotiated, so confirm on the product page before booking rather than trusting this article six months from now.
How much data a Europe trip needs
Europe trips run heavier on data than beach holidays, because you're navigating unfamiliar cities on foot and by train all day.
| Trip | Sensible size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days, two cities | 5 GB | Maps, trains, restaurant bookings, photos home |
| 10 to 14 days, four to six countries | 15 GB | The classic Indian Europe itinerary. Constant navigation and station hunting |
| Two weeks with daily posting | 25 GB or unlimited | Video uploads are the whole difference between 15 and 25 GB |
| A month, or a student settling in | 50 GB over 60 days | Longer validity matters more than raw volume here |
Download the map for every city, not just the first
Europe trips involve more offline moments than people expect. Alpine tunnels on the Zurich to Milan run, the Channel Tunnel, metro platforms several floors underground, and the few minutes after each border while your phone finds a new network. Offline Google Maps for each city costs nothing and covers all of it.
The number that follows you across borders
Most holidaymakers need data and nothing else, because everyone reaches them on WhatsApp. Two groups need an actual dialable number: business travellers, and students arriving to set up a life.
Buying a local SIM in each country is the worst version of this, since your number changes at every border. The Matrix Europe voice plans instead include a UK-based +44 number that stays the same across all 37 countries. On those plans incoming calls are free and calls to India are included, which is usually the entire reason for wanting a number.
| You are | Take |
|---|---|
| On holiday | Data-only. Cheaper, and WhatsApp covers everything |
| Travelling for work | A voice plan. Hotels, clients and taxi firms need to be able to call you |
| A student arriving for a term | A voice plan with longer validity, until you sort a local contract |
| Travelling with elderly parents | A voice plan on their handset. Free incoming means they're always reachable |
Europe eSIM plans and prices
All plans run on partner networks including Vodafone, Three, Telenor, SFR, Swisscom, Telia and A1, at 5G or 4G depending on where you are and what your handset supports. Hotspot is allowed. Delivery is instant by email or the GoMatrix app once KYC is complete.
| Plan | Price | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB, 10 days | ₹589 | A short stopover, or a backup line |
| 5 GB, 28 days | ₹949 | A week, one or two cities |
| 15 GB, 28 days | ₹2,049 | The standard two-week, multi-country trip |
| 25 GB, 28 days | ₹2,999 | Heavy use, or two people sharing by hotspot |
| 50 GB, 60 days | ₹4,999 | Long stays and students |
| Unlimited, 7 days | ₹1,799 | A short trip where you'd rather not count |
| Unlimited, 14 days | ₹3,199 | Two weeks, no data management at all |
| 5 / 15 / 25 GB with 200 minutes | ₹1,769 / ₹2,949 / ₹3,539 | Adds the +44 number, free incoming and calls to India |
For most readers the answer is the 15 GB plan at ₹2,049, or unlimited for 14 days at ₹3,199 if you'd rather not think about it. Compare either against what a fortnight of international roaming costs and the gap is not close.
The setting that strands people
Data roaming ON for the eSIM, OFF for your Indian SIM
A travel eSIM connects through partner networks, which technically counts as roaming, so data roaming has to be switched on for the eSIM line or you'll see full signal and load nothing. Your Indian line wants the opposite: leave data roaming off there, so your home operator can't bill you while the eSIM does the work. Same phone, two lines, opposite settings.
Two other things worth doing at the airport before you leave arrivals. Set the eSIM as your default data line, and don't re-register WhatsApp on any new number, so your contacts keep reaching you where they always have.
Before you fly
| Do this | Why |
|---|---|
| List every country on the route, including stopovers and day trips | Istanbul layovers and a Monaco day trip are exactly where gaps hide |
| Check that list against the 37 covered countries | Two minutes now, versus an offline afternoon in Kraków |
| Dial *#06# and confirm an EID appears | No EID means you need the physical SIM instead |
| Install on home WiFi before departure | Installation needs a stable connection, and airport WiFi rarely is |
| Turn data roaming ON for the eSIM, OFF for the Indian line | The most common reason an eSIM appears not to work |
| Download offline maps for every city on the itinerary | Tunnels, metros and border reconnection gaps |
| Allow extra time at your first Schengen entry | Border processing has been changing with the EU's Entry/Exit System rollout. Check the current position before you fly |
One install, then just the trip
Check your route against the list, buy the size that matches the length of the trip, and install it before you leave home. After that the only thing that changes at each border is the language on the platform signs.
Browse Matrix Europe eSIM plans →
- 37 countries on a single profile, data pooled across all of them
- 5G and 4G on partner networks including Vodafone, Three, Swisscom and Telia
- Optional UK +44 number with free incoming calls and calls to India included
- Hotspot allowed, so a travel partner can share your connection
- Instant delivery by email or the GoMatrix app after KYC
- Support on +91 9811188888, live chat and WhatsApp
Read next
- Best Countries to Visit Without a Visa
- 11 Best Places to Visit in December in the World
- All Matrix eSIM plans by destination
Frequently asked questions
How many countries does the Matrix Europe eSIM cover?
37, on a single profile. That includes 27 of the 29 Schengen countries, plus the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Serbia, Albania, Belarus, Jersey, Gibraltar, Cyprus and Vatican City, which sit outside Schengen.
Does it work in the UK?
Yes. The United Kingdom is on the covered list, which is worth confirming on any Europe plan since several dropped the UK after Brexit or charge for it separately.
Is Poland covered?
No. Poland and Latvia are the two Schengen countries not currently on the list. If Kraków, Warsaw or Riga is on your itinerary, add a separate plan for that leg and install both before you fly.
Does it work in Switzerland, which isn't in the EU?
Yes. Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are all covered. EU membership doesn't determine coverage, and assuming it does causes confusion in both directions.
Is my data split per country or shared?
Shared across the whole region. A 15 GB plan can be spent entirely in Italy or spread over six countries. Validity works the same way, counting total days from activation rather than days per country.
How much data do I need for two weeks in Europe?
Around 15 GB for a typical traveller using maps, trains, bookings and messaging. Move up to 25 GB or unlimited if you upload video every day, or if a travel partner will be on your hotspot.
Can I get a phone number, not just data?
Yes, on the voice plans, which include a UK-based +44 number that works across all covered countries. Incoming calls are free and calls to India are included. Data-only plans may not include a number.
Will I keep my Indian number?
Yes. The eSIM adds a second line rather than replacing the first, so your Indian SIM stays in the phone for bank OTPs and WhatsApp. Keep data roaming off on that line.
What if my phone doesn't support eSIM?
Dial *#06# and look for an EID. If there isn't one, take the Europe physical SIM card instead, which is delivered before you travel and covers the same trip.
Do I need to do anything at each border?
Usually not. Your phone finds a partner network in the new country and connects, generally within a few minutes. If it hasn't reconnected after ten minutes, toggle airplane mode off and on, and check that data roaming is still enabled on the eSIM line.
