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I live in Germany. I'm planning to stay in Lviv for a week in late April and early May for a work project. I'll be flying into Košice, Slovakia, then taking two trains to get to Lviv.

I'm somewhat okay with the idea of just buying a prepaid phone once I get to Lviv's main train station, but if there's a way to reduce uncertainty by getting a prepaid phone ahead of time, I'd prefer to do that.

Are there any reputable through which I can get a Ukrainian-friendly phone and SIM card ahead of time?

Please suggest only major vendors for which Wikipedia pages exist. My goal is to get a prepaid phone without having my credit card info stolen :-D

Mayor of the Plattenbaus
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3 Answers3

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You can get a Ukrainian eSIM from Vodafone or Lifecell and activate it without leaving your house. There are several more options listed on the prepaid with data wiki that you can investigate if you do not like either of those. See this previous SE question for further information. If you do not presently have a phone which is eSIM-compatible, you can certainly find one readily in Germany before you begin your travels.

Depending on your needs, however, you may find it suitable to simply keep your German mobile plan. Although Ukraine is not part of the EU and so the EU-mandated free roaming rules do not apply, some providers on some tariff plans may offer affordable roaming rates, though of course you should check your exact situation before traveling.

mlc
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Check with your phone carrier. Most modern phones are GSM/CDMA compatible.

I use Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and if I were to travel to Ukraine then I can upgrade my plan to $100/month and receive the following benefits:

  • Unlimited data*
  • 250 minutes
  • Unlimited texts

*After your first 20GB of high speed data enjoy unlimited 3G data.
Overage: $0.25/min

This saves me the headache of having to get a new phone number or set up and carry a second phone.

After my trip, I can go back to my basic plan @ $40/month.

You mention "work project" so definitely ask your employer about covering the cost of whatever solution you end up choosing.

MonkeyZeus
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You can check https://esimsfinder.com There are esims from different providers. If you need also voice data Airalo and Airhub offer Data + Voice plans for Ukraine, otherwise there are a lot of offers for data only plans.

Vahe Gevorgyan
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