eSIM, Greek SIM or roaming: which is best on Crete?
| Option | Works on landing | ID needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel eSIM | Yes | No | UK, US and non-EU visitors, short and medium stays |
| Greek prepaid SIM (Cosmote, Vodafone, Nova) | After buying in a shop | Passport | Long stays, heavy data users |
| Home plan roaming | Yes | No | EU/EEA plans (roam like at home) |
| Wi-Fi only | Airport and hotels | No | Not practical for maps and taxis |
Greek SIM cards are registered to an ID: the shop copies your passport. There is no mobile-operator shop airside at Heraklion Airport, so a local SIM means a trip into town, usually on day two. An eSIM avoids that and works from the apron.
Mobile coverage on Crete
Greece has three networks: Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova. On Crete, coverage is good in Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos and along the north-coast resorts, with 4G almost everywhere and 5G in the cities. Expect weak or no signal in the gorges (Samaria, Imbros), on parts of the Lasithi plateau and in remote south-coast coves. Download offline maps before driving inland; see driving in Crete.
How much data do you need for a week on Crete?
| Use | Data per week |
|---|---|
| Maps, messages, taxi and booking apps | 2–3 GB |
| + social media and photos | 5–8 GB |
| + video calls, streaming, hotspot for a laptop | 15 GB and up |
Our estimates for typical use. Plan prices change often: compare in the widget above.
Using your eSIM at Heraklion Airport
Turn the eSIM line on as soon as you land, before passport control: you will want it for the transfer driver’s WhatsApp message, the taxi app or the car rental rep’s call. The airport also has free wifi (see airport services), but it slows down when several flights land together. For EU roaming rules, the European Commission’s roaming page is the reference.