Free eSIM for Greece 
3 GB of free mobile data across Greece and 38 other European countries. Athens to Santorini, Thessaloniki to Crete, ferry decks to mountain villages on Mount Olympus — your phone stays online. No SIM swap, no Cosmote store run, no card charge.
Free for new users · Credit card for identity verification only — never charged · Valid 3 days
Why an eSIM beats a Greek prepaid SIM
Buying a physical prepaid in Greece requires passport registration since 2020 — and you'll need to visit a Cosmote or Vodafone store in person. Kiosk-bought 'tourist SIMs' from Germanos or Public run €10 for 3 GB valid 7 days. The math doesn't favour the store trip when your 99esim does 30 days for free. You also dodge the inevitable confusion about whether your foreign credit card will go through on the Cosmote self-registration app.
- Skip the passport-registration dance at Cosmote stores
- Works across the mainland and all island groups — Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian, Crete
- Keeps your home number for bank SMS codes and Apple Pay
- 3 GB handles a week of Santorini sunsets and Athens metro rides
How Greek networks handle 99esim
99esim connects to Cosmote — the OTE-owned incumbent and the only network with genuine island-group coverage. They have sea-based masts serving ferry routes between Piraeus and the Cyclades, plus dense mountain coverage on the Pindos range. 5G is live in 130+ municipalities including every major tourist island. ISAP metro in Athens and the KTEL coaches to tourist sites all stay connected.
Arriving at a Greek airport
Athens Eleftherios Venizelos has full 5G at every gate and the metro platform. Island airports have solid 4G even at the smaller runways. Activate before boarding — Cosmote latches on immediately, useful because Greek airport wi-fi often requires a mobile-number SMS.
Metro Line 3 (blue) to Syntagma (40 min) stays connected through the tunnels. Proastiakos train to Piraeus port is also fully covered — useful for same-day ferry transfers.
No rail link yet — new metro opening 2024. Bus 78/N78 to Aristotelous Square (45 min) keeps signal the whole route through the suburbs.
Main gateway to Crete. Bus 1 to the centre (15 min) is reliable. Note: airport coverage is strong but the drive to Matala or Elafonissi thins on coastal side roads.
Busy in summer, often congested cells from June-September. Pre-book your KTEL bus or transfer in the app while still at the arrivals hall — coverage holds through Fira and Oia.
Dodecanese hub. Bus to Rhodes Town (30 min) keeps full signal. Great for same-day hops to Symi or Kos via ferry.
Ionian gateway. Bus to Corfu Town (15 min) is quick and coverage holds across the west-coast resorts too.
Where your free eSIM works best
What 3 GB actually gets you in Greece
Greek trips lean heavily on Google Maps through whitewashed alleys, ferry schedule apps and lots of photos. Realistic breakdown:
Greece-specific travel tips
Ferry route coverage
Cosmote's maritime coverage extends about 20 km offshore. Piraeus → Aegina (40 min) and short-hop Cycladic routes stay connected the whole way. Open-sea crossings like Piraeus → Santorini (8 hours) lose signal mid-Aegean and reconnect near the destination.
Greek Alphabet and Google Lens
Menu translations are your most common data request. Google Lens reads Greek menus well — point camera, hold, read. 3 GB handles about 800 translations, which easily covers a week of tavernas.
Athens metro tunnels
Lines 2 (red) and 3 (blue) have distributed antenna systems and keep 4G in the tunnels — including the airport-to-Syntagma stretch. Line 1 (green, the old ISAP) is largely above ground so it's fine anyway. Brief drops rare.
Mountain villages (Pelion, Meteora, Zagori)
Cosmote covers the paved roads but remote stone-village trails can drop out. Meteora's monasteries have solid signal at every car park; trails between them less so. Download offline maps for hikes.
Cyprus is not included by default
Cyprus has its own eSIM profile on 99esim's 39-country list — but if you're hopping between Greece and Cyprus, the app detects the switch automatically. No manual profile change needed.
Travelers who used 99esim in Greece
"Island-hopped from Santorini to Naxos to Paros. Signal held in every port town. The open-sea crossings dropped but reconnected within minutes of land."
"Used it for a week in Athens and a day trip to Delphi. Google Lens translating ancient ruins signage was priceless."
"Drove across Crete — Heraklion to Chania to Elafonissi. Cosmote held even on the mountain roads above Rethymno."
Frequently asked — Greece edition
Does the free eSIM work on Greek islands?
Yes. The 99esim plan covers every Greek island group — Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian, North Aegean, Crete. Cosmote is the strongest network on the islands, with full 4G in all major towns and 5G in tourist hotspots like Fira, Mykonos and Heraklion.
Will it work on the ferry from Piraeus to Santorini?
Partially. Cosmote covers the first 20-25 km off the coast and the last leg into the destination. Open-sea sections (2-3 hours mid-route) go dark. WhatsApp text syncs when signal returns but don't count on steady video calls across the Aegean.
Does it work on the Athens Metro?
Yes. Lines 2 and 3 have distributed antenna systems that keep 4G in the tunnels. Line 1 is mostly above-ground. Expect steady signal from ATH airport all the way to Monastiraki.
Is 5G included in the free 3 GB?
Yes. If your phone supports 5G and you're in a covered area (Athens, Thessaloniki, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete's major towns), the free eSIM uses 5G automatically. Data counts at the same rate.
Can I tether to a laptop?
Yes, tethering is enabled. Remember 3 GB goes fast with video streaming — a Netflix episode over tether uses 1.5 GB. Great for working from a Mykonos beach bar, less ideal for binging a series.
What happens when I run out?
Top up in the 99esim app — Greek add-ons start at €2.99 for 1 GB. No auto-renewal, no surprise charges, no trip to a kiosk required. Add-ons activate in seconds.
Free eSIM in other European countries
Your 3 GB works in all 39 countries. Here are a few more popular destinations:
See all 39 countries →
Ready to claim your free 3 GB in Greece?
Install the 99esim app, create a free account, and your data is live in about 90 seconds.