Singapore eSIM

Staying connected in Singapore

The simplest way to get online in Singapore is to install a travel eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land at Changi. AirOva sells Singapore plans from $1.49, with a fixed amount of data or unlimited, all data only, with no call minutes, SMS or local number. GB plans run on M1 and Singtel, and unlimited plans on Simba and StarHub, on 4G with 5G where available.

Which Singapore plan to choose

GB plans suit most stopovers and city breaks: free Wi-Fi is common in malls, hotels and at Changi, and maps, ride apps and messaging take little data. Unlimited plans give unlimited data with no data cap and no fair-usage limit; you only choose the number of days, which suits business trips with video calls, longer stays and remote work. For sizing by trip length, read our Singapore eSIM guide.

Singtel, StarHub, M1 and Simba

Singapore has four mobile network operators; Simba, the newest, won its licence in 2016 as TPG and took its current name in 2022. Singtel reported in 2022 that its standalone 5G covered more than 95 per cent of the country, and in 2024 that its 5G reached the whole MRT network, underground lines included.

Arriving at Changi

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is about 24 km east of the Central Area. Before you fly, install the eSIM over Wi-Fi and file the free SG Arrival Card on the ICA website or the MyICA app, within three days before arrival. After landing, turn off airplane mode, switch the eSIM line on, choose it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming for that line; the data is prepaid, so roaming adds no charge. Keep roaming off on your home SIM.

Johor Bahru, Batam and Bintan

The Causeway links Woodlands with Johor Bahru in Malaysia, and the ferries to Batam and Bintan go to Indonesia. Near Woodlands and Tuas your phone may even pick up Malaysian networks across the strait; if data stops there, choose a Singapore network manually. Before you cross, check whether your plan covers Malaysia or Indonesia; if not, buy a plan for that country and install it over Wi-Fi while still in Singapore.

Tip: with free Wi-Fi in so many places, size a GB plan to the hours you will spend away from it, and top up the same eSIM from your account if you run low. Keep your home SIM in for bank codes, with its roaming off.