Southeast Europe – Phone Travel Wiz

Albania is one of the Balkan states in Europe. More Albanians live abroad than in the country, but many tourists and travelers flok to Albania to explore the beautiful country. What can you do in Albania? Tirana, the capital of Albania, is known for its nightlife and the Skanderberg Square. Lake Skandar is beautiful and is a must-see. Sarandë is just a nice town, and Berat has the famous hilltop Berat Castle. There is no reason to be bored in Albania. What also would not bore you is dealing with an expensive roaming bill you will get from your provider for roaming in Albania. Roaming can be expensive in many cases, which is why many travelers prefer to buy local SIM cards, like an Albanian one. Mobile data in Albania is cheap compared to European standards, which is why you should take advantage of it. In this article, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Albania. Let's do this. Want to save this guide for later? Pin it on Pinterest! Telecom Providers in Albania Albania has 3 telecom providers: Vodafone AlbaniaTelekom AlbaniaALBtelecom All operators have 2G, 3G, and 4G/LTE networks. Which of these Albanian operators have the best prepaid SIM card and prepaid offerings? If you want to buy a SIM card in Albania, then Vodafone or Telekom have the best prepaid offering. Both operators are good, although Vodafone’s coverage is better, and they are faster than Telekom. You should, however, also consider ALBtelecom when staying in cities and large towns. They are the cheapest operator in the country, but their coverage is limited. Like most countries in the Balkans, and Europe in general, you have to show your passport when buying an Albanian SIM card. Additionally, you have to let the operator know where you are staying in Albania. A special reminder for those from the EU/EEA: Albania is not part of the EU or EEA, which means that the Roam like Home rule does not apply in Albania. Therefore, it is recommended that European citizens with EU SIM cards buy an Albanian SIM card instead of roaming with their providers. Some providers, however, offer free roaming in Albania, but this is not the case for all. Be sure to check your provider’s site to learn whether you can roam for free or not. Additionally, as of April 2019, some Balkan states, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, agreed to cap roaming costs in their nations. As a result, you will pay €0.025 per MB (or €25.60 per GB), €0.19 per minute, and €0.06 per SMS when roaming with an Albanian SIM card in those other countries. Although still expensive, their plan is to abolish roaming costs entirely by summer 2021 in other to join the EU/EEA roaming zone, which would then allow EU/EEA SIM cards to roam for free in these nations and vice versa. In the meantime, you will be better off buying a local SIM card when visiting those countries instead of roaming with an Albanian SIM card, except for in Kosovo. Albania and Kosovo have a separate agreement since 2019 that has abolished roaming fees between the 2 countries, like within the EU/EEA. Although operators may still charge a small operational fee, these fees will be removed when the Balkan roaming deal comes into place. With that being said, let’s see what Albania has to offer to us. Vodafone Albania Vodafone Albania, just Vodafone, is the largest operator in Albania, with a market share of close to 50%. They also have the best coverage and the fastest speeds throughout the country. You can get a Vodafone SIM card, called Vodafone Club prepaid SIM, for around 500 ALL ($4.45), and it comes with 400 LEK in credit. Reload cards are widely available. To top up, you send the Voucher Code to 141 or call 142. You can also top-up with Vodafone E-Top Up (top-up machines – quite cool!) Vodafone has various data plans sold in daily, weekly, and monthly variants. There are also different bundles, such as YouMix, combo bundles, and add-on bundles. All Vodafone bundles can be activated by dialing #123#. Vodafone Daily Bundles The daily bundles are bundles that are valid for less than a week. There are 2 of them: 60 ALL: 100 MB for 1 day300 ALL: 300 MB, 300 local minutes, 3000 on-net SMS, and 30 off-net SMS for 3 days Vodafone Weekly Bundles Weekly bundles are bundles that last for anywhere between a week and 10 days. There are 3 of them: 300 ALL: 1 GB for 7 days700 ALL: 1.5 GB, 300 local minutes, 3000 on-net SMS, and 30 off-net SMS for 10 days1500 ALL: 15 GB, 5 GB video pass**, 500 local minutes, 10 international minutes*, and 100 (inter)national SMS* (unknown validity) * International minutes for calls to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States** Video pass is a dedicated allowance for YouTube, Netflix, and Twitch Vodafone 30 Days Bundles The 30 days bundles are a mix of YouMix, Vodafone Combo, and Vodafone letter/color combos (such as Vodafone Z, Vodafone Silver, and Vodafone Gold). Vodafone YouMix YouMix uses a unit system, and you can spend your units the way you want to. 1 unit is equal to 1 MB, 1 minute (60 seconds), and 1 SMS. If you have 1000 units, you could decide to spend it all on data to get 1000 MB, or a mix of 500 MB, 250 minutes, and 250 SMS. The available combinations are limitless. There are 3 YouMix bundles: 1000 ALL: 800 units1300 ALL: 4000 units1600 ALL: 7000 units Vodafone Combo The combo bundles are your typical combo plans. There are 2 of them: 800 ALL: 200 MB, 200 local minutes, and 200 local SMS1200 ALL: 2 GB, 2000 local minutes, 2000 on-net SMS, and 200 (inter)national SMS Vodafone Letter/Color Combo I was not sure how to group these bundles, but these bundles are named after a letter (Vodafone Z) or color (Vodafone Gold). There are 3 of them: 1500 ALL: 5.5 GB, 10 GB Vodafone Pass**, 400 local minutes, and 400 local SMS1500 ALL: 5.5 GB, 2500 local minutes, 10 international minutes*, 3000 on-net SMS, and 300 (inter)national SMS2200 ALL: 12 GB, 3500 local minutes, 60 international minutes*, 3000 on-net SMS, and 400 (international) SMS * International minutes for calls to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States** Vodafone pass is a separate allowance for WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Pinterest, and Vodafone Call usage Vodafone Add On Bundles The Add on bundles are simple data add-ons, although some restrictions apply. There are 3 data add ons: 100 ALL: 300 MB for 7 days. Only with a weekly bundle500 ALL: 2 GB for 30 days. Only with a Vodafone Letter/Color Combo600 ALL: 4 GB for 30 days. Only with a Vodafone Letter/Color Combo Vodafone 3 Weekly Tourist Pack The Vodafone tourist pack costs 1500 ALL, is valid for 21 days, and comes with the following perks: 15 GB5 GB Video Pass (YouTube, Netflix, and Twitch)500 local minutes10 international minutes100 (inter)national SMS* * International minutes for calls to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States You can also activate any of the regular data bundles while your tourist bundle is active. Telekom Albania Telekom Albania, just Telekom, is the second-largest operator in Albania. The operator is owned by Deutsche Telekom, which is mainly known for the T-Mobile brand. However, Telekom Albania has been sold to Vivacom Bulgaria, but the sale is still pending government approval. We have to see if the Telekom brand will remain. Telekom SIM cards are sold in different variants and for different prices. However, (data) packages called Paketa can be added. There are many types of packages out there: Paketa StandardePaketa Ditore/JavorePaketa FundjavaPaketa InternetiPaketa ShtesëPaketa FITElectronic Beats In most cases, you can activate the package by texting an activation code to a number. You can also enable a package online or on the My Telekom app. I recommend activating plans online or with the My Telekom app because you often get a bonus for doing so. For example, an additional 3 GB of data. All packages are valid for 30 days unless stated otherwise. Paketa Standarde (Combo Plans) Paketa Standarde are your typical combo plans. There are 4 of them: 800 ALL: 200 MB, 200 local minutes, 100 minutes to the FIKS network, and 400 local SMS. Activation: text PS to 1421200 ALL: 2 GB, 2500 local minutes, 200 minutes to the FIKS network, 2000 on-net SMS, and 300 local SMS. Activation: text PM to 1421400 ALL: 5 GB, 3000 local minutes, 300 minutes to the FIKS network, 10 international minutes*, 2500 on-net SMS, and 400 local SMS. Activation: text PL to 1422000 ALL: 10 GB, 3500 local minutes, 500 minutes to the FIKS network, 60 international minutes*, 3000 on-net SMS, and 500 local SMS. Activation: text PXL to 142 * International minutes to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Paketa Ditore/Javore (Daily/Weekly Packages) The Ditore, daily, and Javore, weekly, packages are short-term packages that come with data, minutes, and SMS. You have 3 choices: 150 ALL: 350 MB, 50 local minutes, and 150 local SMS for 24 hours. Activation: text Ditore to 142500 ALL: 1 GB, 300 local minutes, 100 minutes to the FIKS network, and 300 local SMS for 7 days. Activation: text Javore to 1421500 ALL: 15 GB, 5 GB for Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and Message+, 500 local minutes, 10 international minutes*, and 50 local SMS for 21 days. Activation: text Javore3 to 142 * International minutes to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Paketa Fundjava (Weekend Packages) The Fundjava Paketa, which stands for weekend, are packages that are only valid during the weekend. There are 2 of them: 200 ALL: 3 GB and 5 GB for Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and Message+ for 48 hours. Activation: text PW to 142600 ALL: 12 GB and 5 GB for Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and Message+ for 4 weekends. Activation: text P4W to 142 Paketa Interneti (Data-Only) The Paketa Interneti are your typical data-only packages. 4 of them are available: 150 ALL: 500 MB for 1 day. Activation: text ID to 142300 ALL: 1 GB for 7 days. Activation: text IJ to 142500 ALL: 1.5 GB for 30 days. Activation: text M to 1421000 ALL: 4.5 GB for 30 days. Activation: text M1000 to 142 Paketa Shtesë (Add-ons) The Shtesë are your packages that do not fit in another category. There are over 10 of these, but only 5 of them feature data: 500 ALL: 3 GB. Activation: text MINT to 142550 ALL: 10 GB for Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and “Android Messages.” Activation: text PSC to 142600 ALL: 5 GB. Activation: text MINT1 to 1421200 ALL: 20 GB for YouTube and Netflix. Activation: text VIDEO to 142 Paketa FIT (Units) Paketa FIT packages are Telekom’s unit-based bundles. You get a set number of units, which can be used the way you want on data, minutes, or SMS. 1 unit = 1 MB, 1 minute, or 1 SMS. There are 3 Paketa FIT packages: 500 ALL: 1000 units. Activation: text FIT1000 to 1421300 ALL: 4000 units and 400 local SMS. Activation: text FIT4000 to 1421500 ALL: 7000 units and 700 local SMS. Activation: text FIT7000 to 142 Electronic Beats There is an Electronic Beats package, which is sold for 1400 ALL. It comes with the following perks: 5 GB10 GB for Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and “Android Messages”400 local minutes400 local SMS You can activate the Electronic Beats package by texting EB to 142. You also get discounts in over 40 stores and brands, can win data, minutes, and SMS every day, and activate exclusive packages, all in the Telekom FUNZONE. Telekom All Inclusive Pack (Tourist Pack) The All Inclusive Pack is a tourist SIM card that is sold for 1500 ALL and comes with the following perks that are all valid for 21 days: 15 GB5 GB Social + Chat (Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and Message+)500 local minutes10 international minutes *100 (inter)national SMS * International minutes to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Telekom Data-Only SIM Card You can also get a data-only SIM card, called Start Data SIM, for 890 ALL. It comes with 4 GB of data for 30 days. The following 2 monthly data packages are available: 490 ALL: 2 GB. Activation: text MBB2 to 142790 ALL: 4 GB. Activation: text MBB4 to 142 ALBtelecom ALBtelecom is the smallest operator in Albania. Their coverage is the worst, but they offer affordable data packages. They can be recommended for those staying in cities and large towns and want to get a lot of data for the money spent. You can get an ALBtelecom SIM card for 200 ALL, which comes with 100 ALL, in ALBtelecom stores. Recharge cards can be found everywhere. ALBtelecom has different types of packages that feature data, such as: SUPER PackagesExtra Packages (SUPER Packages add-ons)Internet PackagesGigaNatën Packages (night)Super Weekend Packages Let’s go through each of them. SUPER Packages The SUPER packages are your typical combo plans. There are 5 of them, which are all valid for 30 days: 700 ALL: 300 MB, 200 local minutes, 400 on-net landline minutes, and 500 local SMS. Activation: text P700 to 1311100 ALL: 3.5 GB, 2500 local minutes, 500 on-net landline minutes, 1000 on-net SMS, 500 (inter)national SMS. Activation: text P1100 to 1311300 ALL: 6 GB, 3000 local minutes, 3000 on-net landline minutes, 30 international minutes*, 3000 on-net SMS, and 600 (inter)national SMS. Activation: text P1300 to 1311300 ALL: 16 GB (6 GB + 10 GB “Other Benefits”), 600 local minutes, 500 on-net landline minutes, and 600 SMS. Activation: text GIGA1300 to 1311900 ALL: 16 GB (13 GB + 3 GB 4G Internet), 3500 local minutes, 120 international minutes, 3500 on-net landline minutes, 3000 on-net SMS, and 600 (inter)national SMS. Activation: text P1900 to 131 * International minutes to Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States Extra Packages (SUPER Packages add-ons) If you are almost out of data with one of the SUPER Packages, then you can activate an Extra Internet Package to boost your data allowance. There are 2 Extra Packages, which are both valid for 30 days: 400 ALL: 3 GB. Activation: text IE 400 to 138500 ALL: 4 GB. Activation: text IE 500 to 138 Internet Packages The internet packages are your typical data-only packages. There are 7 of them: 100 ALL: 0.5 GB for 24 hours. Activation: text IM100 to 138300 ALL: 1 GB for 7 days. Activation: text IM300 to 138500 ALL: 2 GB for 30 days. Activation: text IM500 to 138750 ALL: 4 GB for 30 days. Activation: text IM750 to 1381000 ALL: 6 GB for 30 days. Activation: text IM1000 to 1381500 ALL: 20 GB for 30 days. Activation: text IM1500 to 1383000 ALL: 40 GB for 30 days. Activation: text IM3000 to 138 GigaNatën Packages (night) Night owls can take advantage of one of these 2 night packages: 100 ALL: 5 GB for 7 nights (11:01 PM until 6:59 AM). Activation: text N7 to 138300 ALL: 20 GB for 30 nights (11:01 PM until 6:59 AM). Activation: text N30 to 138 Super Weekend Packages Need data for the weekend of multiple weekends? Then the Super Weekend Packages are for you: 200 ALL: 5 GB for 1 weekend (Saturday 12 AM until Sunday 11:59 PM). Activation: text W1 to 138600 ALL: 20 GB for 4 weekends (Saturday 12 AM until Sunday 11:59 PM). Activation: text W4 to 138 Was this guide useful? Pin it on Pinterest! The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Albania Getting a SIM card from either Vodafone or Telekom would do you well when considering a Albanian SIM card. Be sure to explore the roaming options your provider offers you, as they may offer free or cheap roaming bundles. You could also consider getting an international SIM card or using a portable hotspot. International SIM cards are attractive for those visiting multiple destinations at once or within a year. Portable hotspots will be useful when traveling with multiple people so that not each individual has to get a SIM card but can use the hotspot. Visiting other countries in Southern Europe? Check out my Southern Europe SIM card buying guide, covering other South European countries, such as Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and the Vatican City (Holy See). What about other places in Europe? My Europe SIM card buying guide covers all European destinations, such as Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey. Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world. What is next? Looking for the best companies and gadgets to enhance your travel experience? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! Save money on plane tickets, bus rides, cruises, and accommodation. Besides that, I also list services and items I use to make my life easier – and I believe they will help you too! Book Your Flight for Albania It is time to book your flight. Find cheap flights with AirWander so that you can add free or cheap stopovers in destinations you have not considered yet before going to Albania. If you are not ready to take off yet, set up flight alerts with Airfarewatchdog, and they will notify you once ticket prices to Albania drop. Travel by Train within Europe with InterRail or EURail Although low-cost carriers are a big thing in Europe, they are not the best way to experience Europe. Everyone knows that the European railway system is awesome. InterRail/EURail makes it much easier to explore Europe by train by having one ticket for participating countries instead of having to buy multiple tickets per country. InterRail is for European citizens and EURail is for non-European citizens. Book Your Accommodation for Albania I am a huge fan of Airbnb because it allows me to live with a local or get a local place for myself. Staying in someone’s house or apartment feels much different than being in a ho(s)tel, especially in Albania. At least, that is how I see it. Moreover, Airbnb can often be much cheaper than staying in an Albanian hotel. Get Your Travel Insurance for Albania You will regret not having travel insurance once you actually need it and “forgot” to get it. Nowadays, travel insurance is cheap and comprehensive unlike back in the days. World Nomads is by far the best travel insurance for adventurous travelers like yourself. You can even get insured WHILE already traveling in Albania, which is not something many insurance companies allow you to do. Get a Travel Debit Card Travel Cheques are outdated. Paying with your credit card or debit card can be expensive because of all the exchange commissions banks charge you. TransferWise allows you to convert your main currency to the local currency for a small fee (up to 8 times less than with your bank!) Getting a Transferwise Borderless account is FREE, so you will get an instant return on your investment. Enjoy your trip!