Egypt eSIM — stay connected

eSIM is usually the better pick for Egypt if your phone supports it. Quick check: dial *#06# on your phone — if an EID number shows up, you're eSIM-ready, so install before you fly and skip the airport SIM counter. No EID? Go with RORO's physical SIM instead — same network, same top-up flow.

Note: a carrier-locked phone can't use RORO's eSIM or physical SIM either — it needs to be unlocked first. Full supported-device list is on our eSIM Compatibility Check page.

Head to the Egypt plan page on the RORO site or app, choose eSIM or physical SIM, pick a data plan, then check out with a card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay — no ID or local address needed. eSIM orders email you a QR code to install right away; physical SIM orders ship to your address, or can be collected at pickup points where available.

Not at purchase or install — the validity clock only starts once your RORO SIM connects to a network in Egypt. That means you can buy and install days or weeks ahead of your trip with no data wasted; it only counts down once you actually land and go online.

Yes — any unlocked phone works with RORO in Egypt, no carrier-lock issues for visitors.

Buy your Egypt plan, scan the QR code from your confirmation email over WiFi — under a minute to install. It sits dormant until your phone connects to an Egyptian network, so it's fine to set up weeks ahead.

On arrival: Airplane Mode off, Data Roaming on for the RORO line, set as your data SIM.

Cairo and Alexandria both run reliable 4G, and the Giza plateau, Luxor and the main Nile cruise route are well covered too.

A short Cairo-and-Giza trip with light map use fits a small fixed-GB plan. A longer Nile cruise or Cairo-to-Luxor-to-Red-Sea itinerary with heavy photo uploads benefits from a bigger tier or Unlimited day-plan — top up on the same eSIM if you need more.

Note: Unlimited plans include 3GB of high-speed data per 24 hours (from activation, resetting every 24 hours) plus a 500MB/24-hour hotspot-sharing allowance — if you need guaranteed high-speed data or unrestricted hotspot sharing throughout your trip, a Fixed plan is the safer pick.

Yes, but a single-country plan only covers that country — it won't work once you cross the border. For a multi-country trip, buy a separate plan for each destination, choose one of RORO's regional bundles if your countries fall within one, or pick a Global plan for the widest coverage. You can hold multiple RORO eSIMs/physical SIMs at once and switch between them.

In fact, your RORO eSIM or physical SIM works across 190+ countries and regions worldwide — keep it installed after this trip and just top up with a new plan whenever you're heading somewhere else, no reinstall needed. A RORO SIM only expires after 2 years with no activity, and every top-up extends that validity by another 2 years.

Yes, but only after 2 years of no activity. A RORO eSIM or physical SIM doesn't expire the moment a data plan runs out or its validity period ends — it stays in your phone, ready to top up for your next trip.

Every time you top up with a new data plan, that 2-year countdown resets, so if you travel with RORO regularly the SIM effectively never expires. Only go 2 full years without a single top-up and the SIM itself expires.

Fixed plans give you a set amount of GB for your whole trip — a small pack is usually enough for maps, messaging and light browsing, and you can always top up if you run low. Unlimited plans are priced by day instead of data volume, but include 3GB of high-speed data per 24 hours (counted from activation and resetting every 24 hours) plus a 500MB/24-hour hotspot-sharing allowance — better if you stream or video call within those limits.

A single eSIM or physical SIM can hold multiple data plans, but only one is active at a time, in the order they expire — plans don't run side by side on the same SIM.

If you want an Unlimited plan but worry about hitting its 3GB high-speed cap, buy a separate Fixed plan on a second RORO eSIM: with both installed, switch to the Fixed-plan SIM once Unlimited's daily high-speed data runs out, then switch back after it resets. And if you plan to hotspot data to other devices or friends, a Fixed plan is the better pick, since Unlimited plans cap hotspot sharing at 500MB every 24 hours.

Egypt requires passport and biometric registration to buy a local SIM. RORO isn't a local Egyptian SIM, so none of that applies — just an email to activate.

Yes. RORO runs as a second, data-only line next to your existing SIM — home number stays live for calls and texts, RORO handles data in Egypt, no data roaming charges from home.

Add a pack from the RORO app or site — it lands on your existing eSIM instantly, no new QR code. Top up before you hit zero, since you'll need WiFi to buy more once data runs out.

To top up: pick a data plan and hit Top Up, then enter the ICCID and PIN of the SIM you're adding it to — or start from your ICCID, choose which one to top up, then pick the plan. Either way, once payment goes through, the new data plan is added straight to that ICCID.

Yes. Uber and Careem both operate widely in Cairo and Alexandria and need a live connection to book or track — handy for skipping the haggling that comes with hailing a taxi off the street. Cairo Metro tickets are bought at station counters in cash; keep your RORO data on for maps and route planning while you're out.

Yes. Booking.com and Almosafer are the most-used platforms locally for hotels and tours, alongside the usual global names — both work fine over RORO data.

Checkout takes Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

On the ground, cash (Egyptian pounds) is still king outside hotels — useful for bazaar bargaining and tipping — while Fawry and bank cards cover digital payments for locals.

122 (police), 123 (medical). Save this before you land.

Emergency calls typically go through on any available network even without an active data SIM, but it's worth having RORO's data running for maps and messaging so you can describe your location clearly if needed.

Yes — hotspot to a laptop or a travel companion's phone with no extra setup, same as at home. Speeds follow local coverage, so it's strongest in Cairo, Alexandria and along the main Nile route.

Keep in mind the hotspot allowance depends on your plan: Fixed plans share their full data pool with no extra hotspot limit, while Unlimited plans cap hotspot sharing at 500MB every 24 hours.

Diving the Red Sea or heading into the Western Desert? Expect coverage to fade well before you reach remote sites — plan downloads in advance. One quirk worth knowing: voice/video calling over WhatsApp and FaceTime has occasionally faced restrictions on Egyptian networks; texting and data browsing are unaffected, and calls on your regular phone number always work as normal.