Your mobile plan
Coverage gaps in alpine terrain differ a lot between operators.
What this solves
Most "Switzerland SIM card" guides list 2–3 plans, ignore the alpine-coverage gap, and miss that for short trips the best option is often a Swiss Travel SIM bought before you fly (yes, you can order a Swiss SIM to your hotel address). The actual decision tree is: eSIM-capable? high-altitude? heavy data? — this tool runs all three.
Operators compared: Swisscom (best alpine coverage), Sunrise (urban + EU roaming), Salt (cheapest), M-Budget (Migros stores, good value), Aldi Mobile (uses Swisscom network, basic plans).
How to read the results
- Best for short trips = single prepaid card from Salt or M-Budget (CHF 19–29 for 30 days / 10 GB).
- Best for high-altitude hiking = Swisscom (best rural & alpine mast density).
- Best for EU extended trip = Sunrise (included EU roaming in many plans).
- Cheapest overall = Aldi Mobile basic plan if your phone takes physical SIM.
What this calculator ignores
- It does not price roaming onto your home SIM — those costs can dwarf a Swiss prepaid.
- eSIM data-only plans (Airalo, Holafly, etc.) are tested but use Swisscom/Sunrise wholesale so alpine coverage is generally good. Pricing varies wildly; check at booking.
- Activation at the airport kiosk vs Migros pickup: airport prices are higher.
Common questions
Should I use an eSIM or a physical SIM?
If your phone supports eSIM, eSIM is faster (no airport queue), lets you keep your home SIM active for calls / WhatsApp, and works the moment you land. Physical SIMs are still widely available at SBB kiosks, Migros, and the airport.
Will my plan work on Jungfraujoch?
Mostly yes. The Jungfraujoch has Swisscom / Sunrise / Salt coverage thanks to on-site mast. But many alpine huts have no signal at all — Swisscom covers the most alpine huts via its partnership with SAC.
Is hotel WiFi good enough?
For evenings — yes. For navigation on the trail — no. Maps need offline, and live weather / SBB / trail status pages need signal. Plan to have working mobile data.