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SIM Cards in Serbia for Tourists

The three Serbian mobile operators, current tourist data plans, where to buy a SIM with a passport, and when an eSIM is the better choice.

Last checked: 2026-05-28 Editorially reviewed Back to Travel Tips

Updated

Should I buy a SIM card in Serbia?

Serbia has three mobile network operators: MTS (state-owned, best rural coverage), Yettel (formerly Telenor, urban focus), and A1 (formerly Vip mobile). All three have strong 4G LTE coverage and growing 5G in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš. Roaming for EU customers in Serbia is no longer at Roam-Like-Home rates as Serbia is not in the EU; expect 2-10 EUR per GB depending on your home plan.

You can buy a physical prepaid SIM at the airport, in dedicated operator shops, or in many supermarkets and kiosks. By Serbian law, all prepaid SIMs must be registered with a passport. Alternatively, providers like Airalo, Holafly, Saily, and Maya Mobile offer eSIMs you can activate before arrival in 2 minutes from your phone.

Last checked: 2026-05-28. For corrections, contact us.

The three Serbian operators

MTS (Telekom Srbija) — state-owned, the largest network with the best coverage in rural Serbia, mountain regions, and small villages. Best choice if you are travelling outside major cities (Western Serbia, Šumadija, Tara, Zlatibor). Their tourist plan "Roaming Tourist" or "Pripejd Internet" packages start at around 700 RSD for 15 GB.

Yettel (formerly Telenor) — Norwegian-owned for years, sold to a Czech investor in 2022. Strong urban 4G/5G coverage, popular with city users. Their "Yettel Pripejd" prepaid lines with Boom and Hop-On packages give 30-50 GB for 1,000-1,500 RSD.

A1 (formerly Vip mobile) — Austrian Telekom Austria group. Smaller but still nationwide network with competitive prepaid pricing. Good for Belgrade and Novi Sad; weaker in remote areas.

Current prepaid tourist plans

Operator websites change pricing frequently; treat figures below as guidance and verify in-store. Approximate 2026 prices for tourist-oriented prepaid bundles:

OperatorPlanDataPrice (RSD)
MTSPripejd Net 1515 GB / 30 days~700 RSD
YettelHop-On 3030 GB / 30 days~1,000 RSD
A1A1 Prepaid Mega50 GB / 30 days~1,500 RSD

All three include calls and SMS within Serbia. Internet-only plans without voice are also available and cheaper.

Where to buy a SIM card

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG): Yettel and MTS have kiosks in the arrivals hall. Prices are slightly higher than in-town but you can buy and activate immediately. Bring your passport.

Operator shops in city centres: Best service and the widest plan selection. MTS Telekom shops, Yettel shops, and A1 shops are in every Serbian town. Knez Mihailova street in Belgrade has multiple operator shops.

Newspaper kiosks and small shops (Trafika): Sell starter packs and top-ups for all three operators but cannot activate or register the SIM. Useful only for top-ups once your line is active.

Supermarkets (Maxi, Idea, Lidl, Mercator): Sell prepaid starter SIMs but again require registration at the operator before they work.

Passport registration is mandatory

Since 2017, Serbian law requires every prepaid SIM to be registered with a valid ID. For tourists this means handing over your passport at the point of purchase. The shop assistant scans or photographs your passport and enters your name, document number, and (for non-EU passports) sometimes the date of arrival.

An unregistered SIM will be blocked within 24-48 hours. Some kiosks try to sell pre-registered SIMs that look convenient — these are typically registered to someone else, may be deactivated unpredictably, and are unreliable. Buy directly from operator shops or airport kiosks.

eSIMs: when they make more sense

If you stay less than a week, do not want to queue at the airport, or your phone supports eSIM (most iPhones from XS onward, most Pixels, recent Samsung Galaxy), an eSIM is often the easier choice:

  • Airalo: Single-country Serbia plans from 4.50 USD (1 GB / 7 days) up to 22 USD (20 GB / 30 days).
  • Holafly: Unlimited-data plans from around 19 USD for 5 days.
  • Saily, Maya Mobile: Comparable single-country and Balkan-region plans.

Cost per GB is higher than a local prepaid SIM, but you avoid airport queues, you can keep your home SIM active for two-factor authentication, and activation takes 2 minutes via QR code. See our dedicated eSIM for Serbia guide for plan-by-plan comparisons.

Network coverage and 5G

4G LTE coverage is essentially universal across Serbia — even small villages in Tara National Park or remote stretches of the Drina River usually have signal. Indoor reception in stone-built rural houses can be weaker.

5G launched commercially in Serbia in 2024 and is rolling out steadily in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, and along the major highways. As of early 2026, all three operators have live 5G, with the strongest urban coverage from MTS and Yettel. Typical 5G speeds in central Belgrade are 300-700 Mbps; 4G speeds are typically 30-100 Mbps.

Public Wi-Fi and tethering

Free Wi-Fi is common at Serbian cafes, restaurants, hotels, and major shopping centres. Belgrade and Novi Sad have public Wi-Fi networks ("BeoGrad WiFi") in key squares and parks, but speeds are modest. Belgrade Airport offers free Wi-Fi without time limits.

If your prepaid plan does not explicitly include tethering (using your phone as a hotspot for a laptop), tethering still usually works in practice on Serbian networks. Heavy tethering may trigger throttling on cheaper plans.

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Sources

Authoritative references for the facts on this page. Last reviewed 31 May 2026.

  1. [PDF] Plan of the Official Statistics for 2022 stat.gov.rs Official
  2. [PDF] Plan of the Official Statistics for 2025 stat.gov.rs Official
  3. [PDF] Statistical Pocketbook of Serbia 2011 pod2.stat.gov.rs Official
  4. REPUBLIC OF SERBIA parlament.gov.rs Official
  5. plan of official statistics for 2024 stat.gov.rs Official
  6. Microsoft Word - 22.07Plan zvanicne statistike 2024_Engleski.docx stat.gov.rs Official

Last checked: . For corrections, contact us.

Reviewed by the Serbian Travel editorial team. Researched and fact-checked from on-the-ground travel guides.

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