Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
Scotland is both a country of cities with trams and trains and a country where half an hour on the road can leave you in a glen with not a single house. Taxis, train tickets, a pub table and the mountain forecast all need internet from day one, and nobody wants to look for a phone shop after a connecting flight. You install the eSIM profile at home, and on arrival you only switch data on.
You can buy an eSIM for Scotland online right on this page from 4 900 ₸: choose a data plan, pay by card and get the QR code within minutes. An eSIM is a digital SIM card — it installs on your phone with no plastic card and no visit to a phone shop.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Edinburgh and the rest of the country.
Roaming in Scotland with a Kazakh carrier is usually far more expensive, and roaming data runs out fast. With a Funsim eSIM you pay a fixed price for a data package and keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS — roaming on it can stay off.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for Scotland at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
A trip to Scotland rarely stops at one city: Edinburgh and Glasgow are linked by trains, and from there it is easy to head off for a couple of days to Loch Ness, Glencoe or the islands. One profile for the whole route is easier than looking for a new SIM in every region. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, so look at the UK plans above, and if you continue to Europe afterwards, check the regional plans too.
Your main SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank SMS, while mobile data runs through the eSIM. Most plans have no voice calls or SMS, so messaging hosts, car rental desks and guides is easiest in WhatsApp or by email.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to set up | At home, before the flight | Usually on arrival | After landing, in an operator shop |
| What you do in Scotland | Switch data on for the eSIM | Check your operator's terms | Find a point of sale and register |
| Cost of data | Fixed package, see plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the operator's tariff |
| Your home number | Stays for calls and banking | Stays active | Usually a second SIM or a swap |
| Several regions on one trip | One profile for the whole route | Depends on operator terms | Better to check coverage in advance |
Signal is most reliable in the cities and along major roads, and in the mountains, glens and islands it depends on the terrain. These are the places where you will use data on the road most.
The capital is built on hills, and a visit here revolves around walking: from Waverley station up to the castle, onto Arthur's Seat, along the stairways of the New Town. You need the phone for maps, tram and bus tickets and timed entry to the castle or a museum. Trams and buses link the airport with the centre, and it is handy to buy a ticket as soon as you are online.
The country's biggest city, with a subway, suburban trains and several museums with free entry. It is easy to manage without a car, and the phone is for ScotRail timetables, taxis and finding concerts and pubs. From Glasgow you can make a day trip to Loch Lomond or Stirling.
Central Scotland between the two main cities: Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. People come for the day by train or car. Signal is steady in the towns but weaker in places along lochside roads and trails, so save the walking route offline.
Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and the main gateway north, a good place to pick up a hire car and stock up for the road. The road along Loch Ness passes Urquhart Castle: signal usually holds in the villages and may fade between them. You need internet to book a cruise on the loch and check parking at the castle.
The area below Ben Nevis draws walkers, and visitors come for Glen Coe and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, where steam train excursions pass. In gorges and on slopes signal can be poor and weather changes fast, so check the forecast in town before setting out and download the map in advance.
The national park around the town of Aviemore is a centre for outdoor activity: hiking and cycling in summer, skiing and snowboarding in winter. In the valleys and on the plateau signal can drop. Before heading out, tell your host where you are going and for how long, and save an offline map of the trail.
An archipelago off the northern tip of the mainland, reached by ferry from Scrabster or Aberdeen or by air. The highlights are the Neolithic sites of Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar. There is coverage in Kirkwall and Stromness and less on open shores. Check the ferry timetable in advance, as signal on board is not guaranteed.
Mull is reached by ferry from Oban on the mainland. The island's main stop is Tobermory with its colourful houses, and from there narrow roads lead to Iona and its ancient abbey. Signal is reliable near the ports and villages and noticeably weaker in the west, so download the map and ferry timetable over Wi-Fi.
Most familiar services work as they do at home. These are the ones people use most here.
Good for driving routes and for walking around cities. Download an offline map of the area before heading into the hills. With left-hand traffic it helps to switch on voice guidance so you can keep your eyes on the road.
Works in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the price is shown before the ride. In small towns taxis are more often booked by phone through a hotel or cafe, and a messenger helps to agree with a driver.
Tickets for trains across Great Britain, including ScotRail. The e-ticket is kept on your phone, and the departure time and platform are shown in the app.
The app of Edinburgh's city buses: timetables, a route map and tickets on your phone. Handy if you stay outside the centre and travel around the city for several days.
The forecast of the British meteorological service. Weather in the hills changes fast, so check it in the morning before a walk and on the way while you have signal.
Hotel and apartment bookings, messages with hosts and changes to check-in dates. Handy if you decide on the road to stay longer or change your route.
The way to reach guesthouse hosts, guides and car rental desks. Since most plans have no voice calls, calling through a messenger is the easiest option.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. You can find this in the settings or on the manufacturer's website.
Choose a UK plan above and pay by card on the site, no passport is needed. If you are going on to other countries after Scotland, look at the regional plans.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, with the Quick install button or manually while you still have home Wi-Fi.
After landing in Edinburgh, Glasgow or another airport, choose the eSIM as your mobile data line and switch data roaming on for that line only.
Keep your main SIM for calls and bank SMS, but turn off mobile data on it so traffic does not go through roaming.
If the package runs out, buy extra data on the site. A hotspot for a laptop is available on plans that allow it, check the plan page for the terms.
If you hire a car, download an offline map of the route and keep the phone in a holder: on single-track roads and in glens signal can drop, and navigation should not depend on it.
