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
Turkey is several destinations in one: a metropolis on two continents, resorts on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, and mountain roads and valleys inland. Mobile coverage in the country is good, but buying a local SIM is usually inconvenient for a tourist, and roaming from a Kazakh operator hits the budget hard. An eSIM solves this: data switches on right after landing, and your home number stays with you.
You can buy an eSIM for Turkey online right on this page from 3 500 ₸: 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 — Ankara, Istanbul and Antalya and the rest of the country.
Roaming in Turkey 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 Turkey 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.
The main problem with a local SIM in Turkey is the formalities. SIM cards are usually sold in operator shops and require a passport, and foreign phones brought into the country fall under device registration rules. On a week-long holiday nobody wants to spend time queuing in a shop and figuring out those rules. A travel eSIM is installed at home and works like ordinary mobile data, with no trip to an operator office.
Roaming from a Kazakh operator is formally the simplest option, but it is usually noticeably more expensive than the others, and you can check the cost in your operator's rates. It is also easy to burn extra data in the background while roaming is on. The eSIM setup is simpler: your home SIM stays for calls and bank SMS, while mobile data goes through a separate line. See the plans for Turkey above on this page.
Another argument for an eSIM is your route. In Turkey people rarely stick to one city: a flight to Antalya turns into an excursion to Pamukkale, and an Istanbul city break into a trip to the Princes' Islands. One plan for Turkey works across the whole country, so you do not need to buy a separate SIM in each region or look for a shop in an unfamiliar town.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase | Online, before the trip, no passport | Activated with your operator | Shop or kiosk, passport usually needed |
| Phone registration | Usually not needed for a short trip | Not needed | Device registration rules apply |
| Cost | Fixed package, see the plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the tariff and the shop |
| Connection right after landing | Yes, if installed at home | Yes | After a queue at the airport or in town |
| Home number | Stays in the phone for calls | Stays | Needs a second slot or a SIM swap |
Coverage in Turkey's tourist areas is usually good, but what you need data for differs from region to region.
In the city the connection is stable in the centre and on main routes, although in underpasses and on some metro sections the signal can drop. You need data for getting between districts, Bosphorus ferry times, a translator and calling taxis. It is a long ride from IST and SAW airports to the centre, so plan your route while waiting for your bags.
Antalya is the main gateway to the resort coast. A transfer usually waits for you at the airport, but the meeting details and bus number are often sent to a messenger. In the old town of Kaleici the streets are narrow and full of cafes, where maps and reviews help. Data is also needed for booking excursions and contacting a guide.
A long resort city where hotels stretch along the sea. Coverage in town and along the promenade is usually reliable, and mobile data helps where the hotel Wi-Fi is weak. Maps come in handy for trips to the castle and caves, and for finding beach venues and ordering taxis.
A resort at the foot of the mountains, from which people often go on mountain and canyon excursions. In town and along the coast the signal is steady, but on mountain roads and in remote valleys it can weaken. Save an offline map and tickets before setting out, and keep data for contact with the organiser.
The Aegean coast north of Bodrum lives at a calm pace: the beaches of Cesme, ancient Ephesus, small towns with markets. In Izmir and larger villages the connection is stable, while at the excavations and on country roads it can be weaker. Data is needed for navigation, buying tickets online and contacting a driver or guide on the spot.
A resort on the Aegean coast with yachts, bays and nightlife. In the town and most well-known villages the connection is stable. Data helps with ordering taxis, booking tables and checking boat and sea transfer times. On yacht trips the signal can drop in bays, so save important details in advance.
A popular spot for sea and paragliding fans. It is easy to get around between villages by dolmus minibuses and boats, and data is needed for navigation and contact with activity organisers. Paragliding and boat tours usually send a message with a meeting point, so keep your connection ready.
A region of valleys, underground cities and cave hotels. In Goreme, Urgup and Avanos the signal is usually good, but on roads between valleys and away from villages it can weaken. Self-drive trips need maps, and sunrise balloon flights need contact with the organiser.
Turkey's eastern coast differs from the southern resorts: it has mountains, tea plantations and highland plateaus. Trabzon and larger towns are well covered, but in the highlands, for example on roads to lakes and plateaus, the connection can be unstable. Data is useful for maps, weather and booking lodging on the road.
Some of these apps are better installed and set up at home rather than at the airport.
A popular taxi-hailing app in Turkey, especially in big cities. It helps avoid arguments about the route, because you enter the address and pickup point in the app rather than explaining it to the driver.
Uber operates in Istanbul and can be used to call a taxi. It is handy when you would rather not explain yourself in Turkish. Link a bank card in advance and check that the app opens in your region.
The main option for navigating cities and between regions. Save an offline map of Istanbul or your trip region in advance: it helps in the metro, in underpasses and on roads with unstable coverage.
Helps plan routes on buses, metro, trams and ferries in Istanbul and other cities. Especially useful if you do not know which transport goes to the district you need.
One of the best-known food delivery services in Turkey. Good when you want to order dinner to your room. The interface is in Turkish, but a browser translator on your phone helps if needed.
Useful for signs, menus and talking to taxi drivers. Download Turkish for offline use and try the camera translation while you are still at home.
Hotels, guides, excursion organisers and transfer companies in Turkey use it actively. Keep the app handy: pickup messages often arrive there.
This is not a phone app but a plastic card for Istanbul's metro, trams, buses and ferries. It is topped up at machines in stations. Data helps you check the route and fares in advance through a transport map.
Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. No passport is needed to buy.
Choose a plan for Turkey on this page and pay for it online by card.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, with the Quick install button or manually, while you have reliable Wi-Fi.
Do not remove your home SIM: it is needed for calls and bank SMS. Nothing extra has to be done on the plane.
After landing in Istanbul, Antalya or another airport, select the eSIM for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Wait a minute while the phone finds a network.
Keep the QR code and instructions off your phone, for example on a laptop, and download offline maps before you fly.
