Lisbon
SIM providers, plans, and activation tips.
You'll find that getting a Portuguese SIM card is essential for accessing local services, such as MB Way, Portugal's most popular mobile payment system. Most newcomers opt for NOS or MEO, with plans like NOS Iris offering 30GB for 14.99/month, although coverage can be patchy in rural areas. Watch out for limited coverage outside Lisbon, particularly with NOS, which may drop signal repeatedly near Setbal. For a hassle-free start, you can buy a NOS SIM at Lisbon Airport arrivals, open daily from early morning until late evening. To get started today, head to the NOS store at Rua do Ouro 36 in Baixa, open from 9am-8pm, Monday to Saturday, to purchase your SIM card and choose a plan that suits your needs.
Ranked by contributor trust level and quality score.
Setúbal · Experience date Mar 18, 2026
Switched to MEO after NOS dropped signal repeatedly near Setúbal. MEO 20GB for €12.99/month. If you travel around Portugal a lot, MEO network is more reliable outside main cities.
Baixa · Experience date Feb 23, 2026
On NOS Iris 30GB for €14.99/month. Coverage is excellent in Lisbon and Porto but patchy in rural Alentejo. Manage via the NOS app. NIF required for monthly contracts.
Baixa · Experience date Apr 2, 2026
City centre NOS store: Rua do Ouro 36, Baixa — open Mon–Sat 9am–8pm. MEO flagship: Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 40, near Picoas metro. Vodafone PT: Rua Garrett 12, Chiado. El Corte Inglés on Av. António Augusto de Aguiar has all three carriers on the ground floor. All stores have English-speaking staff. Avoid phone shops in tourist areas like Alfama and the Intendente market — they sometimes sell grey-market or unregistered SIMs.
Alfama · Experience date Nov 9, 2025
Tested download speeds in central Lisbon: NOS gets 80–150 Mbps in Baixa and Chiado, 40–70 Mbps in Alfama. Vodafone PT averages 100–180 Mbps in Parque das Nações and Marquês de Pombal. MEO is consistent at 50–90 Mbps citywide. Signal inside older Alfama buildings with thick stone walls can drop to 2G — WiFi calling (available on all three carriers) compensates. Belém and Cascais have solid 4G throughout.
Mouraria · Experience date Dec 13, 2025
MEO (Altice Portugal) offers tourist SIMs at their airport store and Lisbon city centre branches on Rua do Ouro and Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo. A 30-day data SIM with 15GB runs €12–14. MEO's network is strong in central Lisbon and along the Tagus waterfront. Customer service at major stores is available in English. MEO and NOS are the two strongest networks for indoor coverage across older Alfama buildings.
Arroios · Experience date Nov 28, 2025
Lisbon Metro (Metropolitano de Lisboa) has mobile coverage on all lines in station areas and on Yellow and Green lines in tunnel sections. NOS and Vodafone PT maintain 4G signal on most of the Blue Line (Rato–Santa Apolónia) tunnel stretches. The Oriente station interchange (all four lines) has excellent signal. Brief drops occur on the Red Line between Aeroporto and Oriente — this is the longest tunnel stretch and the weakest coverage section.
Belém · Experience date Mar 29, 2026
NOWO (formerly Cabovisão) offers budget prepaid SIMs with basic data plans — typically 10GB for €8/month. Coverage is weaker than NOS/MEO/Vodafone in outer neighbourhoods and rural areas, but perfectly adequate in central Lisbon. Available at NOWO stores and some CTT (post office) branches. Best for: budget-conscious expats who stay mostly in the city centre and want to minimise monthly phone costs.
Belém · Experience date Mar 16, 2026
5G is commercially available in Lisbon as of 2024. Vodafone PT has the widest 5G footprint: covers Baixa, Chiado, Marquês de Pombal, Parque das Nações, and parts of Belém. NOS 5G covers Parque das Nações and select central areas. MEO 5G is still limited. If you have a 5G device and work from cafés in central Lisbon, Vodafone PT gives a noticeably faster experience. Average 5G speeds: 200–400 Mbps on Vodafone PT.
Alfama · Experience date Nov 18, 2025
NOS and Vodafone PT both offer eSIM activation as of 2024. NOS eSIM can be activated via their app with a photo of your passport — typically takes under 30 minutes. Vodafone PT eSIM requires either their app or an in-store visit. Both work on iPhone XS and newer, and compatible Android flagships. Excellent option if you're arriving with a dual-SIM phone already occupied — no need to swap cards.
Alfama · Experience date Apr 6, 2026
Physical SIM: buy at airport, immediate coverage, useful if your phone needs a Portuguese number for local apps. eSIM: activate before landing via NOS or Vodafone PT's app, zero wait time at arrivals, perfect for travellers who've pre-booked everything. For Lisbon specifically, both work equally well — there's no practical coverage difference. The eSIM wins on convenience; the physical SIM wins if you want to walk into any carrier store for support.