Kornelijus
Affordable and reliable. Traveled to the US for a trip and used blikst. It was much more affordable than other companies and was very
Switzerland
Trust score 4.5
Features
- Coverage: Switzerland
- Network Provider: Salt
- Speed: 4G / 5G
- Tethering / Hotspot: Yes
Plan Details
Device Compatibility: Most modern smartphones are fully compatible with Blikst eSIMs. However, a few exceptions exist. Check our detailed compatibility list to confirm your device works flawlessly with our service..
Activation Policy: Enjoy automatic activation by simply scanning the QR code provided after purchase. Your eSIM will instantly activate upon your arrival at Switzerland, ensuring immediate connectivity.
Delivery Time: Receive a confirmation email with your eSIM details right after completing your purchase. Quick and seamless delivery ensures you’re ready to go in minutes.
Description
Switzerland is expensive, efficient, and runs on timetables you can trust to the minute — which also means you'll be using the SBB Mobile app constantly for trains, mountain railways, and cable cars. A Blikst Switzerland eSIM runs on Salt's 4G / 5G network — one of Switzerland's three national carriers — and connects from the moment you land at Zurich (ZRH), Geneva (GVA), Basel (BSL), or arrive by EC train into Zurich HB, Geneva or Basel SBB. No kiosk, no CHF 8-a-day roaming from your home carrier.
Where Salt works best
Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Lucerne, Zug and St Gallen all have full 4G with 5G reaching city centres and along main motorway corridors (A1, A2, A3). SBB inter-city trains stay connected across most of the Mittelland plateau. Alpine routes — Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Gotthard Panorama — have great signal in valleys and tunnels drop it (the Gotthard Base Tunnel specifically is a 57 km dead zone). Jungfraujoch, Gornergrat, and most mountain-top cable-car destinations have good coverage at the summit stations. Off-trail hiking in the Aletsch Glacier area or deeper Valais side valleys can go offline; urban and village coverage across the Alps is otherwise solid.
Cost vs. roaming
Switzerland is not in the EU, so "roam like home" does not apply — EU travellers who expect free roaming are often caught out here. UK, US, and EU carriers routinely charge CHF 7–15 per day for Swiss roaming. A Blikst plan runs well under that for any trip length, and a two-week ski trip alone can save you the equivalent of a nice Zurich dinner.
Getting connected on arrival
Install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you fly — airport Wi-Fi at ZRH and GVA is free but registration is quicker done at home. When you land and switch off airplane mode, the Salt line registers automatically. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM so it doesn't connect unnoticed. Zurich Airport is 10 minutes from Zurich HB by SBB, Geneva Airport is 7 minutes from Geneva Cornavin — both very short, so data in the arrivals hall means your onward train is already planned and ticketed in SBB Mobile before you reach the platform.
What travellers actually use data for in Switzerland
- SBB Mobile: The single most-used app in Switzerland. Tickets, platform numbers, supersaver discounts, real-time delays, mountain-railway connections. GA and Half-Fare cards are added in the app.
- Swiss Travel Pass: If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, show it inside the SBB app; conductors scan it from the screen.
- Google Maps and SwissTopo: SwissTopo's app is the gold standard for hiking — precise, authoritative, and based on the national cartographic survey. Download offline maps before going into the mountains.
- MeteoSwiss: The official weather app. Alpine weather changes fast; afternoon thunderstorms in summer and fog inversions in winter are normal. MeteoSwiss is more accurate than generic weather apps here.
- Twint: Swiss QR-code payment app. Requires a Swiss bank account, so as a visitor you'll use Apple Pay, Google Pay, or cards (widely accepted). Keep a few CHF coins for SBB station lockers.
- Uber and Bolt: Uber in Geneva, Zurich and Basel. Taxis are expensive; most trips are public transport.
- Skiing: Slopes.com, Ski Tracks, and resort-specific apps (Zermatt, St Moritz) need data for lift updates and piste maps.
Plan sizing for typical trips
A long weekend in Zurich or Geneva works on 2–3 GB. A one-week rail tour — Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt — fits into 5 GB. Two weeks with deeper Alpine exploration, Bernina Express, and a week of skiing comes in at 10 GB. A ski season or month-long remote-work stay should budget 20 GB or higher, especially with video calls from Alpine co-working spaces.
Install before you fly, land at ZRH, GVA or BSL already connected, and buy your first SBB ticket on the train into town. No kiosk, no CHF-a-day roaming surprise.
Important Information
- This eSIM plan is only compatible with iPhone, Samsung and Google devices.
- To activate this plan, you will need to provide your IMEI, EID/ICCID and preferred eSim Activation Date.
- On the specified date your eSim will be activated automatically in the USA no QR code needed.
- The plan must be purchased at least 2 days before the activation date to allow time for processing.
Our plans
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How to get your Bliskt eSIM data?
Check Device Compatibility
Confirm that your smartphone or device supports our Blikst eSIM functionality.
Learn More
Follow Installation Instructions
Use the provided step-by-step guide to set up and activate your eSIM in few minutes. Then enjoy your trip.
Learn MoreBlikst eSIM Reviews
Marius
Smooth, simple, just works. Use it again.
Elinga
Quick activation and stable connection. Super handy 🌟 Used it during my trip in Madeira.
James
Lovely support, got an esim for UK. Had no issues.
Capone
I used to have 3 mobile but the internet connection was not the best, that’s why I started to use Blikst and I find it very useful
eSIM FAQ
The Blikst Switzerland eSIM runs on Salt's network, one of Switzerland's three national carriers. You get 4G and 5G speeds, with full 4G across the major cities and 5G reaching city centres and the main motorway corridors. It connects the moment you land at Zurich, Geneva or Basel airports, or arrive by EC train into Zurich HB, Geneva or Basel SBB.
Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Lucerne, Zug and St Gallen all have full 4G, with 5G in city centres and along the A1, A2 and A3 motorways. SBB inter-city trains stay connected across most of the Mittelland plateau. Be honest with yourself about the mountains: the Gotthard Base Tunnel is a 57 km dead zone, and off-trail hiking around the Aletsch Glacier or deeper Valais side valleys can drop offline. Most summit stations like Jungfraujoch and Gornergrat have good signal.
Right after purchase you receive a confirmation email with your eSIM details, then you scan the QR code provided to install it. Activation is automatic: the Salt line registers as soon as you arrive in Switzerland and switch off airplane mode. Install on home Wi-Fi before you fly, since registration is quicker done at home than over airport Wi-Fi, and turn off data roaming on your home SIM so it doesn't connect unnoticed.
Most modern smartphones are fully compatible with Blikst eSIMs, though a few exceptions exist, so check our detailed compatibility list to confirm your device works. Your phone also needs to be carrier-unlocked. On an iPhone you can check eSIM support under Settings, General, About, where you'll see an EID number; on Android it's in the network settings. If in doubt, look at our compatibility list before buying.
A long weekend in Zurich or Geneva works on 2 to 3 GB. A one-week rail tour taking in Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt fits into about 5 GB. Two weeks with deeper Alpine exploration, the Bernina Express and a week of skiing comes in around 10 GB. A ski season or month-long remote-work stay should budget 20 GB or higher, especially with video calls from Alpine co-working spaces. The SBB Mobile app and maps are your steady daily drains.
Yes, tethering and hotspot use are supported, so you can share your connection with a laptop or a travelling companion's phone, handy for video calls from a co-working space or planning routes on a bigger screen. Just remember that hotspot use draws from the same data allowance, so a busy day of tethering will eat into your plan faster than phone use alone.
Blikst plans are data-only, so there's no Swiss phone number attached, but that's rarely a problem. You can call and message over the internet using apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime or your usual messaging app, which is how most travellers stay in touch. Because the eSIM is a separate digital line, your physical home SIM and number can stay in the phone, ready for when you return.
Almost always. Switzerland is not in the EU, so "roam like home" does not apply, and EU travellers are often caught out by this. UK, US and EU carriers routinely charge CHF 7 to 15 per day for Swiss roaming. A Blikst plan runs well under that for any trip length, and on a two-week ski trip alone the saving can be the equivalent of a nice Zurich dinner. No kiosk, no CHF-a-day roaming surprise.