German train travel runs on the DB Navigator app. Platform changes and connection delays often appear on your screen before they are announced on the station concourse, and onboard train WiFi remains patchy across rural stretches.
Atli is data-only. It does not include a German phone number, SMS or cellular voice calls. WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, FaceTime, maps and transport apps work through the data connection.
Atli eSIM plans for Germany
| Data | Validity | Atli price | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $3.99 | A weekend with light maps and messaging |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $5.99 | A short city trip and transport lookups |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $7.99 | One to two weeks with regular social use |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $12.99 | A longer trip or occasional laptop use |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $19.99 | Remote work, streaming or frequent hotspot use |
| Unlimited | 5 days | $15.99 | A short trip with heavy data use |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $58.99 | A month without tracking each gigabyte |
These prices were checked in August 2026. Plans and prices can change.
Three gigabytes may cover a short city break built around maps, messaging and train updates. Five gigabytes gives more room for photos and social media. The 10 GB plan costs $12.99, while 20 GB costs $19.99, so estimate your likely use before choosing the larger option.
See how much data a trip really uses for a closer estimate.
O2 Telefónica LTE and 5G coverage
Atli lists two German network names: O2 Germany, the current O2 Telefónica network, and E-Plus, a legacy identifier within Telefónica Germany. Both list 2G, LTE and 5G.
E-Plus is no longer a separate consumer network. Telefónica moved E-Plus customers and tariffs into O2 and unified the former O2 and E-Plus network identification. The legacy name can still appear in technical network data, but travellers should expect the O2 Telefónica network, not a choice between two independent networks.
Telefónica Germany reports that its O2 5G network reaches more than 99% of Germany’s population as of June 2026. Population coverage is not the same as uninterrupted geographic coverage. A compatible phone may connect to 5G where the partner network and local signal allow it, with LTE as the normal fallback.
Reception can change inside older buildings, tunnels, rural valleys and moving trains. Download the accommodation address and any essential route information before a long rail journey.
Mobile data on German trains and public transport
The official DB Navigator app covers local and long-distance trains as well as many buses, trams, U-Bahn and S-Bahn services. It provides ticket booking, journey information and travel notifications.
Keep your ticket available in the format Deutsche Bahn requires. Some products, including the Deutschland-Ticket, are mobile tickets, and Deutsche Bahn says a screenshot is not valid for those products. Load the ticket in the app before boarding rather than depending on a signal during inspection.
Mobile data remains useful for platform changes, delays and alternative connections. It cannot guarantee reception on every ICE route or through every tunnel.
If you are choosing a base in Berlin, Munich or Hamburg, compare the exact map pin with the nearest station on Booking.com. A hotel outside the historic center can still work well when the rail connection is direct.
Keep your normal SIM for your phone number
On a compatible dual-SIM phone, your home SIM and Atli eSIM can have separate jobs: your own number stays on your home SIM for calls and texts, and mobile data in Germany comes from your Atli eSIM.
On a dual-SIM phone, set Atli as the cellular-data line and keep your primary SIM active for calls and texts. Turn off data roaming on your primary SIM to avoid unintended roaming data charges. If your carrier supports roaming, verification texts can still arrive on your primary SIM.
Read the dual-SIM travel guide for the settings to check before departure.
Germany-only plan or Europe regional plan?
A local Germany plan costs less when the entire trip stays inside Germany. It stops working when you cross the border.
Atli’s Europe regional plan covers 34 countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. At current prices, 3 GB for 30 days costs $11.99 on the regional plan, compared with $5.99 on the Germany-only plan. Choose according to the route, not the number of borders you might cross in theory.
See the regional eSIM guide if your itinerary covers several European countries.
Travel eSIM or local German prepaid SIM?
A travel eSIM suits visitors who want data prepared before arrival. A local product may suit a longer stay or anyone who needs a German phone number.
Germany requires identity checks before a locally issued prepaid mobile service can be activated. The Federal Network Agency explains the permitted identification procedures. Atli is a separate travel-data product delivered digitally and does not provide a German number.
For a broader comparison, see eSIM vs airport SIM vs pocket WiFi.
How to set up an Atli eSIM for Germany
Install the eSIM at home before you travel, while you still have reliable WiFi. Do not wait until you arrive: airport WiFi may be slow, require a login or fail when you need it. Check first that your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Installing the eSIM does not start the plan. It starts when your phone first connects to a network at the destination. You have up to 30 days after purchase to make that first connection; after that, the plan starts automatically.
After arrival:
- Turn on the Atli eSIM.
- Select Atli as the cellular-data line.
- Turn on data roaming for that line.
- Stop your home SIM from using mobile data if you want to avoid home-carrier roaming charges.
Keep the Atli eSIM installed after the data plan expires. You need only this one eSIM profile: if you buy another plan later, it is added to the same eSIM automatically. There is nothing new to install. Turn it on at your next destination and select it for mobile data. Data plans expire; the eSIM itself stays on your phone. Do not delete its profile.
FAQ
Does Atli work in Germany?
Does Atli include a German phone number?
Can I keep my normal phone number?
Does Atli get 5G in Germany?
Will a Germany plan work in Austria or Switzerland?
Can I use Atli on ICE trains?
Can I use my phone as a hotspot?
Do I need a new eSIM when I buy another plan?
Checked against Atli’s current prices and networks and official German transport, network and regulatory information, August 2026.
The Booking.com link above is an affiliate link. Booking through it costs you nothing extra and helps keep Atli running.
