Switzerland Roaming Observatory 2025: The cost of roaming to Switzerland - Comparative analysis of the main international operators
- internet-offer.ch
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
In 2025, roaming in Switzerland still represents a significant expense for many users, especially for those coming from the European Union, where roaming charges have been abolished. Switzerland, not being part of the European Economic Area, maintains different and often penalizing rules. This report provides a detailed analysis of the roaming costs to Switzerland for each operator in neighboring countries (Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Liechtenstein). We conclude with a comparison between the nations to identify trends, anomalies, and potential savings opportunities for users.
Analysis by Country
Italy – In Italy, most operators offer dedicated packages with Switzerland included, with monthly prices ranging from €5 to €30. TIM is the most affordable for full packages (only €5 for 5GB and 500 minutes), while Vodafone and Wind3 offer various options with progressive costs. Iliad aligns with TIM, although it only offers a data package (5GB for €5). Fastweb is the only Italian operator that includes Switzerland in the costs of its monthly plan (thanks to agreements with the parent company Swisscom).
Germany – German operators show a similar approach to Italy, with 1&1 and O2 offering extra-EU options where Switzerland is included in some premium packages. T-Mobile differentiates itself by including Switzerland in the subscription costs, providing a distinctive feature compared to other tariffs, while Vodafone allows users to activate options that use the data of their subscription when in Switzerland. The average cost per GB for extra consumption is higher than in Italy. The per-minute charges outside the package are also more expensive.
France – In France, Orange, SFR, Bouygues, and Free Mobile adopt different policies, as all of them include Switzerland within most of their prepaid plans and mobile subscriptions as if it were in Europe. La Poste Mobile is the only one that does not include Switzerland. However, it is worth noting that if users exceed their monthly limits, the cost of 1GB would be higher than in Germany, and per-minute costs are quite high.
Austria – Austrian operators like A1, Magenta, and Drei often offer roaming in Switzerland at higher prices than other countries. No operator offers Switzerland included by default.
Liechtenstein – In the small market of Liechtenstein, operators rely on Swiss or Austrian networks. Switzerland is almost always included in data plans, given the geographical proximity and commercial synergies. The market is small, but the costs are contained, and the approach is very similar to the Swiss one.
Comparison Between Countries - Ranking of Average Costs per GB and Per Minute
Country | Average Cost €/GB | Average Cost €/min | Operators Including CH |
Italy | €2.00 | €0.12 | 1 out of 5 |
Germany | €2.80 | €0.25 | 1 out of 4 |
France | €2.20 | €0.18 | 3 out of 4 |
Austria | €2.00 | €0.14 | 0 out of 3 |
Liechtenstein | €1.50 | €0.10 | 2 out of 2 |
Italy is among the countries with the most competitive offers in terms of cost per GB and per minute, followed by Austria and France. Liechtenstein benefits from lower costs due to its geographical proximity. Germany is the least affordable.
Analysis of Out-of-Bundle Per-Minute Costs
If you run out of the minutes included in your roaming package or monthly plan (if it includes Switzerland), you will have to rely on per-minute billing. Let’s see how different operators compare:
As can be seen, the price per minute ranges from €0.00 to €2.49 per minute.
Analyzing the arithmetic mean for each country, we find the following ranking:
Italy: €0.25/min
Liechtenstein: €0.35/min
Germany: €0.71/min
France: €1.07/min
Austria: €1.69/min
On average, Italy and Liechtenstein are the countries where tourists will pay the least per minute if they want to contact family back home. In third place is Germany, which pays twice as much as Liechtenstein and almost three times as much as Italy. France will pay more than four times what the neighboring Alpine countries pay, and finally, Austria represents the segment of tourists and cross-border workers who will face the highest costs.
Conclusion
La Svizzera, pur essendo una delle mete più visitate dagli europei, continua a rappresentare Switzerland, although one of the most visited destinations by Europeans, continues to be an expensive exception in terms of roaming. The country’s absence from the EU/EEA area prevents the application of the "roam like at home" principle, leading to often high rates, even among operators within the same international group.
As a timeless suggestion, those who frequently travel to Switzerland should carefully evaluate roaming options or consider local SIM cards and alternative services (international eSIMs, Wi-Fi hotspots, prepaid Swiss SIM cards). Moreover, using online comparators such as internet-offer.ch allows users to identify the most suitable offer for their connection needs even across borders with just a few clicks.
Remember: All standard roaming rates and roaming bundles offered by each operator are available on the following organic pages of internet-offer.ch. With bundles or alternative solutions, tourists can still save a lot compared to standard rates.
Sources
This report is based on data collected from the official websites of the European mobile providers mentioned. Below are the web links for the references:
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