Best eSIM for Finland from Australia

…and why BambooSIM is now my go-to

In partnership with BambooSIM. BambooSIM gifted me the eSIM I used on this trip.

Buying a BambooSIM? Use the code LAPLANDLOWDOWN to get 10% OFF!

In January 2026, I was driving a rental car through Finnish Lapland when the engine died. It was cold and dark and we were a long way from anywhere. I spent a very long time on the phone to roadside assistance and the rental car company. The whole time, I was stressing about two things – the situation we were in and what those calls were costing me.

The calls were costing a fortune. When I got home, my phone bill was eye-watering.

So on my most recent trip, through Finland, Croatia and Thailand, I did things differently. I used a BambooSIM eSIM and it’ll now my go-to for every trip to Finland, Lapland and Europe!

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Why your Australian SIM is a costly choice in Finland

If you make calls on your Optus, Telstra or Vodafone SIM while you’re in Finland, you’re roaming. A call to a Finnish or European number gets routed from Europe back to Australia and out to Europe again and you pay international rates for it. A long call in an emergency can add up very quickly.

Most travel eSIMs fix the data side of things, but they’re data-only. That’s fine for Google Maps, social media and WhatsApp. It doesn’t help when you need to ring a rental car company, a tour operator, or an airline’s baggage desk that only takes phone calls.

What made BambooSIM different – a French phone number with calls included

My absolute favourite thing about BambooSIM was that my eSIM came with a French mobile number and included call time. Because France is in the EU, that number worked for calls right across Europe, including in Finland and Croatia. That meant two things:

• I could call European numbers without worrying about the cost. No more watching the call timer.
• People could call me back. Hotels, transfer companies and airlines could reach me on a European number, rather than me hoping they’d ring an Australian mobile.

This all mattered more than I was expecting it to. But hey, that’s the thing with travel, you never can tell what will go down when you travel. It is always best to control what can be controlled!

When my luggage didn’t arrive

On one of my flights, my luggage didn’t turn up. I called Lufthansa in Germany and stayed on the phone for as long as I needed to sort it out, without any worry about the cost. Compared with my Lapland breakdown, it was a completely different experience. I could just focus on fixing the problem.

One eSIM for Finland and Croatia

I used one BambooSIM Europe eSIM that covered both Finland and Croatia. I didn’t swap SIMs at the border or buy a new plan on arrival. It just kept working.

BambooSIM’s Europe plan covers 34 countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Germany, Croatia, Italy, France and the UK. That makes it ideal if you’re combining Lapland with a few days in Stockholm, Tallinn or anywhere else in Europe.

In Finland, it connects to the local DNA and Telia networks, with up to 5G where it’s available.

An honest tip – you may not need an eSIM for every stopover

I had a second eSIM for Thailand, but I didn’t really need it. Although I did leave the airport, it was only for minimal time and the critical aspect of the transit was getting through the airport (where I could access free airport WIFI) to my accommodation where I also had free WIFI. If you’re only transiting through Bangkok, Singapore or Doha on the way to Helsinki, you can probably skip a separate eSIM for the stopover and save your money for where you’ll actually be.

BambooSIM is an Australian company

BambooSIM is Australian. It’s registered as BambooSIM Pty Ltd with an Australian ABN and its support team is based in Melbourne.

For Australian travellers, that brings some real advantages:

• Support in our time zone, plus 24/7 support while you’re overseas.
• Guides written for Australians, including setup and roaming tips for travellers leaving from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
• Easy ways to pay, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• Time to plan ahead, since you can buy early and activate any time within 365 days of purchase.
• Supporting an Aussie business, which I love being able to do.

Why a local number is a smart travel safety strategy for Lapland

Finnish Lapland is magical, but it’s remote. Distances are long, winter daylight is short and temperatures can drop well below -20°C. If something goes wrong, being able to make a phone call makes a big difference. That could be a car breakdown, a missed transfer, a cancelled flight, or a husky safari pickup that doesn’t show.

Having a French number with included calls means you can ring roadside assistance, your accommodation or your tour operator straight away, for as long as you need. It’s peace of mind I now consider part of my Lapland safety plan. It also means providers can call you!

Good to know: in an emergency, dial 112 in Finland. It’s free from any phone.

How to set up your Finland eSIM before you leave Australia

1. Check your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked. BambooSIM has a compatibility checker on its site.
2. Choose the Europe plan with calls, texts and data if you want a phone number. The data-only plans don’t include one.
3. Install it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Don’t leave it until you’re tired in the arrivals hall at Helsinki Airport.
4. Label your lines clearly, for example “Home AU” and “Europe”.
5. Switch your mobile data to the eSIM when you land. Turn off roaming on your Australian SIM so you don’t get charged by accident.
6. Download offline Google Maps for Lapland as a backup. Coverage in remote wilderness areas can be patchy with any provider.

Lapland tip – cold weather drains phone batteries

In Lapland’s winter, phone batteries can drain fast. Keep your phone in an inside pocket close to your body and carry a power bank. Your eSIM is only useful if your phone is still switched on.

FAQs: eSIMs for Finland

What’s the best eSIM for Finland if I’m travelling from Australia?

I now recommend BambooSIM’s Europe plan with calls, texts and data. It covers Finland and 30+ other European countries and mine came with a French number I could use for calls anywhere in Europe.

Will my eSIM work in Finnish Lapland?

It works on Finland’s main networks, DNA and Telia, so you’ll have coverage in towns like Rovaniemi, Levi, Saariselkä and Ivalo. Signal can be patchy in deep wilderness areas with any provider, so download offline maps.

Can I keep my Australian number while using an eSIM?

Yes, if your phone supports dual SIM. Keep your Australian line on for things like bank verification texts and turn its data roaming off.

Is BambooSIM an Australian company?

Yes. It’s BambooSIM Pty Ltd, with an Australian ABN and a support team based in Melbourne.

Do I need an eSIM for an Asian stopover on my way to Finland?

Usually not if you’re only in transit. Free airport Wi-Fi is generally enough.

My verdict

After my Lapland breakdown and the phone bill that followed, I’m never travelling to Finland without a local number again. BambooSIM gave me data, calls and a French number on one eSIM across two countries and importantly, it gave me peace of mind. From now on, it’s my go-to for Lapland, Europe and pretty much anywhere else.

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