Three EU roaming: Charges, passes, and alternatives

Three international roaming helps users all over the UK stay connected as they travel the world. If you’re travelling to Europe in particular, roaming rules may have changed due to Brexit. Don’t worry – you’ll still be able to roam in Europe with Three, but you may have to buy certain roaming passes and pay Three’s EU roaming charges. 

This blog covers everything you need to know about roaming in Europe with Three, including roaming charges, plans, and travel passes. We also include a cost-effective alternative to staying connected internationally – travel eSIMs. eSIM providers like Holafly provide unlimited data eSIMs for over 200 destinations worldwide. 

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Does Three have free EU roaming? 

Yes and no, depending on your plan and/or when it started. Three offers built-in free roaming in Europe (and other destinations) with its Three Your Way Value and Three Your Way Complete plans. 

If not on one of these plans, Three implements roaming charges for using your phone in Europe, depending on when your plan started. If you’re a Pay Monthly customer who joined or upgraded on October 1, 2021, and after that date, you’ll have to pay daily roaming charges in their Go Roam destinations. 

If you’re a Pay Monthly or Pay As You Go customer whose plan started before October 1 2021, you won’t have to pay any daily roaming charges in Europe. 

Here’s a table highlighting which Three plans come with free roaming in the EU. 

Three EU roaming countries

Prices and passes vary for Three’s international roaming services in different zones. These zones include Go Roam in Europe, Go Roam Around the World, and Rest of the World. 

Here are all the 49 European destinations covered in Three’s Go Roam in Europe zone: 

Depending on when your Pay Monthly plan started, you can use your UK call, text, and data allowances (for a roaming charge) in these destinations as long as you stay within Three’s fair use limit. 

European countries not included in Three’s Go Roam in Europe zone 

Three’s Go Roam in Europe zone covers most, but not all, European destinations and territories. If you travel to any of these specific destinations, you’ll be subject to their respective zones’ roaming rates (depending on your plan and/or when it started). 

Three EU roaming charges, plans, and passes

Three EU’s Go Roam services allow users to use their existing plan’s data, minutes, and texts in over 160 destinations worldwide. 

If you are on a Three Your Way Value or Three Your Way Complete plan, these have inclusive Daily Go Roam passes. You can roam for up to 56 days in 49 European destinations and more worldwide. 

If you’re on any of Three’s Lite or Advanced plans – or a Pay Monthly plan that began after 1 October 2021 – you’ll need to purchase a Go Roam pass or pay a daily roaming charge to stay connected in Europe. 

It’s essential to know that all Three’s Go Roam plans are subject to their Fair Use Policy, which allows up to 12 GB of data roaming a month.

Go Roam in Europe (Pay Monthly customers)

You can unlock your UK allowances by buying a Go Roam in Europe pass. This pass includes: 

• Calls and texts to standard landlines or mobile numbers in the UK or any other Go Roam in Europe destination 
• Call voicemail and Three’s customer service
• Up to 12 GB of your data allowance 

Daily roaming (Pay Monthly customers)

If you’re in Europe just for the day and need to use your phone, you can also pay the daily roaming charge – £2 – to unlock your allowances for 24 hours only. If you have a Spend Cap on your account, it must cover this daily roaming charge plus any other charges. If not, you won’t be able to roam. 

Data passport (Pay Monthly customers)

Data Passports are available for Pay Monthly customers and only include data roaming; roaming rates will apply separately for sending texts and making calls. 

You can activate your Data Passport for £5 per day and use as much data as you want for 24 hours. You can also purchase as many Data Passports as you need in advance. However, Data Passports are only available in 89 countries; if you’re travelling to a destination that isn’t included, you’ll be charged the standard roaming rates. Here are the 53 European destinations where you can get a Data Passport to roam:

Pay As You Go EU roaming charges

Let’s say you’re heading to Europe and don’t have inclusive roaming services or roaming passes. While you can still use your phone in Europe, you’ll be charged standard roaming rates, which vary according to the zone. 

Non-EU Three Europe roaming charges 

As mentioned previously, some European destinations and countries fall outside Three’s Go Roam in Europe Zone. If you’re travelling to Europe and the country doesn’t belong to this zone, here’s what you’ll be charged. 

Go Roam Around the World Extra roaming passes range from 3-14 days for £17.50-£84. You can also pay the daily roaming charge of £7/day for Around the World Extra destinations, including any European destinations that fall in this zone.

How to avoid Three EU roaming charges 

Roaming internationally doesn’t always have to burn a hole through your wallet. Avoid Three UK roaming charges by staying connected smartly with these quick tips.

Verify whether your destination is covered by Go Roam zones 

Make sure your travel destination is covered by Go Roam in Europe before you depart. Because this zone will let you use your UK allowances (at an extra charge/for free, depending on your plan), you can save some money. If you’re mistaken about where your destination falls in Three’s Zones, you might have to pay more than expected. 

Set data consumption limits and turn off roaming whenever possible 

Since Three’s Fair Usage Policy implements a 12 GB data usage cap for Go Roam plans, try to limit mobile data consumption. Set an alert for when you’re nearing a limit. If you’re heading somewhere not included in your current Go Roam pass, turn off data roaming altogether and stick to WiFi. 

Consider alternatives like travel eSIMs 

Nowadays, travellers gravitate towards eSIMs purely because of their ease of use and convenience. Travel eSIMs help you stay connected without complicated sign-up processes and unexpected expenses. Many are affordable, offer unlimited data like Holafly, and are perfect for frequent travellers. 

Holafly: A cost-effective alternative for staying connected abroad 

Three offers various options for staying connected internationally, including Go Roam passes, daily roaming charges and Data Passports. Each option is suitable for different types of travel: short vacations, extended holidays, and super quick visits. 

An alternative to Three international roaming is unlimited data travel eSIMs. Holafly offers unlimited data eSIM plans in over 200 destinations and regions, including Europe. With Holafly’s eSIM for Europe, you can pay as little as £2.71 per day for a 14-day trip and get unlimited data and a daily 1 GB allowance for hotspot sharing. Compare this to Three’s Go Roam in Europe 14-day pass for £24 and a 12 GB usage limit.

Holafly Connect also offers a pay-monthly eSIM subscription service for frequent travellers, digital nomads, and remote workers looking to travel to Europe and 170 other destinations for the long haul. You can choose from three plans (unlimited, 25 GB, 10 GB), with the unlimited data plan for $64.90 (~£48) per month. 

Whether you need an eSIM for a shorter vacation or fast internet for extended trips, stay connected anywhere in the world with Holafly. 

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Mahnoor Bangush

SEO Content Writer

Born and raised in Queens, New York, I'm a Psychology graduate with a passion for writing that I've been nurturing since 2019. Over the years, I've enjoyed creating meaningful content across various niches, including sports, hospitality, and career development. At Holafly, I focus on crafting useful and inspiring pieces to make your adventures more effortless. One of the best perks of this role? Creating travel content always seems to inspire my next vacation destination!

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