Internet in Armenia for Tourists: Which SIM or eSIM to Get
Mobile internet in Armenia is cheap. A local SIM with unlimited data for 15 days costs 2,500 dram (about $6.90), and all three operators have a plan at that price. The catch is the trip to a shop with your passport. If you want maps and a ride the moment you land, or your phone has no SIM tray, install a data eSIM at home before you fly. If your US plan already covers Armenia at no extra cost, you may not need either.
In short:
- Viva, Ucom, and Team each sell unlimited data for 15 days at 2,500 dram (about $6.90), on October 30, 2026.
- Ucom says its tourist plan is on sale through October 31, 2026, so ask before you count on it.
- You need a passport and a trip to a shop. Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan has round-the-clock shops. Shirak Airport in Gyumri has none.
- The Moosetrip Armenia eSIM runs on the Viva network, and 3 GB for 30 days is $11.50, on October 30, 2026.
Armenia eSIM from $5.50Install at home, connect when you land.See plans
Dollar prices use 360 dram to $1, the market rate on October 30, 2026.
Roaming, local SIM, or eSIM
The right choice depends on how long you are staying and whether you will visit a shop on day one.
| Option | Good for | Keep in mind | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| US carrier daily pass | A day or two, heavy calling | Adds up fast on longer trips | $12 a day at Verizon or AT&T |
| Local SIM | Two weeks or more, lots of data, an Armenian number | Passport, shop visit, SIM tray, unlocked phone | From 2,500 dram (about $6.90) |
| Moosetrip eSIM | Data right after landing, no shop visit | Data only, unlocked phone with eSIM support | From $5.50 |
Verizon lists TravelPass at $12 a day in most countries, and AT&T lists International Day Pass at $12 a day for one line. Ten days on one line comes to $120. Confirm that Armenia is covered and the rate in your carrier app before you go. Those passes include calls and texts, and a data eSIM does not, so the numbers are not a perfect match. Our TravelPass breakdown shows how the days add up.
A local SIM is the cheapest way to get a lot of data. The Moosetrip eSIM costs more per gigabyte, and you pay for the convenience of skipping the counter. If your phone has one SIM slot and no eSIM, a local SIM takes the place of your US line, and bank texts will not reach you. Our guide on keeping your US number abroad walks through the options.
Viva, Ucom, and Team tourist plans
All three start at the same price. They differ in what happens after day 15.
| Operator and plan | Price and term | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Viva TOURIST UNLIM | 2,500 dram (about $6.90), 15 days | Unlimited data, 300 minutes, 300 texts |
| Ucom uWelcome | 2,500 dram (about $6.90), 15 days | Unlimited data, 200 GB at full speed |
| Team Be Free 2500 | 2,500 dram (about $6.90), first 15 days | Unlimited data, 2,000 minutes, 500 texts |
| Team Be Free 3200 | 3,200 dram (about $8.90), 30 days | 25 GB, 1,000 minutes, 300 texts |
The first three rows were read on the operator sites on October 30, 2026. The Be Free 3200 row dates from September 28, 2026.
Viva. TOURIST UNLIM renews on its own if your balance covers it. If it does not, the plan stops and data falls to regular rates of 30 dram (about 8 cents) per MB. That gets expensive quickly, so top up near the end of week two. The code *210*4# restarts the package, and *210# shows what is left. Viva sells this plan only at its service centers.
Ucom. uWelcome renews on its own too. Past 200 GB in a 15-day term, speed drops to 512 kbps with no extra charge. It is sold at the Ucom service center at Zvartnots Airport, and the page gives October 31, 2026 as the last day of sale.
Team. After the first 15 days, Be Free 2500 renews for 30 days at 5,000 dram (about $13.90) if your balance has that much. Check your balance before you leave so you are not charged for a month you do not need. One detail helps Americans: the 2,000 minutes cover Armenian networks plus the USA and Canada, and the same goes for the 1,000 minutes on Be Free 3200. Team lists dialing conditions, so read them before you call home. Team also sells a separate airport plan, Be Free 5000, at its Zvartnots service center.
Where to buy a SIM
You buy a SIM at an operator's shop, and you need your passport. Your phone must be unlocked. Viva also has shops in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Ijevan, Sevan, Dilijan, Jermuk, and Goris, which helps if you need a top-up on the road.
Viva offers its own eSIM, but it is not something you set up before the trip. You still go to a Viva shop with your passport. New customers pay only for the plan.
Zvartnots Airport, Yerevan. On September 28, 2026, Viva listed two shops open 24 hours, one in the arrivals hall and one in the baggage hall. Team listed a 24-hour service center on September 30, 2026. Ucom sells uWelcome at its service center there.
Shirak Airport, Gyumri. The operators list no shop at the airport. On September 30, 2026, the city had eight shops. Only two opened on Sundays, one Team and one Ucom, and all eight closed by 8 p.m. For a late arrival in Gyumri, sort out your data at home.
5G and coverage outside Yerevan
Viva announced 5G+ in July 2026 for Yerevan and for cities in six provinces: Shirak, Lori, Tavush, Gegharkunik, Kotayk, and Aragatsotn. Ucom says its 5G reaches 94% of the population and shows coverage in every province on its 5G page. Team has its own 5G section on its site.
You do not need to pick a SIM by 5G. 4G handles maps, messages, and video calls. Moosetrip's Armenia eSIM uses Viva, which our catalog lists as Vivacell.
Sevan, Dilijan, Tatev, and other day trips
These notes come from operator shop lists and coverage maps, read in September 2026. Shop hours matter if you need a top-up mid-trip.
- Lake Sevan and Dilijan. Gegharkunik and Tavush are both on Viva's 5G+ province list. Viva shops in Sevan town and Dilijan open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Jermuk. The Viva shop opens on weekdays only, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tatev. The closest Viva shop on the way is in Goris, Monday to Saturday.
- Areni and Noravank. Areni has no shops. The closest are in Yeghegnadzor.
- Debed Canyon. Alaverdi has three shops, all closed on Sunday.
- Tsaghkadzor. The town has one shop, a Ucom, open Wednesday to Sunday.
- Mount Aragats and Amberd. Team's map shows 4G at the fortress. At Lake Kari, only Ucom's map shows 4G.
Before you drive out to Garni, Geghard, or any mountain road, download offline maps and save your hotel address while you are in Yerevan.
How much data you need
With an unlimited local plan, you can stop counting. For an eSIM, use these conservative numbers: 1 GB is about 5 hours of maps and rides, or about 1.5 hours of video calls.
Moosetrip's Armenia plans on October 30, 2026:
| Data | Days | Price | About how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 | $5.50 | 5 hours of maps, or 1.5 hours of video |
| 3 GB | 30 | $11.50 | 15 hours of maps, or 4.5 hours of video |
| 5 GB | 30 | $17.50 | 25 hours of maps, or 7.5 hours of video |
| 10 GB | 30 | $30.50 | 50 hours of maps, or 15 hours of video |
A week of maps and messages fits in 3 GB. Add daily video calls home and take 5 GB. The eSIM installs at home over Wi-Fi from a QR code, and days start at your first connection in Armenia, so you can set it up well before you fly. Your regular number stays on as a second line, and you can add data to the same eSIM. You can check your phone here.
If you are also going to Georgia
The Armenia plan works in Armenia only. Georgia needs its own plan, which you will find on the Georgia page. You can keep both eSIMs on the phone and switch lines at the border. Heading to the coast? Our Batumi SIM card guide covers the airport and shops there.
Questions
Do I need a passport to buy a SIM in Armenia?
Yes. Operators connect a number at their shops, and you show your passport. Viva's own eSIM works the same way. A travel eSIM from home does not need a shop visit.
Which SIM is best for tourists in Armenia?
For two weeks or less, any of the 2,500 dram plans (about $6.90) works: Viva TOURIST UNLIM, Ucom uWelcome, or Team Be Free 2500. For a month, Team Be Free 3200 gives 25 GB at 3,200 dram (about $8.90).
Where can I buy a SIM at Yerevan airport?
Viva lists two 24-hour shops at Zvartnots, in the arrivals hall and the baggage hall. Team lists a 24-hour service center, and Ucom sells uWelcome there too.
What happens after the 15 days end?
Viva renews if your balance covers it. If not, data costs 30 dram (about 8 cents) per MB. Ucom also renews from your balance. Team renews for 30 days at 5,000 dram (about $13.90).
Can I get an Armenian eSIM before I travel?
Not from Viva, which issues its eSIM in a shop with your passport. A travel eSIM such as Moosetrip's installs at home before you fly.
Does Armenia have 5G?
Yes. Viva announced 5G+ for Yerevan and six provinces in July 2026, and Ucom says its 5G reaches 94% of the population. Tourists will do fine on 4G.
What if the eSIM has no data after landing?
Check that data and data roaming are on for the eSIM line. If they are, pick the Viva network by hand in your cellular settings.
Sources
- TOURIST UNLIM tariff plan, Viva, checked 2026-10-30
- uWelcome, Ucom, checked 2026-10-30
- Be Free 2500/15 days, Team, checked 2026-10-30
- Be Free 3200, Team, checked 2026-09-28
- Viva service centers, checked 2026-09-28
- Team sales and service centers, checked 2026-09-30
- Ucom service centers, checked 2026-09-30
- eSIM at Viva, checked 2026-09-28
- 5G+ launch in Yerevan and six provinces, b24.am, July 15, 2026
- Ucom 5G network, checked 2026-09-28
- Team coverage map, checked 2026-09-30
- Ucom coverage map, checked 2026-09-30
- TravelPass FAQs, Verizon, checked 2026-10-30
- International Day Pass, AT&T, checked 2026-10-30
- USD exchange rates, ExchangeRate-API, 2026-10-30