Where to Buy a SIM Card in Vietnam: Travel Office or Viettel Store?
Why many travellers buy their Vietnam SIM or eSIM at a travel office instead of a network store: clearer prices, no complicated registration, set up and tested for you.
文：AmGo Travel5分で読めます
Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam is one of the first questions travellers ask, and most people assume the answer is a mobile network store. You can do that, but for a short trip it is often slower and more expensive than it needs to be. This guide from the AmGo Travel team in Hanoi's Old Quarter explains why many visitors are better off buying their SIM or eSIM through a travel office, and what to check wherever you buy.
Your options for a SIM card in Vietnam
There are two common places to get mobile data when you arrive:
- A network store, such as a Viettel, Vinaphone or Mobifone shop in town.
- A travel office that sells tourist SIM cards and eSIMs and sets them up for you.
Viettel is one of the largest networks in Vietnam, and it is the network behind the eSIM we sell. So the question is usually not which network, but where you buy it and how much time and money it costs you.
Why buy your SIM at a travel office instead of a network store
1. The price is clear and usually lower
Network stores mainly serve local customers, and the plans on the counter are not always the simple tourist packages you need. When a SIM, a number and a data package are priced separately, the total for a visitor can add up quickly.
At AmGo Travel our Viettel 5G eSIM has three fixed prices:
- 10 days: 200,000 VND
- 15 days: 250,000 VND
- 30 days: 400,000 VND
In our experience, a tourist SIM bought at a network store in Hanoi often costs around 1,000,000 VND, more than double our 30-day eSIM. Prices change and depend on the plan, so wherever you buy, ask for the total price in dong, including the SIM itself and the data package, before you pay.
2. No complicated SIM registration
At a network store every SIM goes through owner-identity registration: you take a number, wait your turn, hand over your passport and go through the registration and verification steps with staff who may speak little English. On a busy day this can eat a good part of your first morning in Hanoi.
At AmGo Travel there is no complicated registration and you do not need to bring any documents. You choose your plan and our team takes care of the rest, while you change money or plan your trip. Your SIM is still reliable, so it will not be cut off halfway through your trip.
3. Set up and tested before you leave
The most frustrating moment is walking out of a shop and finding that data does not work. At our office we install the SIM, check the settings and test the connection on your phone before you go. For the eSIM, we guide you through the online installation step by step on WhatsApp and make sure it works before you rely on it.
4. Advice for your route
Coverage differs between networks in the mountains. If you are heading to Sapa, Ha Giang or Mai Chau, a travel office that runs tours there can tell you what to expect, and help you download maps and tickets before you lose signal.
5. Everything in one stop
At AmGo Travel, 61 Hang Ga Street, you can change money, get your SIM set up and ask about tours, cruises and transfers in the same visit. Our money exchange and SIM card guide covers the money side in more detail.
When a network store still makes sense
A network store is the right choice if you are staying in Vietnam for months, need a long-term Vietnamese number in your own name for banking or work, or want a monthly plan that a tourist package does not cover. If you speak Vietnamese and have time, it is also a perfectly good option for a short trip.
Physical SIM or eSIM?
- eSIM: no card to swap, so you keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes. Your phone must support eSIM and be network-unlocked. Tell us your phone model on WhatsApp and we will confirm before you buy.
- Physical SIM: works in almost any unlocked phone. Just come to our office at 61 Hang Ga; no documents are needed.
What to bring and what to check
- An unlocked phone. A phone locked to your home network will not accept a Vietnamese SIM or eSIM.
- The total price in dong before you pay.
- How many days the plan lasts, so it covers your whole trip.
- A working connection before you leave the counter.
FAQ
Is it cheaper to buy a SIM card at a travel office than at a Viettel store? Often, yes, for a tourist plan. Our Viettel 5G eSIM costs 200,000 VND for 10 days, 250,000 VND for 15 days and 400,000 VND for 30 days. A tourist SIM at a network store often costs around 1,000,000 VND, though prices depend on the plan, so compare the total price in dong.
Do I need my passport to buy a SIM from AmGo Travel? No. At AmGo Travel you do not need to bring any documents. Our team sets up your SIM or eSIM for you, and it still works reliably for your whole trip.
How long does it take to get a SIM at a travel office? Usually just the time to install the SIM and test the connection, and you can change money or plan your trip at the same time.
Which network does AmGo Travel's eSIM use? Viettel 5G, one of the largest networks in Vietnam.
Where can I buy a SIM card or eSIM in Hanoi? AmGo Travel, a Vietnamese team of trip planners and guides based at 61 Hang Ga in Hanoi's Old Quarter, sells tourist SIM cards and the Viettel 5G eSIM, and sets them up for you. You can book the eSIM at amgotravel.com or message the team on WhatsApp.
Get your Vietnam SIM with AmGo Travel
See all Hanoi tours, or message AmGo Travel on WhatsApp before you land and we will help you choose the right plan.
