Balkans eSIM for Indians (2026)

Choosing a Balkans eSIM for Indian travellers means reading coverage lists closely, because our plans, Jio's packs and Airtel's packs each leave out different stops. A road trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor and Mostar also crosses borders several times.

Short answer

Yes, eSIMKite's 46-country Europe plans work in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Albania, from ₹899 for 5 GB over 30 days, but not in North Macedonia or Kosovo. For those two, add a country plan, or pick the Global 5 GB plan at ₹3,099, which covers all eight stops in this guide. Jio's ₹951 pack covers five of the eight (not Slovenia, North Macedonia or Kosovo); Airtel's packs cover all but Kosovo.

Which plan covers which destination

Destination	eSIMKite plan, 5 GB, 30 days	In our regional plans?	Jio packs	Airtel packs	UPI
Croatia	₹399	Europe and Global	All lists	Yes	No
Slovenia	₹399	Europe and Global	132-country and data-only packs	Yes	No
Bosnia and Herzegovina	₹899	Europe and Global	All lists	Yes	No
Montenegro	₹549	Europe and Global	All lists	Yes	No
Albania	₹699	Europe and Global	All lists	Yes	No
Serbia	₹549	Europe and Global	All lists	Yes	No
North Macedonia	₹799	Global only	Not on Jio's lists	Yes	No
Kosovo	₹2,699	Global 5 GB and 10 GB only	Not on Jio's lists	No	No

eSIMKite prices and plan lists from esimkite.com, 21 Oct 2026 ('Europe': the 46-country plans). 'All lists': Jio's 75-, 100- and 132-country and data-only packs. Jio and Airtel lists read 21 Oct 2026; UPI from BusinessLine, 31 Aug 2026.

One Europe plan or country plans: read the coverage list

Each regional plan has its own country list, shown on the plan card before you pay. On 21 October 2026 the 46-country Europe plans (5 GB for ₹899, 10 GB for ₹1,599, Unlimited for 7 days at ₹1,499) covered six stops: Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia. Other Europe plans have shorter lists: one 10 GB Europe plan leaves out Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The Global 5 GB (₹3,099) and 10 GB (₹5,799) plans covered all eight; Global Unlimited missed Kosovo.

Country plans cost less for one or two stops: 5 GB is ₹399 in Croatia or Slovenia and ₹549 in Montenegro or Serbia. For Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina together, one Europe plan at ₹899 costs less than three country plans. For Kosovo, the Europe 5 GB plan plus a ₹649 Kosovo plan (1 GB, 7 days) costs about half as much as Global 5 GB. See the Europe eSIM page and our Europe guide.

Prices side by side

Option	Price	Days	Data	Calls
eSIMKite Europe 5 GB (six stops)	₹899	30	5 GB	WhatsApp calls over data
eSIMKite Europe Unlimited (six stops)	₹1,499	7	1 GB a day at full speed, then slower	WhatsApp calls over data
eSIMKite Croatia 5 GB	₹399	30	5 GB	WhatsApp calls over data
eSIMKite Global 5 GB (all eight)	₹3,099	30	5 GB	WhatsApp calls over data
Jio 100-country pack (five stops)	₹951	10	4 GB	100 min out, 100 min in
Jio 132-country pack (adds Slovenia)	₹1,499	14	2 GB	100 min, 100 SMS
Airtel 10-day pack (all but Kosovo)	₹1,298	10	6 GB	200 min

eSIMKite prices from esimkite.com, 21 Oct 2026. Jio packs from Jio's pack lists (PDF), read 21 Oct 2026. Airtel pack from TelecomTalk, 6 Aug 2026.

In Croatia and Slovenia, 1 GB for 7 days is ₹99, and Unlimited (1 GB a day at full speed, then 512 Kbps) is ₹599 for 7 days. Short plans cost more than 30-day ones: 5 GB for 7 days in Croatia is ₹649, against ₹399 for 30 days.

Dubrovnik, Kotor and Mostar: crossing borders

Dubrovnik is in Croatia, Kotor in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia is inside the EU's Roam like at home zone; Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are outside it, so a Croatian or other EU SIM can charge roaming there. In February 2026 the European Commission only proposed opening negotiations to bring the Western Balkans into the zone.

A country plan is sold for its own country, so do not expect a Croatia plan to keep working in Montenegro. The 46-country Europe plans cover all three stops, as do Jio's ₹951 pack and Airtel's packs. Bolt runs in Dubrovnik and Split but not in Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, so save offline maps before you cross.

Stop by stop

Croatia

Our Croatia plan lists A1 and Tele2. Croatia's networks are Hrvatski Telekom, A1 and Telemach, and Telemach won Ookla's Best Mobile Network award for the second half of 2025. The median mobile download was 124.12 Mbps in September 2026 (Ookla, 38th). Bolt runs in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula, Rijeka, Šibenik, Osijek and Karlovac, and EU rules stop operators blocking apps such as WhatsApp.

Slovenia

Our Slovenia plan connects to A1, Mobitel and Telemach. Of Slovenia's four networks, Telekom Slovenije won all of Ookla's 2025 mobile awards, and the median download was 145.59 Mbps in September 2026 (22nd). Slovenia is the Jio gap: it is not on Jio's 75- or 100-country lists, so the ₹951 pack does not work here, while Jio's 132-country packs (from ₹1,499 for 14 days) and data-only packs (from ₹999 for 2 GB) do. Bolt runs only in Ljubljana, Maribor and Koper.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Our Bosnia and Herzegovina plan connects to BH Mobile and HT-ERONET. Data is much slower here: Ookla's median download was 25.84 Mbps in September 2026, 96th in the world. The 5 GB country plan is ₹899, the same as the Europe 5 GB plan, which also covers your other stops. Jio's packs cover Bosnia and Herzegovina; without one, Jio charges about ₹2 per MB and ₹25 a minute for calls to India. Bolt does not operate here.

Montenegro

Our Montenegro plan connects to m:tel CG, T-Mobile and Telenor. Ookla had no September 2026 figure; in May 2026 the median download was 114.55 Mbps. On our Montenegro plan, ₹199 buys 1 GB for 7 days, enough for a day trip to Kotor. Jio's packs cover Montenegro; without one, Jio charges about ₹2 per MB. Bolt does not operate here.

Albania

Our Albania plan connects to One Albania and Vodafone. Speeds are high: Ookla's median download was 137.97 Mbps in September 2026, 27th in the world. 1 GB for 7 days is ₹149. Albania is on all of Jio's pack lists and on Airtel's list. Bolt does not operate here.

Serbia

Our Serbia plan connects to VIP, mts and Telenor, and the median download was 158.43 Mbps in September 2026 (Ookla, 19th). Freedom House rates Serbia's internet 'Partly Free' (67 out of 100) but found only limited website blocking and gave full marks for not blocking content or cutting connectivity. Jio's packs cover Serbia; without one, Jio charges about ₹2 per MB. Bolt does not operate here.

North Macedonia

Our North Macedonia plan connects to Telekom.mk and vip, and Ookla ranked it 12th in the world in September 2026 (median download 174.22 Mbps), the fastest September figure in this guide. But North Macedonia is on none of Jio's pack lists, and Jio's rate table (last updated in 2023) charges about ₹600 per MB and ₹150 a minute for calls to India. Airtel's packs cover it, listed as 'Macedonia'. Our Europe plans do not, so add the North Macedonia plan (₹199 for 1 GB over 7 days) or use a Global plan.

Kosovo

Our Kosovo plan connects to IPKO and Vala. Ookla had no September 2026 figure; in July 2026 the median download was 158.72 Mbps. Kosovo is on no Jio pack list and not on Airtel's list, and Jio publishes no roaming rate for it, so do not rely on your Indian SIM for data. No Europe plan covers Kosovo. Our Kosovo plan starts at ₹649 for 1 GB over 7 days, and the Global 5 GB and 10 GB plans cover it too. Bolt does not operate here.

Entry rules: Croatia is in Schengen, so Indians need a Schengen visa there. For every other stop, check the official portal before you book.

Bank OTPs, WhatsApp and UPI

A travel eSIM is data only. Your Indian SIM stays in the phone as the second line, so your number, WhatsApp account and bank SMS stay with it. More in keeping WhatsApp and bank OTPs working abroad.

Jio: the ₹951 pack includes 25 SMS and 100 incoming minutes in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia; Slovenia needs a 132-country pack. North Macedonia and Kosovo are on no Jio pack list, so do not count on Jio there.
Airtel prepaid: packs cover every stop except Kosovo. The ₹118 activation pack (28 days) switches roaming on at standard charges; check in the Airtel Thanks app what receiving SMS costs.
Airtel postpaid: new plans from ₹499 a month (since 8 October 2026) include one free 5-day roaming trip a year with free incoming SMS; Airtel has not listed the countries.
Vi: check roaming and SMS rules in the Vi app.
WhatsApp: EU rules stop operators in Croatia and Slovenia blocking or slowing apps such as WhatsApp, and Freedom House found only limited website blocking in Serbia. We found no app data for the other five stops.
UPI: UPI merchant payments were not live anywhere on this route on 31 August 2026, so carry a card or forex card.

Avoid bill shock. Without a pack, Jio charges about ₹2 per MB in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, ₹10 in Slovenia and about ₹600 in North Macedonia. Leave data roaming off on your Indian SIM unless you have a pack, and set the eSIM as your mobile data line.

Set it up at home

Check your phone takes an eSIM: iPhone XS or newer, Google Pixel 3 or newer, and recent Samsung Galaxy S and Z models. Dial *#06#: if an EID shows, it does.
Buy one plan that lists every stop, or one plan per stop, and scan each QR code on Wi-Fi before you leave India.
On most plans the validity starts when the eSIM first connects at your destination, not when you buy or install it.
After landing, turn the eSIM line on, switch on data roaming for it, and set it as the line for mobile data.

Step-by-step pictures for iPhone and Android are in how to install a travel eSIM.

When a local SIM or roaming is the better choice

Choose a Jio or Airtel pack if you will make many normal calls on your Indian number and your route avoids their gaps: Jio's ₹951 pack has 100 outgoing and 100 incoming minutes over 10 days, and Airtel's ₹1,298 pack has 200 minutes. If you mostly call India over Wi-Fi, Jio's Wi-Fi calling packs cost ₹121 for 100 minutes or ₹521 for 500, on phones that support Wi-Fi calling.

Choose a local SIM for a long stay in one country. A SIM bought in Croatia or Slovenia works at home prices across the EU's Roam like at home zone, but the zone does not include the other six stops in this guide, where an EU SIM can charge roaming. On a trip with several borders, one travel eSIM with every stop on its list is simpler.

Questions

Does Jio work in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia?

Yes. All five are on Jio's 75-, 100- and 132-country lists, so the ₹951 pack (10 days, 4 GB, 100 minutes each way, 25 SMS) works in each. Slovenia needs a 132-country pack, from ₹1,499. North Macedonia and Kosovo are on no Jio pack list.

Can I use my Indian SIM in the Balkans?

Yes, for calls and bank OTPs, if roaming is on and the SIM stays switched on as the second line. Airtel's packs cover every stop except Kosovo; Jio's miss North Macedonia and Kosovo.

Do I need a SIM card in the Balkans, or cash to buy one?

No. A travel eSIM installed at home gives you data when you land, and you pay for it online in rupees, so you need no cash and no SIM shop. We could not confirm how local tourist SIMs are sold or paid for on this route.

Which Balkan destinations does the Europe eSIM cover?

The 46-country Europe plans cover Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia, from ₹899 for 5 GB over 30 days, but not North Macedonia or Kosovo. Other Europe plans have shorter lists, so check the plan card.

Does a Croatia eSIM work in Montenegro?

Do not count on it: a Croatia plan is sold for Croatia. The 46-country Europe plan covers both (5 GB for ₹899), or add a Montenegro plan (1 GB for 7 days is ₹199).

Is Kosovo covered?

Yes, by our Kosovo plan (from ₹649 for 1 GB over 7 days) and the Global 5 GB and 10 GB plans, but not by any Europe plan. No Jio pack covers Kosovo and Airtel does not list it, so an eSIM is the practical option.

Why does my signal drop near borders on a coach trip?

Usually because your plan or pack does not cover the place you have just entered, such as a Croatia plan in Montenegro or a Jio pack in North Macedonia. Pick one plan that lists every stop, and save offline maps.

Can I share the eSIM as a hotspot?

Usually, yes: hotspot is included on most plans. Connected devices share your plan's data.

More guides

Get your Croatia eSIMQR code on screen and by emailQR code by email after a document check · 4G/5G · from $1.49

See Croatia plans

Sources

Written by the eSIMKite team and checked by Vicky Pathak. Prices checked on 21 October 2026. We sell travel eSIMs, so every outside figure links to where we found it.

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Balkans eSIM for Indians (2026): which Europe plans cover your route