Can a first time traveler buy a mobile sim card at a German airport?

The easiest and simple would be Pay as you go SIM Card, where you need no documents. Use a calling card where you can call cheaply. Later you can convert it to a contract SIM card.

Another option is to buy Lyca mobile SIM which has cheap international call bundles. I know a few people that use this to call overseas. This is one provider, I am sure there are others.

Just make sure your phone is unlocked because you will not be able to use the new SIM and you will be forced to by a new phone.

should I purchase pay as you go sim card from my country? i.e before landing in Germany?  Any specific company?

You can get a prepaid ("pay as you go" in the posts above) SIM card in any phone shop - there are certainly some in or around the airport.
It needs to be registered in your name and you have to show an identification and give a residential address (preferably in Germany).
This can be done instantly in the shop (ask if they do it before you buy) or online.
A prepaid card usually costs €10 and has €10 stored value in it. Local calls are usually €0.09/min, but calling abroad is rather expensive with such a card!

Thank you so much.  I reached Germany today. Currently using an Uniconnect Sim card that I purchased from India.  it's a travel sim card worth 30 Euros and it gives me 12Gb Data, 500 mins local calls. This should be sufficient for 2-3 days.  Once I get comfortable, I will get a new sim card from the city in a few days.

If you need 500min and 12GB in 2-3 days, you must be some kind of superhuman user!
I have far less per month ...

beppi wrote:

If you need 500min and 12GB in 2-3 days, you must be some kind of superhuman user!
I have far less per month ...

I won't be needing 500 mins but yes data is a must. 12Gb will last atleast  10 days. I guess

I am online all the time and I am not sure how secure the open wifi networks here are. I don't want to get hacked using a wifi network. Then I will have to buy a VPN to protect myself. Isn't that right?


I watch youtube videos, whatsapp videos, surf, chat on my phone so 1 need atleast 1GB per day but when I checked prepaid plans here. None of the providers offer unlimited data or at least 30-40GB data a month. It's hardly 6GB a month. In India, I had the option to use30GB data a month for just 5Euros.

Any advice using the wifi networks here?

Yes, mobile data usage is restricted here - no unlimited plan or >10GB/month!
I never even need my 1.5GB/month and also don't use public WLAN, so cannot help further. Some plans have the option to renew the monthly data amopunt (for a fee) when it is used up - that, or changing your excessive usage, will be the only options.
(Did you ever notice that there is a world beyond that small screen?)