How to get a local SIM card or eSIM in Antalya, and will Russian websites/services work there?

From messages by 3 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 86 days ago

TL;DR

You can order an eSIM online before the trip (search Google for "Merhaba MTS" — a Turkish operator partnered with MTS, phone must support eSIM) or buy a local Turkcell/Türk Telekom/Vodafone SIM on arrival. Sites blocked in Russia won't open over mobile data — you'll need a VPN, though Wi-Fi usually works fine without one.

What the community said

For an eSIM, search Google for "Merhaba MTS" — it's the top result; you can order it as little as a day before departure. Just make sure your phone supports eSIM.

Merhaba MTS (eSIM)

With a Tele2 plan (around 1GB free data per day) the connection worked fine, but sites blocked in Russia still didn't open even from Turkey — only via VPN.

Tele2 plan, 1GB/day

Russian services get blocked on mobile data, so you'll need a VPN. Over Wi-Fi, sites usually open without any VPN needed.