Algeria is Africa's largest country. Most visitors start in Algiers, with its Casbah and seafront, then head west along the coast to the Roman ruins of Tipaza and on to Oran, or east to the bridges of Constantine and the Roman cities of Djémila and Timgad. The Sahara, from the M'zab Valley around Ghardaïa to Djanet and the Tassili n'Ajjer, is another world. Algeria is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so roaming with a European SIM is billed at your operator's own rates.
Key facts for Algeria
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Djezzy, Mobilis, Ooredoo (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 17 or 1548; ambulance and fire 14
- Embassies: in Algiers
Border areas and the deep south
The UK advises against all travel to within 30 km of Algeria's borders with Libya, Niger, Mali and Mauritania, and of the Tunisian border in the provinces of Illizi and Ouargla and in the Chaambi mountains area. It also advises against all but essential travel to within 30 km of the rest of the border with Tunisia. The US goes further and advises against travel to several southern areas, including Tamanrasset, In Salah and Illizi, and to remote parts of the Sahara without an organised tour group. Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Algeria, and the risk of kidnap is highest in remote desert and border areas. The land border with Morocco is closed: do not try to cross it.
Algiers and the north
Coverage is strong in Algiers, Oran and Constantine and along the coast. Pickpocketing, robbery and petty theft occur in the larger cities, so avoid unfamiliar suburbs after dark and never accept lifts from strangers; in the Casbah of Algiers, go with a good local guide and tell your hotel your plans. Security forces are highly visible, which can feel intrusive, and demonstrations are restricted, so keep away from any gathering. Northern Algeria, including the capital, is also prone to earthquakes.
The Sahara and the roads
Away from the towns, mobile coverage in the south is patchy or absent, so expect to be offline for long stretches and download maps before you set off. Go only with an organised tour run by an approved local agency, which is also a condition for the visa on arrival offered to some travellers heading south, and check the latest advice for your exact route. Road accident rates are very high, lane discipline is poor, and minor roads outside towns are dangerous at night, when some roads and vehicles are unlit. Approach checkpoints slowly with your ID ready, and check where you can refuel before long drives.
Laws to know
Drinking alcohol in public, or being drunk in public, is illegal, and there is zero tolerance of drugs, with penalties that include the death penalty. Same-sex sexual acts are illegal. Bringing in drones, binoculars or telescopes without authorisation is illegal, so check with Algerian customs first. During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in daytime, even in your car, and dress modestly at all times. You need your passport for domestic flights and hotel check-ins, so keep copies of the photo page and your visa separately.
Paying
The currency is the Algerian dinar, and Algeria runs largely on cash: most cards are accepted only in major hotels, and foreign cards do not work in every cash machine. Change money at banks or authorised exchange offices and keep the receipts, as informal exchange carries legal and fraud risks. Non-resident visitors may not take dinars out of the country, so spend them before you leave.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed before your trip connects when you land in Algiers or Oran, and your usual SIM can stay on for texts and bank codes. An Africa plan also covers Tunisia and Morocco.
Algerian SIM cards from Djezzy, Mobilis or Ooredoo are sold at the airport and in operator shops, and you need your passport to register one.
Consular protection: who to call in Algeria
- Dial 17 or 1548 for the police and 14 for an ambulance or the fire brigade; outside the cities, the gendarmerie answers on 1055.
- Embassies are in Algiers. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- An EU citizen whose country has no embassy or consulate in Algeria is entitled to help from the embassy of any other EU country, on the same terms as that country's own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- The app has emergency phrases in Arabic, ready to show on screen, and French is widely spoken.
Questions travellers ask about Algeria
Does my EU plan work in Algeria?
No. Algeria is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator charges its own roaming rates.
Will I have signal in the Sahara?
Only in and around the towns. Download maps beforehand and travel with an organised tour.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Algeria?
Djezzy, Mobilis and Ooredoo, with 4G and 5G where available.
What are the emergency numbers?
17 or 1548 for the police and 14 for an ambulance or the fire brigade.
The short version
Set up the eSIM before you go, carry enough cash, see the Sahara only on an organised tour, keep well away from the border areas, and save 17 and 14.
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