Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory alone in the North Atlantic, far to the north of the Caribbean islands it is often lumped together with. A visit revolves around three hubs: the City of Hamilton, the capital, on its harbour; the town of St George's, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the eastern end; and the Royal Naval Dockyard at the western tip, linked to Hamilton by ferry. The territory is not covered by Roam Like at Home, so a European SIM roams here at whatever its own operator charges, and Telcomia covers Bermuda through regional plans rather than a plan of its own.
Key facts for Bermuda
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: varies by plan
- Emergency numbers: 911 for an ambulance, the fire service, the police or rescue at sea
- Embassies: none; the Bermuda government and the Governor's Office help British nationals, the US has a consulate general in Hamilton, and Canada a consulate in St George's
Arrival card, ticket home and customs
British visitors can stay up to 180 days in any 12-month period without a visa, as long as they hold a ticket for return or onward travel; other passports have their own rules, so check yours. Your passport must be valid for the whole stay and have space for entry and exit stamps, and officers may also ask where you are staying, for example to see a hotel booking. Air passengers fill in the Bermuda arrival card before travelling and download it to show at immigration, though a paper version is available on arrival; cruise passengers are exempt. Visiting as a tourist does not allow you to look for work. Declare large sums of cash and anything that may be restricted or taxed, and pack medicines in their original packaging with the prescription.
Getting around without a hire car
Visitors cannot rent or drive ordinary cars: there are no conventional car rentals, and four-wheeled vehicles are limited to small electric rental minicars that hold two people, whose requirements vary from one vendor to another. Mopeds are the classic alternative, open to riders aged 18 or over with a helmet, but think twice. Roads are narrow, winding and often busy, traffic keeps left, and crashes between 50cc scooters and cars are common and have killed and badly injured people. Outside the towns there are few footpaths and little street lighting, so walkers need care too, especially at night.
The pink buses with blue stripes cover 11 routes, most starting from the Central Terminal on Washington Street, next to City Hall in Hamilton; pink poles at a stop mean the bus is heading into Hamilton, blue poles that it is heading out. Buses stop running after 11:45 pm on weekdays, some routes earlier, and nobody may board wet or sandy. Ferries leave from the terminal on Front Street: the blue route runs to the Dockyard, and in summer the orange route links the Dockyard with St George's. The government's Shorelink app sells tokens, tickets and passes for both; without it you need exact change or a pass from a visitor services centre or one of the terminals. Taxis are metered at government-set rates, take US or Bermuda dollars but not always cards, and gather outside the large hotels, near the airport and in the three hubs. Uber does not operate here, but local apps such as Hitch book rides.
Beaches, storms and street crime
Rip currents are strong in many places around the coast, and most Bermudians do not swim in the sea until after Bermuda Day in late May. The hurricane season normally runs from June to November: follow the Bermuda Weather Service and the US National Hurricane Center, act on the instructions of the Emergency Measures Organisation, and tune in to the emergency broadcast station on FM 100.1 MHz. Crime is moderate, with burglary, mugging and theft of unattended belongings, including from rental scooters, the usual problems, and there have been serious incidents involving weapons. Keep to busier, well-lit streets after dark.
Rules that surprise visitors
Nobody may go topless in public, and there are no nude or topless beaches. Drinking alcohol in public outside licensed premises is illegal. Importing or possessing drugs can mean up to 25 years in prison and heavy fines, and the weapons laws cover air pistols, catapults and ammunition, down to an empty magazine. Same-sex relationships are legal and domestic partnerships are recognised, but same-sex couples can no longer marry; marriages made before 14 March 2022 remain valid, and attitudes are tolerant but conservative.
Hospital bills and transfers to the US
King Edward VII Memorial Hospital has a good accident and emergency department, and most medicines, UK brands included, are easy to find, but treatment is very expensive. Cases that cannot be handled on the island are usually sent to Baltimore or Boston, so your insurance must cover medical costs in the United States and an air ambulance. Dengue is among the health risks.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed at home is online from the moment you land, which matters here because bus and ferry passes and ride-hailing all live in apps. Bermuda has no plan of its own: it is covered through a Caribbean plan, which also includes the Bahamas and much of the Caribbean, or a World plan, which also covers the United States, useful if a hospital transfer or an onward flight takes you there. Keep your usual SIM for bank codes and texts, and turn its data roaming off so it stays silent in the background.
Consular protection: who to call in Bermuda
- Dial 911 for an ambulance, the fire service, the police or maritime rescue.
- As a British Overseas Territory, Bermuda has no British embassy: the Bermuda government helps British nationals in difficulty, and the Governor's Office in Hamilton can also be contacted. US citizens are assisted by the US Consulate General in Hamilton, and Canadians by the Consulate of Canada in St George's, backed by Canada's consulate general in New York.
- Use the Telcomia app to find the mission that looks after your nationality in Bermuda, and save its address and phone number before the trip.
- If your EU country has no consulate responsible for Bermuda, the embassy or consulate of any other EU member state must help you on the same terms as its own citizens (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language.
Questions travellers ask about Bermuda
Will my EU SIM work in Bermuda?
Only on roaming at your operator's own rates, because Bermuda is outside Roam Like at Home.
Can I rent a car in Bermuda?
No. Visitors can hire two-seater electric minicars, mopeds if they are 18 or over, or bicycles, and otherwise rely on buses, ferries and taxis.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Bermuda?
It depends on the plan: Bermuda is covered through the Caribbean and World plans.
Can I pay cash on the bus?
Yes, but only with exact change, as drivers do not give any. The Shorelink app or a transport pass is simpler.
The short version
Install a Caribbean or World plan before you fly, fill in the arrival card unless you come by cruise ship, get Shorelink for buses and ferries, wear a helmet and ride slowly if you hire a moped, leave anything resembling ammunition at home, respect the rip currents before late May, check that your insurance covers the US, and save 911.
Related reads:
Ready to stay connected without surprises?
Activate your eSIM in seconds and travel connected in 200+ countries and territories.
See plans