The Islands of Guernsey lie in the Bay of St Malo, off the coast of France: Guernsey itself, with its harbour town of St Peter Port, plus Alderney, Sark and Herm. The Bailiwick is a British Crown Dependency, part of neither the UK nor the EU, so it is not covered by Roam Like at Home, and Visit Guernsey warns that roaming charges apply to UK phones as well. Whichever SIM you carry, check its terms before the ferry docks.
Key facts for Guernsey
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Sure (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 999 for the police, the fire service or an ambulance
- Embassies: none on the island; embassies in London cover Guernsey, and France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have honorary consuls there
Arriving: photo ID, passports and the ETA
Arriving direct from the UK or Ireland, you do not need a passport, but every visitor needs some form of photo ID, and carriers set their own rules, so ask yours. Arriving from anywhere else, such as France, you need a valid passport whatever your nationality. Since 23 April 2026, non-visa nationals travelling direct from outside the Common Travel Area need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA); British citizens are exempt. An ETA allows several trips over two years, or until the passport expires if sooner, with stays of up to six months, and every traveller needs one, children included; one issued by the UK, Jersey or the Isle of Man is also valid here. Visa nationals must get their visa before travelling. French citizens on a day trip by direct ferry can still come with their national identity card under a scheme extended for the 2026 season. Guernsey is outside the EU, so customs allowances apply to alcohol and tobacco.
Island hopping without a car
Herm is a 20-minute boat ride from St Peter Port all year, Sark has several sailings a day all year round, and Alderney is served by a daily ferry from March to October. A passenger ferry also links Guernsey and Jersey from March to October, five days a week, and other routes reach St Malo, Poole and Portsmouth. Cars are not allowed on Herm or Sark. On Sark, properly labelled luggage is carried from the ferry to your accommodation, a tractor bus climbs Harbour Hill for a small fee, and visitors get around on foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage on roads that are not paved. The harbour has steps but no ramp, so anyone needing help must arrange it in advance through the visitor centre.
Tides, lanes and parking
The islands have one of the greatest tidal ranges in the world, 33 feet, and the tide reshapes the coast every 6 hours, so check the tide tables before walking out to rocks or islets. On Guernsey, roads are narrow and the maximum speed is 35 mph, dropping to 25 mph around towns, local centres and schools, and to 15 mph on the Ruettes Tranquilles, lanes where walkers, cyclists and horses have priority. At filter-in-turn junctions, everyone takes turns. Most parking needs a parking clock set to your arrival time, sold on the ferry, at the Guernsey Information Centre and at the police station, and you cannot re-park in the same zone for 30 minutes. Sockets take the same 3-pin plugs as in the UK.
Money, healthcare and local customs
The currency is sterling, with Guernsey's own notes and coins; UK and Jersey money is accepted, but Guernsey notes are not taken in the UK, so spend them before you leave. Cards are widely accepted, and some businesses take euros but give change in sterling. Since 1 January 2023, a reciprocal arrangement gives UK residents medically necessary care during a visit; bring your GHIC or EHIC, but note that it does not cover repatriation. Visitors from elsewhere should have medical insurance, because GPs and dentists are private and charge every patient, and ambulance call-outs are charged too. The Princess Elizabeth Hospital is the island's only hospital. On Sark, the emergency services answer 999 calls, and serious cases are transferred to Guernsey by marine ambulance or lifeboat. Smoking is banned in enclosed public places, and 9 May, Liberation Day, is a public holiday.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up before departure connects as soon as you step off the ferry. A Guernsey plan runs on Sure, with 5G where available; a Europe plan covers Guernsey together with the UK and France, handy for a crossing from St Malo, and a Europe Extended plan, a Mediterranean plan or a World plan include Guernsey too. Keep your usual SIM for bank security texts, with its data roaming switched off.
With a UK SIM: Guernsey is outside the UK, and Visit Guernsey says roaming charges apply, so check your tariff before relying on it.
Consular protection: who to call in Guernsey
- Dial 999 for the police, the fire service or an ambulance, including on Sark.
- Guernsey is a Crown Dependency, so British visitors deal directly with the island's police, hospital and Border Agency rather than with a consulate.
- Other nationalities are covered by their embassies in London. France, whose honorary consul works from Victor Hugo's former home, Hauteville House, in St Peter Port, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have honorary consuls on the island, and Belgium, Portugal and Spain cover it through honorary consuls in Jersey.
- Use the Telcomia app before you travel to find the embassy or consulate that covers Guernsey for your passport, and save its phone number.
- If your EU country has no representation for Guernsey, you can turn to the embassy or consulate of any other EU country, which must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the everyday language.
Questions travellers ask about Guernsey
Will my EU SIM work in Guernsey?
Only on roaming at your operator's own rates, because Guernsey is outside Roam Like at Home.
Do I need an ETA for Guernsey?
Only if you are a non-visa national travelling direct from outside the Common Travel Area. British citizens are exempt, and an ETA from the UK, Jersey or the Isle of Man is also accepted.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Guernsey?
Sure, with 5G where available.
Can I bring a car to Sark or Herm?
No. Neither island allows cars, so plan to walk, cycle or take a carriage on Sark.
The short version
Check whether you need an ETA, carry photo ID or a passport, install the eSIM before sailing, read the tide tables, keep to 35 mph and set a parking clock, spend your Guernsey notes before leaving, bring insurance for doctors and ambulances, and save 999.
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