Arriving with a European plan
SFR Réunion's travel page says that since 15 June 2017 customers have paid no extra charges for calls, SMS or mobile internet during travel within the European Union, with mainland France and the overseas departments included, subject to reasonable use. It adds that, in Europe, the United Kingdom and the overseas departments, usage included in a plan is available on the same terms as in the department of subscription. The island's tourist board makes a similar point under the heading end of roaming.
These pages are written for customers of French plans. A traveller whose plan comes from another country should check the home operator's own list of included destinations for Réunion, since we could not confirm from the pages we opened how each foreign operator treats an Indian Ocean overseas department. For non-European plans, ordinary international roaming rates may apply, and a local SIM or an eSIM bought in advance is the usual alternative.
SFR La Carte: the island's prepaid card
SFR Réunion's prepaid page describes La Carte as a card with no commitment and no risk of overspending, sold in SFR stores. A promotion valid from 3 September to 14 October 2026 offered the activation kit, which includes a SIM card, a number and 5 euros of credit valid for one month, for 5 euros instead of 10, and the page advertises unlimited weekend calls to mobile and fixed numbers in Réunion. Because that promotion has an end date, do not assume it will still apply when you read this.
The page also says La Carte customers can use their voice and SMS recharge from Europe and the overseas departments, but that mobile internet is not accessible in roaming. For a traveller who wants data, the card is therefore a Réunion-only product, and a plan with a data option is needed on top. French rules require identification to activate a prepaid SIM, as Orange's guide to prepaid cards explains, so carry a passport or national ID.
eSIM at SFR: a counter job, not a download
SFR Réunion's eSIM page says activation is done in an SFR store, where an adviser sets up the line by QR code. It says all SFR plans are compatible, that an eSIM cannot be removed if the phone is lost or stolen and can be deactivated remotely, and that you can add several eSIMs, for example a local plan abroad, while keeping the SFR line active. The page lists compatible iPhones from the iPhone 11, iPad models and a range of Android phones, and offers an appointment booking.
The consequence is that SFR's eSIM is not something a visitor can buy online before landing. If you prefer to arrive with data already working, arrange an eSIM from outside the island and keep the SFR counter for a longer stay.
The 2G shutdown on 30 November 2026
SFR Réunion says its 2G network will end on 30 November 2026, after which phones and devices that work only on 2G will stop working, and it describes the move as part of a reallocation of frequencies to 4G and 5G. It tells customers with alarms, payment terminals or connected devices to ask their supplier whether the equipment still uses 2G.
A modern smartphone is unaffected, but an old feature phone or a tracker that depends on 2G would be. Because the page speaks about SFR's own network, check with Orange and Free if you use another network. SFR also lists 5G plans on its site, and describes its coverage map as showing 4G and 5G deployment in progress, so 5G is not yet universal.
Network names, dialling and free Wi-Fi
The island's tourist board says a phone connects automatically, showing Orange RE or 647-00 for Orange, SFR RU or SFR Réunion or 647-10 for SFR, or Free Réunion. Mobile numbers begin +262 6 92, calls from mainland France use the ten-digit local number without a country code, and calls from abroad use +262 followed by the last nine digits.
The page adds that hotels, restaurants, bars, public bodies, cybercafes and media libraries, and some public spaces, offer free Wi-Fi, which works with WhatsApp, Messenger and Viber. The tourist board's airport page says Roland Garros Airport near Saint-Denis has 100 per cent free Wi-Fi in public areas and the departure lounge, along with charging points, and the south of the island is served by the Pierrefonds airport near Saint-Pierre.
Weather alerts and emergency numbers
The tourist board explains that the prefect, Météo-France and the island's hydrology unit revised the weather and flood vigilance system, rolled out on 5 July 2022 to harmonise levels with mainland France and the other overseas departments. Réunion is divided into five zones, north, east, south-east, south and west, for heavy rain and thunderstorm and strong wind vigilance. Check Météo-France's app before a hike in the cirques, since a vigilance can change within hours.
The tourist board says emergency numbers on the island are the same as in mainland France. France's civic information site lists 15 for medical emergencies, 17 for police, 18 for firefighters and 112 for the European emergency number, with 196 for maritime rescue.
Networks our Réunion plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Réunion, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- Orange5G
- Orange Reunion5G
- SFR4G
- TELCO OI5G