Car rental in Kyrgyzstan – Mobile Networks for Independent trip
The most common question for any traveler – Which SIM card shall I use in the country?
There are 3 main mobile operators in Kyrgyzstan: Mega, O! and Beeline.
For travelling with car rental in Kyrgyzstan or during rooftop tent adventure in Kyrgyzstan actually you can choose any mobile operator.
All these operators cover most of the country’s territory. If you have one of these SIM cards in your hand, you can be in touch in the city, outside the city, in almost all rural areas, in some remote areas.
Network coverage
When you plan to rent a car in Bishkek the reasonable question is – What about mobile coverage area for individual driving in Kyrgyzstan?
The coverage area of each mobile operator is slightly different.
In some places, the network of one operator is better, in other places – of another. However, main areas are always covered by all operators.
Of course, in some high mountainous areas, in many high mountain passes and gorges you cannot count on mobile communication.
Via following links you can see the coverage network map of each mobile operator:
Mega: https://www.megacom.kg/pages/map_kg?locale=ru
О!: https://o.kg/ru/zona-pokrytija/
Beeline: https://beeline.kg/ru/map
Internet in Kyrgyzstan
As for the Internet, Kyrgyzstan is considered to have the fastest Internet among all Central Asian countries, and the cost of mobile data packages is quite low.
4G network is widely spread in the country, so you can use your phone as a navigation system during your car hire in Kyrgyzstan.
Where to get SIM cards in Kyrgyzstan?
- Airport
- Malls
- Small stores
The easies way is to get your SIM card right after arrival to the country at the Airport.
Once you enter the arrival hall – you can easyly find offices of mobile operators.
SIM cards are issued free of charge – you are paying only for Data Plan.
Approximate cost is 500KGS for 30 days with unlimited data.
SIM cards can be bought upon arrival in Bishkek at sales and customer service offices, shops, and bazaars, but for tourists, it is most convenient to buy a SIM card at the airport exit.
How do I activate the internet package?
You can activate your SIM card by topping up your balance and activating the Internet package you are interested in. For example, an Internet package for 1 week costs starts from 140 KGS weekly or 500 KGS monthly.
The volume of the Internet package varies depending on the mobile operator. It can be 10GB, 20GB, 40GB, or unlimited internet package.
All activation procedures usually are done by staff at mobile office. So, you don’t need to worry about it and you can easily go to for pick-up your car rental in Bishkek.