Internet for a campervan trip through Europe: the connectivity + power stack

On a boat, cellular quits a few kilometres offshore. In a campervan it's the opposite — ordinary cellular is your workhorse and covers most of Europe. The real questions are which SIM or eSIM to run, whether to add Starlink for the off-grid gaps, and — the part most guides skip — the power to keep it all running. This is a researched framework for European van travel, not a hands-on van test; where a number moves around (hardware prices, power draw), we point at the provider's own page instead of quoting something that'll be stale by the time you read it.

1. Cellular is the backbone — SIM/eSIM and the EU roaming rules

Across Europe on land, a phone or router on the mobile network does most of the work. Which option is cheapest depends on where your SIM is from:

• You have an EU/EEA SIM: the EU's "Roam Like At Home" rules let you use your domestic allowance across the EU/EEA at no extra charge — they're in force and run to 2032. Any "fair-use" limit is a per-operator formula, not a single fixed figure, and the European Commission's own FAQ explains how it's set. Two catches: it's tied to the country your plan is from, and the UK is excluded post-Brexit.
• You're a non-EU visitor (say a UK or US home SIM): those EU rules don't apply to your line, and your carrier's international roaming is usually the expensive option. A travel eSIM is normally cheaper.

For most travellers a regional Europe eSIM is the simplest answer: one plan bundles dozens of countries and switches networks automatically as you cross borders, with no swapping SIMs. Airalo and Breeze both sell multi-country European plans.

2. A 4G/5G router — the upgrade that actually matters

For anything more than checking your phone, a dedicated 4G/5G router beats hotspotting. The reason is the antenna: a router can drive a roof-mounted external antenna with clear line-of-sight to the tower and proper MIMO, where a phone is stuck with a small internal antenna at seat height inside a metal box (why the antenna matters). GL.iNet and Teltonika both make travel/RV-oriented cellular routers; dual-SIM failover (two networks, auto-switch) is the feature to look for. For the antenna mount and cabling, LinkGear (EU-based) carries the accessories.

3. Starlink Roam — for where the cell network runs out

Wild-camping or working from somewhere with no usable signal is exactly where Starlink Roam earns its place. The Starlink Mini is the compact, van-friendly kit. But two rules changed recently and both matter for trip planning:

Second, on driving: Roam supports in-motion use, but in several countries — including Spain — in-motion use on land is prohibited, so you set Starlink up when parked, not while rolling (Starlink's in-motion rules; the exact country list differs slightly between Starlink's own pages, so check yours).

Full transparency: Starlink has no affiliate or publisher programme — the Starlink links here earn us nothing and go straight to Starlink's own pages.

4. Power — the layer that makes or breaks the setup

This is where most connectivity guides go quiet and most power guides ignore connectivity — and it's the part that actually decides whether your setup works off-grid. A router sips power; Starlink is a continuous draw and is the load you plan around. Off hookup, that means a leisure battery bank with solar and DC-DC charging, or — for a simpler, plug-and-play comms bench — a portable power station. Starlink publishes its own figures — a Mini averages 20–40 W (15 W idle), a Standard kit 75–100 W — measured system-level and varying with temperature and use, so use them as a planning baseline and size from there. Our off-grid power guide does the maths and explains why you should skip the inverter. EcoFlow, BLUETTI and Jackery are the mainstream EU-available power stations.

Which setup for which camper

• Weekend / short trips (EU resident): your phone on EU roaming is usually enough; add a router only if you work from the van. Skip Starlink.
• Longer touring, mixed coverage: a Europe travel eSIM (or your EU roaming) + a 4G/5G router with an external antenna, and Starlink Roam for the off-grid gaps — sized to the power you can carry.
• Full-time / remote work off-grid: a dual-SIM router for failover + Starlink (mind the new roaming/region rules and where your account is registered) + a proper battery, solar and DC-DC system.

What we haven't tested — and what to re-check

This is a researched framework, not a hands-on van build. The Starlink travel rules above are days old and still rolling out, so confirm the current terms — plus prices, plans and any fair-use caps — on each provider's own page before you commit. We earn a commission on the eSIM, power and gear links (never on Starlink); it never changes what we recommend — see our methodology. Heading to sea instead? See our sailing & ocean-crossing connectivity guide.