Cost effective phone cards in Spain
 

Cost effective phone cards in Spain

I'm still looking for the best phone card to use for local calls in Spain. I've run into a wall searching for these cards online. Most of them, as stated on comfi dot com include an outrageous 99cent surcharge for calls made from a payphone.

Of course, I ONLY use payphones with my phone card and only this way, in addition to skype can I totaly replace my cell phone in expensive roaming zones (like spain). What I do is go to a payphone, and make calls using a toll free 1-800, or local equivalent. Thay way I can make the call for next to nothing (or free), and talk at low rates, 2 or 3 cents/minute. Last time I did this, I managed to squeeze a 10 dollar card for near to 3 months. I'd like to redo this in Spain, and elsewhere in Europe thereafter.

WHAT CARD AM I LOOKING FOR?

You can purchase these at any tobacco shop and if I recall correctly, you can get them in various prices--I think I bought a 6 Euro card and it was sufficent for our 3 weeks there (but we used e-mail to communicate mostly, which IMO is the most efficient way.)

I've used the Europa card twice in Spain and several times in other countries. It works great for calls to the US and I would suppose, to other countries, too. I've always used it from the hotel room, so I can't comment about pay phones. But on my last trip to Sicily, the Tour Director said it can also be used from pay phones. It was about 5 euros in Sicily in March. Ciao! mhm

I buy a Telefonica Card at a Tabac: one with a chip imbedded on the card. I believe they are sold in 2-denominationss (7 & 14 Euro). They are used in Blue, Telefonica kiosks. There's no surcharge.

Eircom, in the Irish Republic, has a similar card: same technology but not interchangeable. I don't know of any cards using that technology that can be used on multiple systems (i.e., in more than 1-country).

the latest card i have been buying is called "Speak". 5 euros.. 1,000 and more minutes. but there are many.

you buy them at the "locutorios" in spain. where you can also make local and international calls and use their computers. great places.

However, i use it from a landline and for international calls.

from a payphone it will just zap minutes faster, and they all do that.

as mentioned, telefonica has its own card, and one can call from booths with that. but there are other small telephone companies that own some of the phones in restaurants/bars.. from which i don´t even think y can make a free 900 number call (900 in spain is like 800 in usa)and must use coins.

at payphones just drop in 50 cents and talk, but if you are calling mobiles.. you will need to put in LOTS more.

one cannot call mobiles cheaply from ANYWHERE.

best to text on local mobile to local mobile.

Hi, lincasanova, thanks for the info about SPEAK. Would you happen to know if that card can be used from a mobile phone?? I have a Spanish Vodafone mobile with one of the Vitamina plans and I would like to be able to call home to the US using my mobile. I can do it now with my ATT card but it is very expensive. As for callin mobiles, yes it is horribly expensive. As common as mobiles are now I cannot understand why this should be true!

Thanks in advance.

you can use all these phone cards from mobile phones.
it is just the fees are probably very very high.

unless you have an emergency, i do suggest you just pop into one of these mainly immigrant run locutorios ( they are in almost every town now) that are solving the phone problem for many peoples from around the world.

or buy a cheap spanish pack of phone and sim card ( abut 39-55 euros) and let everyone call YOU. ( no charge!)