What is Smart Routing?

Smart Routing is a technology that allows us to offer VPN servers in countries we might not otherwise be able to. Instead of running servers physically inside those countries, we use servers that are, in reality, located elsewhere.

These Smart Routing servers behave just like the other servers on the Proton VPN network do. They are also run on our own bare metal servers, so they are equally secure. When using a Smart Routing server, you will appear to access the internet from that location, and will benefit from all the features and security advantages of using Proton VPN. 

Why use Smart Routing servers?

Anti-censorship

Smart Routing allows us to provide VPN access in countries where government censorship and restrictions would otherwise make it impossible (or less secure).

For example, we replaced our physical VPN servers in India with Smart Routing servers to protect our community from India’s intrusive surveillance laws.

Speed and performance

In some countries, we offer both physical and Smart Routing servers.

When you connect to a Smart Routing server, it looks like you’re browsing from your destination country. But a server’s physical location is a key factor in speed and performance.

So, depending on your location, a Smart Routing server may provide faster and lower-latency connections than those physically located in your destination country.

Reverse Smart Routing

If you’re in a country that hosts the physical servers used for Smart Routing, connecting to a Smart Routing server gives you a foreign IP address and the speeds and low latency from your home country.

Let’s say you’re in the United Kingdom but would prefer not to browse from there. If you connect to a Smart Routing location that routes through the UK (like Albania or Kenya), you can enjoy the fast connection speeds you’d normally get from a UK server, while appearing to access the internet from a different country.

Smart Routing locations

Here is a list of the countries served by Smart Routing, and details of where the physical servers for each country are located.

Locations marked with * have both Smart Routing servers and physical servers inside the country. 

• Afghanistan: United Kingdom (London)
• Albania*: France (Marseille); United Kingdom (London)
• Algeria: United Kingdom (London)
• Andorra: Spain (Madrid)
• Angola: France (Marseille)
• Argentina*: United States (Miami)
• Armenia: Romania (Bucharest)
• Azerbaijan: Romania (Bucharest)

• Bahrain: United Kingdom (London)
• Bangladesh: Singapore
• Belarus: United Kingdom (London)
• Bhutan: Singapore
• Bolivia: United States (Miami)
• Brazil*: United States (Miami)
• Brunei: Singapore

• Cambodia: Singapore
• Cameroon: France (Marseille), United Kingdom (London)
• Chad: France (Marseille)
• Chile*: United States (Miami)
• Colombia*: United States (Los Angeles)
• Comoros: United Kingdom (London)
• Congo: United Kingdom (London)
• Costa Rica: United States (Miami)
• Côte d’Ivoire: United Kingdom (London)
• Cuba: United States (Miami)

• Democratic Republic of the Congo: France (Paris)
• Dominican Republic: United States (Miami)

• Ecuador: United States (Miami)
• Egypt: United Kingdom (London)
• El Salvador: United States (Miami)
• Eritrea: United Kingdom (London)
• Ethiopia: France (Marseille)

• Gabon: United Kingdom (London)
• Georgia: Romania (Bucharest)
• Greece*: Romania (Bucharest)
• Greenland: Canada (Montreal)
• Guatemala: United States (Miami)
• Guinea: France (Paris)

• Haiti: United States (Miami)
• Honduras: United States (Miami)

• India: Singapore
• Indonesia*: Singapore
• Iraq: United Kingdom (London)

• Jamaica: United States (Miami)
• Jordan: United Kingdom (London)

• Kazakhstan: France (Marseille)
• Kenya: United Kingdom (London)
• Kosovo: France (Paris)
• Kuwait: United Kingdom (London)
• Kyrgyzstan: Romania (Bucharest)

• Laos: Singapore
• Lebanon: France (Paris)
• Libya: United Kingdom (London)
• Liechtenstein: France (Paris)
• Lithuania*: Poland (Warsaw)
• Luxembourg*: Belgium (Brussels)

• Macau: Singapore
• Malaysia*: Singapore
• Mauritania: France (Marseille)
• Mauritius: United Kingdom (London)
• Mexico*: United States (Miami)
• Moldova*: Romania (Bucharest)
• Monaco: France (Paris)
• Mongolia: Japan (Tokyo)
• Montenegro: France (Marseille)
• Morocco: United Kingdom (London)
• Mozambique: United Kingdom (London)
• Myanmar: Singapore

• Nepal: Singapore
• Nicaragua: United States (Miami):
• Nigeria*: Spain (Madrid)

• Pakistan: Singapore
• Palestine*: France (Marseille)
• Panama: United States (Los Angeles)
• Paraguay: United States (Miami)
• Papua New Guinea: Singapore
• Peru*: United States (Miami)
• Philippines: Singapore
• Puerto Rico: France (Marseille)

• Qatar: France (Marseille)

• Russia: Sweden (Stockholm), Estonia (Tallinn)
• Rwanda: France (Marseille)

• Saudi Arabia: United Kingdom (London)
• Senegal: United Kingdom (London)
• Slovenia*: Austria (Vienna)
• Somalia: France (Marseille)
• South Africa*: France (Marseille)
• South Korea*: Singapore
• South Sudan: United Kingdom (London)
• Sri Lanka: Singapore
• Sudan: France (Marseille)
• Syria: United Kingdom (London)

• Taiwan*: Singapore
• Tajikistan: France (Marseille)
• Thailand: Singapore
• Togo: United Kingdom (London)
• Tunisia: United Kingdom (London)
• Turkey*: Romania (Bucharest)
• Turkmenistan: France (Marseille)

• Uganda: United Kingdom (London)
• Ukraine*: Romania (Bucharest)
• United Arab Emirates*: France (Marseille)
• Uruguay: United States (Miami)
• Uzbekistan: France (Marseille)

• Venezuela: United States (Miami)
• Vietnam: Singapore

• Yemen: United Kingdom (London)

• Zimbabwe: France (Paris)

How to tell which Proton VPN servers use Smart Routing

Windows

When you select a server in the Countries tab, we clearly indicate if it uses Smart Routing servers, along with their possible physical locations. Each Smart Routing server has a globe icon. Hovering over it displays a tooltip with the server’s physical location.

In this example, some Albanian servers are physically located in Tirana, while others are Smart Routing servers that route through the UK or France.

When you connect to a Smart Routing server, this is clearly displayed on the home screen. If you hover over the Smart routing label, a tooltip reveals the country of the physical server.

Android

When you select a server in the Countries tab, we clearly indicate if it uses Smart Routing servers, along with their possible physical locations. Each Smart Routing server has a globe icon.

In this example, some Albanian servers are physically located in Tirana, while others are Smart Routing severs that route through the UK or France.

Tap an active connection from your home screen to view details. When connected to a Smart Routing server, you can see which country your connection is routed through.

macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Linux (GUI)

All Smart Routing servers are marked with a globe icon. You’ll also see globe icons in the country list, next to all countries with 1 or more Smart Routing servers.

Linux (CLI), Browser Extension, Apple TV, Android TV

Smart Routing servers are not currently marked. Please refer to the list of Smart Routing locations to find out which countries are covered. For more information about a specific server, you can contact our customer support team. But remember that Smart Routing servers provide the same experience as any other Proton VPN server — there’s no difference in security, privacy, or performance.