Verizon Wireless → Switching to a new phone

I bought a new Pixel phone from the Google store (unlocked). When I receive the phone do I need to contact Verizon to activate it, or can I just move my SIM card from my old phone to the new phone?

A different set of experiences here. I've purchased several phones over the last 5-6 years and transferred the SIM card from the old to the new. You didn't say what the older phone was, only the new phone. That might make a difference.

Also, if the old phone is still functional, Verizon has some tools to transfer data from the old phone to the new.