Travel sure has changed since our parents were backpacking Europe. My mom likes for me to call every (week)day. I imagine if I grew up in her age, she'd be happy to see me at the airport upon my arrival back home. Thanks to technology though, there's are a lack of excuses for not checking in with mom while on the road, besides having the time of your life of course.
European must-have travel items have gone from bed liners and traveller's checks to iPhones and DSLRs. The laptop-addict I am, I can go on a pretty darn long trip with my Nexus 4 in hand and not miss a beat. In addition to not missing a beat, traveling with a smartphone these days can really enhance your travel experience in Europe and eliminate the stresses of being in an unfamiliar location. Both the Apple and Android app catalogs are overflowing with travel apps and resources, but here are my favorite European travel apps.
Train Schedules with the DBahn Navigator
If you are traveling Europe by train, it is in your very best interest to download train timetables app from the German train system, the Deutsch Bahn. Although it is the German app, you can find out train schedules across Europe and even purchase tickets within the app and store them on your device.
Alternatives
TheTrainLine (UK Train Travel) Android | Apple
Rail Planner (Offline Time Tables) Android | Apple
Skyscanner
If you are jetting around Europe, and by jetting I mean using one of the wonderfully-cheap-but-lacks-other-winning-qualities airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, WizzAir, etc., Skyscanner is where you should be searching. Although I am a huge fan of Kayak for flight searches, if you are traveling within Europe, you should be using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes the aforementioned airlines in its searches, where as Kayak does not search these flight options.
The app also price compares different travel dates side-by-side and has my all-time favorite feature: everywhere search. Pick a departure airport and then select flights to "Everywhere" to see a price-sorted of list of where you can travel.
Trivago
Trivago is a fantastic hotel search engine. It is a metasearch engine, so it compares all of the other search engines amongst each other to get the lowest price offered. The clean, intuitive interface is impossible not to like and it includes any hotel (and hostel) ever listed on a booking engine.
Alternatives
WeHostels (for hostels) Android | Apple
Hotel Tonight (for last minute stays) Android | Apple
Public Transit Apps
Europe's boasts some pretty modern public transit systems across it's ancient an medieval cities and you'd do well to take advantage of them to maximize your time whilst traveling. Each city names their lines differently. Some offer trams, others offer undergrounds. The best option is to download each city's own public transit application (i.e, RATP in Paris, Metro de Madrid in Madrid) for the most up-to-date timetables. However, if you just need a line map available, the following apps provide the subway layouts and stops for major cities in Europe.
AllSubway
Download: MetroMaps Europe on Android | AllSubway on Apple
XE Currency
The usage of the Euro has eased things for travelers tremendously, but there are still plenty of countries using their own currencies that can cause some serious overspending if you aren't careful. Norway, Switzerland, the UK, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are among the many utilizing their own currencies. Often, the border cities will still accept Euros, but be aware the you are often being charged more than using the local currency. If you are staying more than a day, it is best to withdraw some local money. Don't be foolish; know how much you are spending when you travel.
Amazon Kindle
I am a sucker for a good guidebook lately. I never used them when I first began my European travels, but as I grew hatred for guided walking tours, yet still yearned to know more about the history of the city and its cultural quirks, I turned to bloggers and Lonely Planet guidebooks. Reading guidebooks makes the time pass quickly on those train and bus trips. In Ireland, I read aloud to my travel mates about our next destination in the rental car. When at a tourist spot, I use the table of contents to quickly jump to our location and find out a little more about why I am there and what makes the spot significant. As much as I love soaking up the beauty while eating and drinking when I travel, it is nice to learn a bit along the way.
Spotted By Locals
This app is the insider's guide to 56 major European cities and counting. This app helps users discover the local hotspots that the guidebooks wouldn't even touch on. Spotted By Locals includes all the spots you've scoured blogs looking for to avoid the translated-to-English menus with photographs (can anyone stand those pictures?). These are the spots the locals probably don't want tourists at, but they were kind enough to share them anyway.
City Maps 2 Go
City Maps 2 Go is a library of free, downloadable, offline maps for your smartphone or tablet. Not only does it provide updated maps, but also points of interest, search features, wiki guides, and more. Don't be caught without a map when you arrive at your destination. Maps can help you navigate yourself, or help you not get ripped off by a taxi driver when you can't get there on your own two feet.
Alternative
Google Maps (save maps offline) Android | Apple
Send a Postcard
The only person that will love Postgram more than you is whoever's on the receiving end. I adore sending postcards, but sometimes find them far too cheesy and inconvenient to actually send out. Postgram allows you to send postcards with photos taken on your own device. You can personalize a message and their off. A neat aspect is that the photo pops out of the card in an Instagram-like square to be hung on the fridge, bulletin board, etc. Sending postcards is neat, but sending one with your own photo makes them extra special. It is $0.99 to send to the US and $1.99 to send to other countries, so it's even less than you'd spend on a postcard + postage.
Alternative
Postcard on the Run (as seen on ABC's Shark Tank) Android | Apple
Wi-Fi Finder
If you're reading this blog, you're at least half addicted to the Internet as I am. Although traveling is a wonderful time to disconnect, sometimes desperate times (whether you're having Facebook withdrawals or cannot find your flight confirmation number) call for desperate measures. Wi-Fi finder works offline to find the nearest Wi-Fi points available. It sorts them by free and paid, as well as whether it is a restaurant, cafe, etc.
Free International Messaging
WhatsApp is a free messaging service that syncs with your contacts. Any contact with it installed is available to chat with, send photos, share location, and more. So why use this over traditional SMS? Beyond the fact that it's free, the interface works perfectly across all devices, so it does not matter if you are sending a Windows Phone image to an iPhone (I realize this seems a little old school, but I hate when picture messages malfunction). It also works internationally. Free international messaging allows me to keep in touch with new friends in Germany and everyone back home. I don't know a soul with a smartphone in Germany who does not WhatsApp installed, it's just so lovable.
Alternatives
Viber (includes calling) Android | Apple
What are your must-have travel apps?
44 comments
I've actually been starting to draft a "Travel Tools" post, and you beat me to it!
ReplyDeleteI would add: The TripAdvisor Cityguides app and the regular TripAdvisor app. The Cityguides app is good for fifty or so cities, and it saves your list of places you want to go offline. When you're in one of the available cities, it will use your phone's gps (but not cellular data) for a "point me there" function which has helped me find my hotel in Barcelona, London, and a few other cities already.
I also swear by TripCase - it allows you to collect all your trip data in one place- airplane info, train stuff, hotels, event tickets, etc. You can update/edit/view from the app or from the website. There's a few app/site combos that do this, but I use TripCase.
Other apps I use regularly but am less verbose about recommending: LEO and Google Translate, Hotels.de, FlightTrack, Hipmunk, Frommer's Travel Tools, SeatGuru, GateGuru, Fahrplan, Hotel Tonight, INRIX Traffic, and various localized free public transit apps like MVG Fahrinfo for Munich.
I have almost all of these! I even use the DB app for all countries in Europe, it's that good. I would add Dropbox so you can save your photos to your computer and iTravel which stores Wikitravel articles offline. I also love the CIA World Factbook so you can check out lots of little facts about the country you're visiting.
ReplyDeleteLove all of these! Will definitely be using the first one when we're in Europe over summer :)
ReplyDeleteI have bookmarked this page for the day when I purchase my first Smart phone.
ReplyDeleteThis post couldn't have come at a perfect time since I'm planning a trip to Paris this summer! Will be downloading these apps for sure :)
ReplyDeleteonce again, saving this post. you always know best!!!
ReplyDeleteNakul, please get a smart phone. Whatsapp will change your life in Germany (and so will having the public transit app).
ReplyDeleteThis iTravel thing sounds super neat, I will definitely be checking that out. On Android, all my photos are backed up to my Google + account privately, which seems silly but it comes in so handy for just getting the IMG URL for blog posts.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention this TripCase thing, because when I was writing this post I was thinking that an app that does just that would be fantastic. Normally I just put it all on a Google Doc and have it available offline in Google Drive for me to access. I even put a little icon to the doc on my home screen, so I will definitely be checking that out.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I use most of these and they are all incredibly helpful. I also often use Skype Wifi to search for hotspots - it finds free ones first and paid ones if you need (you can just use your skype credit)...it's handy for those times you are lost at night and can't find a McDonalds/Starbucks! Thanks for sharing - I will be checking the rest of these out.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post, Alex! I love how in depth all of your lists and posts are it really helps out newbies like me-- hopefully I'll be putting these apps into use sooner rather than later ;)
ReplyDeleteAwesome suggestions!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy tripadvisor app totally saved my culo when I missed my flight in Romania! As for the public transportation apps, Seville's bus system finally got with the program, and it's a lifesaver!
ReplyDeleteYes! Awesome list. I found a couple of new apps. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI will. Everyone has a smart phone now-a-days (incl. my mother) and everyone's on Whatsapp. I feel so last to last generation sometimes...
ReplyDeleteSuch a useful post - some new to me which are really useful :D
ReplyDeleteJust avoid getting addicted like the rest of us!
ReplyDeleteThose are greats apps. I am downloading some of them right now. Thanks for sharing! The Deutsche Bahn app was very helpful when I missed my train, the train was delayed or cancelled. :)
ReplyDeleteFor Paris, I recommend the "Paris Metro Subway" app by Presselite. It cost me 99cents in the iTunes store, and it's officially licensed by RATP of Paris. It does all the metro mapping, and does not require a data connection to work.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of Spotted by Locals, so I just downloaded it and am loving it! Since I just moved into Munich, it's perfect to pick out some new spots to try! Thanks Alex :)
ReplyDeleteiTranslate for sure! You can speak right into it and translate into another language! I love that currency app!!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! I can't wait to see you the next time I am in Munich!
ReplyDeleteThanks Steven! I will definitely look into this Paris subway app! It sounds like it will save me alot of trouble while navigating the city :)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, thank you, Kym! I just downloaded it and it is pretty great, somehow better than Google Translate even though I feel it works with it in a way. If only it worked offline, too, then I'd be really freaking out :D
ReplyDeleteYoohoo! Start recording your favorite places for my next trip to Munich!
ReplyDeleteThe DBahn app is literally the only way that I survive in Germany! :)
ReplyDeleteOk, Postagram and Skyscanner are amazing finds! I was hoping something like this existed, but could not find them!
ReplyDelete[…] Here are 12 apps you need to download before travelling Europe […]
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Alex for including Spotted by Locals in your list. Enjoy our locals' tips in Europe! Bart
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the universal transit app, and I am so glad you posted this for that reason. Deutsch Bahn's app was a lifesaver in my daily life in Germany, and I was worried how I will combine the Swiss system with the German and Austrian systems since I will be so close to the border and will use all of these regularly. On a second note, I used both WhatsApp and textplus in Germany and loved textplus because the receiving end in the US didn't have to have an app, the messages just came up as regular texts and minutes were super cheap (like almost 1000 for $20) I can't wait to return!
ReplyDeleteThese are all such great apps. My favs are currency converter ones! I am terrible at maths so they are always handy.
ReplyDeleteSome great apps! Skyscanner is very useful, the wifi finder is something I'm downloading now. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteHi there, new reader here... I'm an expat in Franc :-) Great list of apps -- just about all of them are new to me. I'm still in the Middle Ages with a half operable iPhone 3 but when I get a new phone, I'm downloading a bunch of 'em.
ReplyDeleteYay, thanks for your comment! I love connecting with new expat bloggers :)
ReplyDeleteSuch great apps! Add to solve little travel illnesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ParisErasmusLife/?notif_t=group_r2j_approved
ReplyDeleteI am using windows phone.Are these apps available for my android Phones?
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteThis is very good page.
I want soon travel to Germany.(I living in Iran)
I hope these software help us.
Thanks
Hi, just wanted to say, I liked this article.
ReplyDeleteIt was helpful. Keep on posting!
Most of the apps are great, thanks! Nevertheless, it is pointless to rely only on your electronic device - it could run out of battery power really fast, trust me :). Using you own head is more reliable.
ReplyDeleteI'd say today with all of the affordable power banks available + the increasing availability of Wi-Fi, it is easier than ever to reply on your smartphone while traveling.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the Digitourist app?? You can find all tourist activities anywhere in Europe with this app and it's so easy, i love it and use it a lot when i'm traveling.
ReplyDeleteHi Jasper,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recc. I will check it out.
Why is Digitourist not in this list? They have all tourist activities in Europe in one simple to use concept and you can save them for later use, also you can plan and save your routes in case you go by car.
ReplyDelete