The best apps for travel in Europe
If you’re planning a trip to Europe, it’s important to have the right apps on your phone. From finding hidden gems to making sure your luggage doesn’t get lost, there are many reasons to download these five apps before you go.
- TripAdvisor
This app helps you find all kinds of great places to eat and stay—and it even gives you reviews from people who’ve been there before! It’ll tell you what time the restaurant closes so that you can make reservations in advance, or if the hotel is pet-friendly if you’re bringing Fido along with you.
Best Apps For Travel In Europe
Gone are the days when going on an international trip meant lugging around a big guidebook or printing out dozens of pages of information, maps, phrases, and directions. Nowadays, there’s a travel app for just about everything, from making restaurant reservations or booking last-minute museum tours to hiring taxis or checking train schedules. Many are free, and some can be used offline to avoid data charges.
Here we’ve collected a list of some of the best apps for European travel, including several that are useful on other continents, too.
Best Travel Apps for Transportation in Europe
- Cabify
screenshot of Cabify app.
The model for the ridesharing app Cabify is very similar to Lyft and Uber, though Cabify is only available in two European countries—Portugal and Spain. You can share details of your journey to let friends know when you’ll arrive, and even customize your ride by identifying musical and climate control preferences.
iOS
Android
- FREE NOW
screenshot of FREE NOW app.
The emphatically named FREE NOW (yes, it’s in all caps) was once known as mytaxi, which should give you an idea of what the app does. Calling itself “Europe’s largest taxi app,” FREE NOW offers taxi booking in nine European countries. It’s similar to a ridesharing app, except that this one is for taxis, allowing travelers the convenience of paying for rides through the app instead of cash.
iOS
Android
- Omio
screenshot of Omio app.
With so many ways to get around Europe, it might be overwhelming to compare them. Omio (formerly GoEuro) makes it simple by showing you all your transportation options—trains, planes, and buses—so you can easily see which solution makes the most sense for you. Book your tickets right through the app, and then either print your tickets or save the mobile version on your smartphone.
iOS
Android
- Rome2rio
screenshot of Rome2rio app.
Not only will Rome2rio give you your public transit options between any two destinations on earth, you’ll also get information on driving. From the main results page, where you see the approximate travel times, routes, and costs of each transportation option, you can then drill down and get more details on your favorite—and there’s a link to book tickets, too.
iOS
Android
Read our guide to using Rome2rio
- Flixbus
screenshot of Flixbus app.
Trains may be one of the best ways to get around much of Europe, but plenty of destinations aren’t served by rail. That’s where coach buses come in. Flixbus connects cities in more than 25 countries throughout Europe with regular coach service, and passengers can book easily through the app. There’s free WiFi on board and the drivers even have snacks and drinks you can buy during the trip.
iOS
Android
- BlaBlaCar
screenshot of BlaBlaCar app.
BlaBlaCar is basically what hitchhiking in the 21st century looks like—you’re not standing on a roadside hoping for a ride, you’re screening potential carpooling partners through an app and arranging a trip in advance. If someone else is already driving that way, you can join them, share expenses, and have some company. The network covers more than 15 European countries and now also includes a bus service called BlaBlaBus in five countries.
iOS
Android
- Bike Share Buddy
screenshot of Bike Share Buddy app.
Exploring a new place on two wheels is both fun and efficient, and the proliferation of bike sharing definitely helps make it easier. Travelers don’t always know the ins and outs of a given city’s particular bike sharing program—but Bike Share Buddy solves that problem. The handy app shows you the locations of bike sharing stations in more than 45 countries (many of which are in Europe), even indicating how many bikes are available at each one.
iOS
- Eurail/Interrail Rail Planner
screenshot of Eurail app.
The tried-and-true Eurail Pass now has a tech component. The Eurail/Interrail Rail Planner allows you to search train schedules throughout Europe to plan your rail travel itinerary. You can even filter to see only the trains that work with your pass. And because the Eurail Pass is the equivalent of a ticket, booking on the app is only for the additional reservations you’ll need on top of the pass you already have.
iOS
Android
- Gett
screenshot of Gett app.
Gett makes it easy for travelers to book rides with London’s famous black taxis. The app is also available in Bristol, Coventry, and Manchester in England, and Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. Using Gett means you don’t need to wait in taxi lines or hail a taxi on the street, and you can schedule a ride in advance.
iOS
Android
- Eurostar
screenshot of Eurostar app.
Speedy Eurostar trains whisk you back and forth from the UK to mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel, and the Eurostar app makes booking and storing train tickets easy and convenient. The app tracks purchases so frequent travelers can earn loyalty perks, and even features some TV programs through Amazon video to watch during the trip with free on-board WiFi.
iOS
Android
- DB Navigator
screenshot of DB Navigator app.
Germany’s national train service, Deutsche Bahn, is revered for its efficiency—so it’s not surprising that the app is, too. The DB Navigator app, like the website, includes not just real-time German train schedules but also train schedules all over Europe. You can book train tickets (for German trains only) through the app, check in for your trip, and even see where on the train platform you need to stand to be near the car where you’ve reserved a seat.
iOS
Android
- Trainline
screenshot of Trailine app.
Despite what the name might make you think, this app is about more than just trains. Trainline is a booking app for trains and buses in Europe—including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain—helping travelers secure the sometimes-sizeable discounts that come with advance bookings. The app even lets you search for route options that will specifically go through (or avoid) certain cities to better tailor your journey.
iOS
Android
Read our guide to train travel in Europe
- Citymapper
screenshot of Citymapper app.
The powerful and popular Citymapper app, available in nearly 20 cities in Europe, combines public transit maps for buses, subways, and trams with real-time schedules, transit status updates, and even car and bike sharing information. You can also find out which exit to take from a subway station. It’s all in one handy place to make city navigation a piece of cake—for residents and travelers alike.
iOS
Android
- Scooterino
screenshot of Scooterino app.
While the Scooterino app’s usefulness is limited (it’s only for Rome), it’s so well-suited to getting through the busy city’s notorious traffic just like an Italian that it’s worth mentioning. Scooterino is ridesharing via scooter, giving you a chance to zip through the Italian capital on the back of a scooter without needing to do any of the driving or knowing your way around. Find out the rough cost of a trip before you book and pay your driver through the app, just like other ridesharing services.
iOS
Android
The Best Travel Apps for Translation and Conversion in Europe
- Google Translate
screenshot of Google Translate app.
Google’s handy online translation is available in an app, which helps you translate between 103 languages. There are several ways to enter the word or phrase you want to translate, from typing on the keyboard or handwriting to speaking into the microphone and even translating text in real-time using the phone’s camera. The number of languages supported by each method (aside from using the keyboard) varies, but it’s still overall a powerful tool. What’s more, Google Translate now works in any app with “Tap to Translate.”
iOS
Android
- TripLingo
screenshot of TripLingo app.
The TripLingo app covers the basic translation needs most travelers have—through typing on the keyboard, speaking into the microphone, or using the phone’s camera—but it’s also got educational tools. The app includes a phrasebook as well as audio language lessons, as well as specific etiquette, safety, and culture tips to help travelers feel more comfortable in unfamiliar places. There’s even a built-in currency converter and tip calculator.
iOS
Android
- GlobeConvert
screenshot of GlobeConvert app.
The minimalist GlobeConvert makes conversion easy, no matter what you’re trying to convert. Quickly switch currency, temperature, weight, distance, and much more into the unit of measurement you understand best. Save the conversions you use frequently, like US dollars to euros or fahrenheit to celsius, to make the process even more convenient. The app will even automatically fill in one of the currency fields based on your geotagged location. GlobeStudio, the makers of GlobeConvert, have other useful apps for travelers, too, including one that details tipping guidelines for the country you’re in.
iOS
Read our tips for getting around when you don’t know the language
The Best Travel Apps for Things to Do and See in Europe
- Viator
screenshot of Viator app.
No matter where you want to go in the world, or what you want to do, Viator probably has a tour (or seven) that will suit. To make it easier to find and book tours on the go, Viator’s app brings the catalog to your phone—even finding what’s near you based on your location. You can book same-day tours in some cases, find tours that help you avoid long entrance lines, and tickets booked through the app are saved on your phone.
best apps for discovering places
When we are traveling or even sitting at home, we are always on the lookout for new places, things to do or restaurants to eat at. Blogs, guides and of course TripAdvisor are the first set of resources we go to but sometimes they just aren’t enough. You need something extra – unique apps to discover new places.
This is where the following apps really come in handy as they provide great local insights, options and deals.
Find what you are looking for [hide]
1 1. Foursquare
2 2. Eatigo
3 3. Instagram
4 4. Tripwire
5 5. Places
- Foursquare
We have always been a big supporter of Foursquare and have been using it for years, long before we even considered blogging. For many it might be a dying/dead social media network but I we think it has still some use.
foursquare
- Eatigo
Eatigo is an amazing app for finding the best restaurant deals. At off-peak hours you get discounts as much as 50% off! This is an excellent way of trying out new restaurants you never thought existed or wanted to try.
eatigo Bangkok
Registration and booking process is extremely easy. Finding a restaurant is even easier as you can search by restaurant, cuisine or location.
Simply select your restaurant, the date and time you want to go, number of people (up to 20) and plug in the promo code if you got one. Hit next and fill out the details, which should automatically fill in and confirm your reservation. Voila! Just show your booking code to the restaurant and enjoy.
The downside is that it is only available for Bangkok, Pattaya and Singapore thus far, so be sure to find a similar app for your destination.
- Instagram
Yes, instagram! What most people use for showing off their visual feed, we also use it for finding new places. Thanks to Instagram’s location tag and search function, we have found out about many interesting spots that are not often found on blogs or guides.
The sticky waterfall in Chiang Mai for example was never on our itinerary so it was a blessing that we saw it on Instagram.
Tip: just click on search > places > nearby places. Finding places isn’t that easy though. You have to spend quite a bit of time searching and hoping that one of the people you follow or someone from the explore tab is tagging a location that peaks your interest.
- Tripwire
Are you an intrepid traveler who likes to meet other travelers and be inspired by their trips? Tripwire is an amazing app for you to do just that. Think of it like a Facebook for travel. Marvel at pictures and posts by fellow travelers who share their stories of destinations and hidden locales that will set fire to your wanderlust.
tripwire app
The app lets your plot and plan your travel plans and if your travel paths connect with another person, Tripwire will let you know. What a great way to discover people and places! However, at the moment it is only available on iOS.
You can see more about how Tripwire works on our app review.
- Places
We just found out about this app recently. It covers a range of places that are sometimes difficult to locate. Looking for a gas station or a bank? This app will list them out with a category and radius search function. Depending on the city you are in, this list may not be, and probably is not, comprehensive. The UX/UI isn’t that great either, but it’s something worth having on your phone, just in case.
places app
How many of these apps do you use? Do you use them alone or in conjunction with each other? If we are missing any, do let us know.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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