12 FREE Apps to Make Your Next Trip Effortless!
As fun as travel can be, it’s easy to get confused, turned around or overwhelmed while traveling. One of the best ways to get around these stressful hiccups is to use the technology available to us to our advantage! Apps are a great way to do this!
These 12 Apps will help you to travel painlessly!
- Apple Wallet
- Airline Apps
- Trainline
- Airbnb
- Google Translate
- Google Maps
- Weather Underground
- Citymapper
- App in the Air
- GasBuddy
- Public Transport Apps
- Omio
12) Omio
Omio is a great app to help you purchase transportation tickets across Europe and the US. This app is great because you can find transport via trains, buses and flights all in the same location, although it is not so good when it comes to trips with transfers.
Tickets can be purchased straight from the app, and can be printed or transferred straight to your virtual wallet.
11) Local Public Transport
One of the most helpful things to download ahead of time is the application for local transport. For example, if you were going to London, you might want to download the TfL (transport for London) Oyster and contactless app as shown above.
These local apps usually will have route maps, information on pricing and schedules, and you may be able to purchase tickets straight from the app!
10) GasBuddy
If you will be traveling via car for your next trip, GasBuddy is a must! Not only can it find nearby gas stations for you, but it will also compare the price of gas at those stations! There are also features to help you log your gas expenditure, and an opportunity to earn rewards!
9) App in the Air
The self proclaimed “travel assistant,” App in the Air is a place for travelers to keep track of their itineraries, boarding passes and manage miles across airlines. This app will learn from your travel preferences over time to really fit your needs! Plus it works very well with the Apple Watch to make your life that much easier.
8) Citymapper
Citymapper is an application that can be used offline (so long as you download the map of the city before you leave) and can help you navigate what ever city you are traveling with ease!
This app is super helpful for anyone expecting to use a lot of different forms of public transport on a trip. The only downsides to this app is that it only has a limited number of cities (though they frequently add more), and it is built more for using public transport than walking.
7) Weather Underground
Weather Underground (or wunderground.com) is a super useful tool for travel, especially if you are going to be spending a lot of time outside! With an account and the app downloaded, not only can you see the weather for nearly any part of the globe, but you can also set smart forecasts.
Smart forecasts allow you to set certain parameters for your favorite activities, and it will show you how good the conditions are at a given time. I use this feature all the time while hiking, and it has been a lifesaver! This feature used to be free, but now requires an upgrade to premium.
But there are still plenty of free features with this app! With detailed information about precipitation, air quality, and more, this app is definitely a helpful tool for travel!
6) Google Maps
Google maps is a super helpful app for two main reasons. If you have wifi or data, google maps is great because you can create a map with multiple stops. I use this feature for every trip I plan, because it allows me to plot all the places I want to see on the map, then move them around to keep me from zigzagging all around town! If you have access to the internet, google maps is also super helpful as well because you can find things “on the way” without restarting your trip!
If you will not have access to the internet, google maps is also really helpful in that you can download maps ahead of time! This is a great option for travelers doing a lot of walking, because you can usually find your way using google maps offline. It isn’t always perfect, but it’s way easier than flying completely blind!
5) Google Translate
Just like with google maps where you can download a section of maps for use offline, you can do the same with certain languages on google translate! This is super helpful for when you are going to a country that largely speaks a different language than your own!
Google translate also has a super helpful feature where you can point your camera at some text and it will try to translate it. This is super easy and efficient for when you are trying to read signs, menus or other information in a foreign language!
4) Airbnb (or other house share apps)
If you are staying in some sort of houseshare like VRBO or Airbnb, downloading the app is incredibly useful! you can usually contact your host through the app, or the app might specify what other app you can download to communicate with your host. For example, it is fairly normal for Airbnb hosts in Europe to start communication on the Airbnb app, then move over to WhatsApp to communicate.
Not to mention, any information you need about your accommodation will probably be able to be seen on the houseware app!
3) Trainline
Trainline is a super easy and efficient way to find train or bus tickets throughout Europe! It is super easy to compare prices, and you can easily purchase the tickets straight from the app in the currency of your choice!
Trainline is also very good at finding transfers for your trip, and will purchase the tickets in a way that saves you the most money! Tickets are stored right on the app, and are easy to get into! Trainline is a must if you are traveling Europe or the UK!
2) Airline Apps
If you are flying on a plane for any part of your trip, download the app for that airline before you leave your house! Having the app for the airline streamlines your airport experience, and can allow you to check in in advance, request seat changes, and get notifications about your price.
Having the app for your airline can also allow you to store your ticket electronically, and may, in some cases, alert you of the gate for your flight before the rest of the airport even knows! Though it might mean downloading a new app for each trip, it is definitely one of the best things you can do to make your trip easier!
1) Wallet
The most effective tool to make your trip painless is a virtual wallet. I only have experience using the “apple wallet,” which comes pre installed on all iPhones, but it has made my travel so much easier. Any time I purchase tickets on trainline, or check into my flight on an airline app, a button pops up and asks if I want to add the ticket to my apple wallet. This allows me to keep all my tickets in the same place, as well as pay straight from my smartphone wherever contactless is accepted!
Apple wallet also connects to the Apple Watch, and you can often scan onto trains straight from your wrist! This is a must for any iPhone user!!
The Roundup
These apps are just the tip of the iceberg for helping streamline your travel experience! What are some of your favorite travel applications? Have you used any mentioned above? Leave a comment to let us know!
