codeye

Does any one know of any good travel apps that work well in Europe?

I'm planning on going interrailing at Easter and don't want to be carrying lots of heavy maps and books with me so plan on using my iphone to help me get around.

I'll be visiting France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands before returning to the UK.

Obviously, there's Google maps, but I'm really looking for an app that can act like a my own mini tour guide and can do a bit more than just navigate.

Thanks.

bvlenci

I've looked into travel-app guides in the past, but I haven't found any that are as good as a good guide book. You can now get a number of guide books in Kindle format, however, and there is a Kindle app for Android and iPhone.

Google Maps is useful for other things than mapping. It's very useeful for finding things. Once, after being stung by wasps, I used Google Maps to find a pharmacy. Another time, here in Italy, but in a city not near our home, we used it to find a hardware (ironmonger) shop.

Google Goggles will identify buildings and statues in your vicinity. If you take a photo of a sign, it will translate it for you.

You need to have GPS turned on for these two Google Apps to work well. GPS really runs a battery down quickly, so I turn it off as soon as I'm finished using it.

I have a Dropbox app on my phone, which I find very useful for traveling. I put all my reservations and train schedules, and any other documents that would otherwise weigh me down, in a Dropbox folder called "Travel", which I further subdivide by trip.

For maps, I find a phone screen too small for the map to be useful. I always get a good paper map for a trip. Usually hotels have one, but I've also found good folding maps in bookshops.

Google Translate has been useful to me in various cities.

Other apps that I've found useful are specific to a particular city or country. Some cities have good public transportation apps. Some train companies have good intercity travel apps.

Finally, there are web sites that are as useful as, or even more useful than, an app. I don't know what kind of phone you have, but I have put shortcuts to various websites on my home screen, or in a folder on my home screen. Just for example, there is a mobile website for the ATAC public transportation agency in Rome, muovi.roma.it , which tells you the nearest bus stop, how long you'll have to wait for a bus, and which bus you should take to get to your destination. This site is very well optimized for the small screen of a phone. Whenever I'm in Rome, I put a shortcut to this website on my home screen. Of course, it uses data services, but so do many of the apps I've mentioned above. Traveline UK has an app, which I suppose is not news to you, but I think their website is even more useful, because it's always up to date.

hetismij2

Many rail services offer apps.
Since you are interrailing they could prove very useful.
A quick search will give you the websites of national rail providers, or you could just search your app store for them.

greg

It would probably be necessary to combine the electronic and the paper media.

I have traveled with all paper, then all electronic, and now I combine them to benefit from properties offered by each type of media.

The limitations with all electronic approach were: near impossibility in reading the screen under bright sun light, taking time to fire the apps and touch over to the page of interest instead of using stick it flags, time required to write info on the fly similar to writing on book margins or making maps, and finally, iPhones are the prime theft targets especially when you have to refer to them in unprotected areas. No one cares to pick pocket maps or guidebooks.

Also GPS on Smartphone not only chews up battery quickly, it does not lock in the position quickly, if at all, even with cell tower assist turned on in densely built up areas where you need the help the most.

Public transit apps are written for the residents first. Some offer only the local language pages or in English for selected pages only.

biereco

Google Maps does not work offline on the iPhone. I recommende download the Spotted by Locals (www.spottedbylocals.com) city guides for really nice up-to-date insider tips in all big cities in the countries you're visiting. They work offline, so won't cost you any internet roaming.

You won't find highlight there though - for that I recommend the free Triposo guide.

codeye

Thanks for all your help.

I'd overlooked the safety/theft aspect of solely using a phone - potential disaster averted! I suppose using maps is an inevitable part of travelling. I'll probably be best using a combination of digital tech and good ol' fashioned maps, picking up the free local maps from hotels/tourist info offices as I go to minimize on weight and avoid clutter.

I like the look of the Spotted by Locals app and LOVE the fact it won't rack up a huge data roaming bill!

One app I've come across and really like is called World Around Me (http://worldaroundmeapp.com/). It's uses augmented reality ( pretty cool!!) and all you have to do is type in what your looking for or choose from a list of categories and then just hold your phone up and it displays where things are as you move around.

It pulls all it's info from Google Maps/Google Places so it's pretty accurate. I gave it a go in Manchester earlier this week and it seemed to do the job pretty well - although it did miss off one or two places I'd have expected to see, presumably because they're don't have a page on Google Places or something?

I love just wondering round and seeing what I discover as I go so I'd imagine WAM could be pretty handy if I want to find out where bars/restaurants are and read reviews before deciding whether to go there or not - I suppose it sort of combines Google Maps with Trip Advisor in that respect.

My only real concern with it is running up a huge phone bill as I go.

Gautam_B

I use Kayak to capture all my itineraries. I also use Fodor's travel guide apps for things to do: http://www.fodors.com/mobile-apps/

dok94901

http://www.tourias-mobile.com/en/for-destinations.html