There are so many travel apps out there that are very useful, and some that just clog up space and never get used after initial download and installation.
In the following post we pick out the best travel apps we are sure you will actually use.
Citymapper
If you have been using Google Maps to get around, it may be time to swap over to Citymapper. Citymapper is way more playful, easy to use and comprehensive than Google and offers more in-depth journey planner.
You can receive real-time disruption alerts and departure time checks. There is also cycle routes and a useful Uber integration.
You can use this app in over 30 cities and along with the more dry information there is interesting facts and figures like how long your journey would take using a jet pack.
This app is free and available on iOS and Android from citymapper.com
Duolingo
70 million people can’t be wrong. That’s how many people have registered for Duolingo since its inception. Although it should not be seen as a replacement for learning a foreign language properly, it is still a fun way to get to grips with the basics.
It plays out like a video game as you are taken through different levels, progressively more challenging, picking up experience points as you go along.
If you feel some of what you learn may not be absorbing the information, you can always go through previous levels and sections and it will actually indicate the parts you scored poorly on.
This app is free and available on iOS and Android from duolingo.com
Google Translate
Okay, so another language app, but this one is helpful in a different way. Aside from being a useful aid as you navigate yourself through learning a new language, Google Translate is actually a rather useful app to have on your devices while you travel.
Not only can you obviously use it to translate day to day words you may not be familiar while you are on holiday, but you can also hold your camera up to text, whether its a menu, sign or shop window and Google will translate if for you immediately.
This app is free and available on iOS and Android.
XE Currency
If you are looking for a currency conversion app, XE Currency is the number one choice. 20 million people have downloaded it since it was launched and it’s not really surprising.
Aside from he business-centred features, like historic currency charts and the prices for precious metals,. As a traveller you will find it most useful as it will convert any and every world currency.
The really handy thing about this app is that, even when it is offline, because you have no signal, it still works and will refer to the last updated rates.
This app is free and available on iOS and Android from xe.com
LiveTrekker
It can be fun to keep a journal of your travels, whether its in the form of a atlas or a world map on your wall at home with pegs marking where you have been to and when.
This app takes this idea into the modern age, as it enables you to keep track of where you have travelled on a fully interactive map.
The app itself tracks you wherever you go, marking a red line on the map showing the exact route you took.
Additionally, if you are an adventurous type, you will love the fact that it analyses and reports measurements such as altitude and speed.
Even if you are not interested in those kinds of things, it is still a great app to use to look back over your journeys, remembering the routes you took around particular cities.
You can also add relevant and connected text, audio, video and pictures to turn it into a multimedia diary of your travels you can share with all your friends and relatives.
This app is free and available on iOS and Android from livetrekker.com
Wolfram Sun Exposure
This app is one for all you sun worshippers out there! There is a distinct lack of apps dedicated to helping you manage your time in the sun, but this is perhaps the most in-depth of the limited choice out there.
You are able to tell the app your skin colour and type and It will calculate how many hours you can spend basking in the sun before you are likely to burn.
It’s information is based on the strength of the sun cream you are using, where you are sunbathing and what the time of day is.
As an added bonus, it also forecasts UV levels for your current location and where you might be headed.
Only available on iOS for 0.79p
You may already have your own favourite travel apps, or may be completely new to using them. Although the above list is not by any stretch of the imagination exhaustive, we believe the few listed are enough to help you get the most out of your holiday with the help of modern technology.
