Best Free Apps to Use While Traveling in Europe

I love travel apps! They’ve saved me SO much time and energy. And no one wants to waste either while on vacation! I’m old enough that I recall life before them, and I don’t want to go back, haha! Downloading travel apps made my trip a million times easier, so I’m here with a list of the best apps for traveling in Europe to help you out on your next trip!

The best apps for traveling in Europe

In the summer of 2013, when I traveled to Ireland, England, and France, I planned for everything but my iPhone. I didn’t really prepare or research any useful apps, partly due to the fact that apps had been nonexistent on prior trips, so I had no idea of their usefulness. I had WhatsApp, but that was about it.

Additionally, I had forgotten that WiFi sometimes isn’t as plentiful as it is in Los Angeles, so having access to info without the internet was going to be helpful. So, to save you from that pain, I have compiled a list of the best apps for traveling in Europe, as well as a list of tips.

Before You Travel to Europe

I was at AT&T for several years and always used data (or wifi when I could find it) when traveling. To do this, contact your phone company to ensure you have your phone on the right settings.

You should also ask them about international plans should you choose to get one. I’m now on T-Mobile and have enjoyed their service in Europe and Asia. They offer texting and data for no additional cost to my plan. Phone calls, however, are an additional charge, but I don’t often find myself making calls on vacation, so that was all fine with me.

Stay ahead of the game by downloading all the apps you’ll need before you embark on your European adventure! If you’re planning to avoid using your phone data while abroad to steer clear of fees, it’s best to do the downloading ahead of time or while connected to Wi-fi.

1. Apple Wallet / Google Wallet

Whether you’re an iPhone user like me or prefer Google Wallet, these apps are a game-changer for your European trip. They seamlessly connect to your credit cards, allowing you to simply tap your device to pay at numerous locations throughout Europe. I found this feature particularly useful in England when I used it to tap in and out of the tube stations.

You can also store your vaccine card, tickets, boarding passes, and more on Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, making several necessary items easy to access.

2. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp?

A lot of people use WhatsApp when they are abroad, particularly in Europe. But when I was overseas in the Summer of 2013, I figured out that even with WhatsApp, you have to be connected to WiFi for it to work, which really limits it for some users. Some people had told me it’s just like texting, where it will just automatically pop up, but it’s not in my experience.

If you are like me and already have Facebook Messenger set up, Facebook is just as good, in my opinion. However, if you’re traveling with someone who doesn’t have Facebook, WhatsApp may be for you. Just be aware messages may not appear until a wifi connection is established.

3. Maps.Me for Directions

One of the best apps for traveling in Europe has to be Maps.Me. My friend Rachel had recommended it before I left and I can say it was literally the most useful app I had! All I had to do was download the maps ahead of time, and I was all set. I didn’t use data while abroad (in 2018), so this non-data option was a Godsend. In Vienna, I was able to look up public transport routes from my location to my selected destination. In some smaller cities it didn’t show public transport, but it still gave driving and walking directions. Cannot recommend it enough!

4. Airline Apps

For whatever airline you are planning to fly, it’s important you download their specific app. Why? Because a lot of the time, you’ll get up-to-the-minute updates this way. Just recently, on a trip, I got a notification that they were looking for volunteers to bump off my flight and take a later one for a voucher. I wound up not proceeding with this, but it was nice I had the offer and a simple way to proceed if I wished.

The app also makes it easy to see other updates, check-in, and almost any other standard service you could need, even support!

Additionally, some budget airlines like Ryanair also charge you to print your boarding pass at the airport, so downloading the app ahead of time and checking in on it saves you money! Making it one of my favorite tips on this list of best apps for traveling in Europe.

5. Transportation Apps

Citymapper is one of my new favorite apps for traveling, so definitely add it to your download list of the best apps for traveling in Europe! It was recommended to me by my friend who lives in London and uses it daily for her commute. It helps you find your way from point A to point B by walking, biking, e-scooter, bus, Tube, rail, and more!

What I love about it a little more than Maps.me is that it provides live information, so if that train is delayed, it’ll let you know. It’ll also let you know when you’re approaching your stop and send a notification. It’s really handy if you’re not familiar with the layout of the city you’re visiting. The only advantage Maps.me has over Citymapper is that you can get map info practically anywhere, while Citymapper does have some limitations on what cities it covers.

Additionally, if you’re traveling around Europe with a particular company, it’s helpful to download their app. I traveled around four European countries using Flixbus so having the times and tickets on hand was absolutely necessary. I had booked all my tickets beforehand, so I just had to pull up the QR code for each ticket to input it into the app. I’m guessing you can probably make an account and access your tickets that way. One downside: I couldn’t see up-to-the-minute information on my phone without wifi, but the tickets were available without data and wifi.

6. Uber or Lyft?

Depending on what countries you’re visiting will depend on which rideshare app you should use. When I was in Portugal and Spain, I used Uber a lot as it was more convient. You can, of course, use taxis, but I find the ease of rideshare apps and the fact that it tracks the ride comforting as a solo female traveler, so it’s a must on my best apps for traveling in Europe list.

7. Google Translate

Google Translate I used for simple translations. You can download the languages you need beforehand, so no data is used. Great for looking something up in a pinch and conversing with locals! It also has a feature where you can take a photo of a sign and have it translated. However, sometimes, this function didn’t work on my phone as I wasn’t connected to wifi. But if you are at a restaurant, for instance, that has wifi and can use this feature, it’s really helpful!

8. Hotel Apps

I log into my hotel apps before leaving for a trip so that I can easily pull up my hotel information when needed. Now, depending on which site you use to book depends on which app you should download, but I’ve personally downloaded the Hotels.com, Travelocity, and Expedia apps for past trips. Sometimes, you can also score discounts by booking via an app, so make sure to check that as well as it’s an easy way to save some money, making it one of my favorite tips on this list of best apps for traveling in Europe.

Having all your stays listed in an app also helps when you need to quickly see the address of the place you’re staying at. I’ve had issues talking to taxis about where I want to go, so being able to show them it written down usually alleviates this problem.

9. Tour Apps / Tourist Passes

If you’ve booked some tours ahead of time on sites such as Get Your Guide, it’s great to download their app. I’ve gone on many Get Your Guide tours, and having the tour info readily available is wonderful. I’ve located the pick-up or starting point of tours, seen what the tour includes, accessed tickets, and more.

This tip also works if you plan on getting a tourist pass, such as Go City. When I was in Sweden recently, I was able to easily access my tourist pass from the Go City app to bring up at museums and other attractions. In the past, I’ve had a paper pass or card, which is fine, but having it on the phone makes it that much more convenient.

10. Time Zone Converter

If you’re really not great at telling what time it is back home or elsewhere when you’ve crossed time zones, an app such as Time Buddy could be of great help to you. When I was traveling from Italy to Thailand, it helped me to know when those back home in California would likely be awake so that I wasn’t disturbing anyone’s sleep by reaching out at 4am their time.

11. Currency Exchange Calculator

Another app I highly recommend on this list of the best apps for traveling in Europe is a currency exchange converter so that you’re more aware of how much you’re spending! The one I use is called My Currency Converter and is pretty simple. All you need to do is punch in the currency of the country you’re visiting uses, and then you’re home currency to get an idea of the exchange rate. This is very helpful so that you don’t spend far more than you intend to.

12. Split Travel Expenses

One of the most recent apps I’ve been a fan of is Splitwise. It was recommended to me on a trip to Vegas with two of my friends. It made entering expenses, tracking them, and settling up with them at the end of the trip so simple! We easily created a “Group” to which we were all added, then could add costs such as gas, drinks, Uber/Lyft, etc. to that Group. It would then provide a running total for us throughout the trip and calculate who owed what to whom. These calculations made it so simple, so settle it up at the end of the trip!

I also used it on my trip to England and Finland, which had differing currencies, so no worries if you enter British Pounds and Euros or any other currencies. The only caveat about varying currencies is that I had to pay and upgrade to Pro to convert it, but it wasn’t much. Or you can do the calculations yourself before entering, so it’s all in one currency, but I’ll leave that up to you. Either way, definitely add it as a must on your best apps for traveling in Europe download list!

13. Google Maps / Docs

I’ve mentioned Google Maps, Google Docs, and Google Sheets before in my post about planning an international trip, so I won’t go into detail here. I will, however, remind you that if you plan as I instruct, downloading the corresponding Google app you put your itinerary on is super helpful. Once you do download the app, you can also make your Map, Doc, or Sheet available offline so that even without data or wifi it’s still available.

14. Yelp

This one may seem a little silly, but I’ve found looking up Yelp reviews of local restaurants helpful when deciding where to eat. Also, post-COVID, it’s helped me to know if certain establishments are still open as, unfortunately, many closed due to the pandemic.

15. Timeleft / Meetup / Bumble BFF

Okay, so arguably, I haven’t used Timeleft, which is pitched as a new way to meet people over dinner via a matching process on their app. However, as I got an ad for it when I was in Europe, I wanted to add it here. It seems much more popular in Europe than in the States, so I have hopes for it!

However, I’ll also add two apps I have used to this list for those of you, like myself, who often solo travel: Meetup and Bumble BFF. I’ve used Meetup more in the States than abroad, but I found my travel buddy through Bumble BFF, whom I’ve now traveled to three countries with. So I hope you, too, can find some awesome travel friends by using one of these apps on this list of best apps for traveling in Europe!

16. Northern Lights Apps

If you happen to be traveling to Europe to see the Northern Lights, I have another app suggestion for you! Well, a few, if I’m being honest, as we had about three of them downloaded when my travel buddy and I went to Finland. If I recall correctly, they more or less said the same thing on each one, but if you’re a diehard aurora hunter, go for all!

What are your favorite travel apps for Europe?

So, did I miss one of your favorite travel apps? What should I add to this list of the best apps for traveling in Europe? Let me know in the comments below!

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