Ready to take the hassle out of your next trip to the UK or Europe? Travel apps have come a long way to make your travels easier and save you from overspending, but sorting through the many apps out there takes a ton of time.
From navigating city transportation to finding the best deals on flights and hotels, I’ve sorted through the best apps for you. These 29 apps will help you make the most of your precious travel time and money.
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Know before you go
💷 Currency: Great British Pound (£) is used throughout the UK.
🕰️ Time zone: The entire UK is in one time zone, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). From late March to late October, the whole country moves an hour forward to British Summer Time (BST).
🔌 Plugging in electronics: Electric sockets in the UK are unlike those in Europe or the US. If you are visiting from outside the UK, you will likely need this universal travel adaptor.
📱 Using your smartphone: If you want to use your phone data while visiting, the easiest and cheapest solution is to purchase an e-sim for your trip.
🚘 Car rentals: Americans can rent a car in the UK with a valid US driver’s license from any state. Driving in the UK is not for the faint of heart, and I recommend checking out my guide to driving in the UK before you set out!
🚊 Train booking: All major UK cities, and many other destinations in between, can be reached by train. Check train routes, ticket prices, and get your tickets directly through Trainline.
Best Travel Apps for Flights
WayAway
WayAway is a flight aggregator, which means that it searches for flights across multiple airlines at once. If you’re searching for flights to get around Europe, this app will help you find budget airline options.
One thing I love about this app that sets it apart is its ability to display the extra baggage charges that tend to come with low-cost carriers. This helps you know just how much that flight will really cost if you’re traveling with luggage.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner has long been a favorite for flight bargain hunters. If you have flexible travel dates, use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights across an entire month.
You can also put in your local airport and search for destinations from there. This is particularly helpful if you book your travel in and out of Europe first and then decide where to visit based on flight pricing and availability.
Kayak
Kayak’s flight aggregator is great for scoping out flight prices. It also offers a price forecast tool that helps you estimate whether you’re better off booking now or later for the best deal.
You can also use Kayak to book hotels and rental cars. This makes their package deals combining the three sometimes a really good value.
Non-app honorable mention: Google Flights
This one doesn’t have an app to download, but if you’re just starting to plan your trip, it is worth checking flight rates through Google Flights. It doesn’t always beat aggregators like SkyScanner or Kayak, but is always worth a check.
Best Travel Apps for Hotels and Lodging
Booking.com
This is always my first stop to find a place to stay. I’ve used Booking for tons of hotel stays, apartment rentals like this spot in Edinburgh’s old city, and unique stays like this farm we enjoyed in Belgium.
The photos and rating system give a really accurate look at where you’ll stay before you commit so you don’t waste money on poor accommodations. Many hotels also let you cancel even up to 24 hours prior to arrival, so you can book without worrying about your plans shifting.
AirBnB
I don’t use AirBnB as much anymore because I’ve heard too many stories of last-minute cancellations and bizarre stays that don’t match the promised description. Having said that, it’s still worth a check if you’re going to stay in one place for at least a week and need to accommodate a family or group. I recommend not booking a stay in a property if it hasn’t been positively reviewed by at least five recent stays.
HotelTonight
If you do have a last-minute change in your plans (or you just enjoy flying by the seat of your pants), then keep HotelTonight at the ready. This app specializes in finding last-minute deals, making it easy to find a place to stay without splashing out on last-minute price hikes.
Best Travel Apps for Trains, Buses, and Transportation
Trainline
Trainline is my absolute go-to source for all train journeys in the UK and Europe. Check timetables easily and book the best fares right in the app. Paper tickets can be picked up in stations, or you can show your tickets in the app. I use Trainline to book all of my trains in and out of London.
To give you an example, it is sometimes cheaper to buy tickets to London that break at a station along the way. Trainline identifies these split fares and gives you the option to purchase split tickets instead of a single direct ticket. You never get off the train, just have two tickets instead of one saved on the app. I do this all the time.
Trainline can also help you out with train bookings in Europe. When we traveled to Belgium, I bought all of our train tickets for travel between cities through Trainline. When you’re looking at ticket machines that offer a wide range of ticket types, it can be reassuring to make your purchase with a service that will help you choose the right thing.
Omio
Not sure if you should take a train, plane, or bus to your destination? Omio will check all of the available routes and help you buy tickets on your chosen route. This is excellent if you’re headed away from major cities where buses become the best method for public transport, but also want to check for train and air routes on other parts of your journey.
Tickets can be printed if you want a hard copy, or you can save digital copies on your smartphone.
Rome2Rio
Should you book that train or pick up a rental car? Rome2Rio will tell you all the ways you can travel from point A to point B, including estimated travel times. When you find a route that looks good, you can click into it to get all the details on stops and find a link to buy tickets if you choose public transportation.
Rome2Rio will help you save time by highlighting the quickest routes. It might surprise you to find that some routes that seem short take much longer by train than driving, but sometimes long routes are a real breeze on the rails. For example, travel between London to Edinburgh is faster by train than car. It may even be faster to take the train than fly on this route, once you factor in getting to the airport and security lines.
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Sometimes you just want to drop yourself in a taxi. This app works similar to ride-sharing apps, but will instead hail a local cab. It works across Europe and the UK. You’ll be able to see your rate and can pay through the app or directly. This makes it easier to avoid surprise fares or scams.
FlixBus
This one is all about the bus routes. If you’re headed somewhere the trains don’t easily reach, or where transportation routes are more sporadic in general, then check out FlixBus.
FlixBus runs its own bus fleet, so you aren’t booking through them to another bus company. One route I think looks promising is London to Newquay. Driving in Cornwall can be tricky for tourists, but this brings you right to the heart of the beautiful Cornish north coast.
Eurostar
You’ll only need this app if you’re taking a Eurostar route between the UK and Europe. The app does make it easy to buy your tickets directly and is the easiest way to store tickets for your speedy trip through the Chunnel.
Best Travel Apps to Manage Travel Money
Wise
The answer to the travel fund dilemma! I already recommend Wise for anyone moving money between the US and the UK, but Wise also makes converting money for travel so simple.
Opening an account in any currency is simple and free. If I were planning a trip from the US to the UK, I’d open an account in US Dollars and an account in British Pounds. Then stash your travel money in the US Dollars account until you’re ready to convert. Wise offers better conversion rates than many banks, and way better than you’ll find in travel money shops.
You can get a digital card to use with ApplePay, paying like a local on your trip. If you want to access cash, then request a Wise debit card to use at any cashpoint. The debit card gives you up to two free withdrawals up to £200 per month. For more withdrawals, there is a low fee of 1.75%.
ATM Fee Saver
When you want to withdraw cash from an ATM, the last thing you want is to be surprised by ridiculous cashpoint machine fees. ATM Fee Saver lets you in on the fees charged by ATMs
near your location, making it easy to find low-fee or no-fee options. The app covers over 35 top tourist destinations, including the UK.
GlobeConvert
GlobeConvert helps you put the cost of things in perspective. Use the simple conversion calculator to input a price in the local currency and check what that means in your home currency. This makes it much easier to conceptualize whether that souvenir purchase is a good deal, or an expensive splurge.
The app also can run other conversions. For instance, if you’re an American checking the weather, it can run those Celsius numbers into the Fahrenheit measure you’re used to.
Splitwise
Traveling with family or friends? This app simplifies tracking who paid for what. I tried this one out on a trip back to the US where we met up and split costs with friends. Everyone adds in what they paid for and the app automatically divides up the charges and sorts out who owes money to who.
The basic version of the app is free, though the paid version opens up more options like tracking multiple currencies. Something to consider if your trip is going to be spent in several places.
GlobeTips
Do you get anxious when it comes to tipping in a new place? Tipping culture is very different outside the US and even varies amongst European countries. This app gives you quick overviews by country so you can easily tell what’s expected. It also includes a tip calculator that aligns with the country expectations so you know for sure that you’re tipping just the right amount.
Best Travel Apps for Finding Your Way and Communicating
Google Maps and Apple Maps
It’s probably already on your phone and it does what you need. I use Google Maps to sort out directions, available modes for transport, and save favorites like spots I’d like to eat so they’re easy to find on the fly. You can even download an offline map for an entire city in advance.
If you’re an Apple fan, I find that Apple Maps works just as well in the UK and Europe. I slightly prefer Apple Maps for driving directions around the UK.
CityMapper
If you want a little more oomph from your maps service, then check out CityMapper. This app will tell you the best routes to get around in a city, with helpful details like lockscreen notices that you’ve almost arrived at your bus stop. Several features can be used offline, so you won’t be navigating blind down in the depths of the London Tube system.
Airalo
Europe is great for widespread WiFi, but sometimes you need to access your cell data (like when you’re hopelessly lost and forgot to download an offline map, not that I’ve ever done that). Airalo lets you buy an e-sim that loads to your phone automatically and grants cheap access to a short-term data plan. Stay connected for less.
WiFi Map
WiFi is the navigation lifeblood for travelers. Use this app to locate WiFi networks near your location wherever you travel. The information is crowdsourced from users, so it does sometimes include outdated details. It’s a great start in the right direction, though, and sometimes discloses passwords for places like coffee shop networks.
Google Translate
Travel is meant to take you out of your comfort zone and give you access to new experiences. When it comes to navigating a foreign language, you might be feeling anxious about communicating with locals or reading signs and menus.
Google Translate is an all-in-one app that removes language barriers. You can type in language for a quick translation, use the microphone to translate a conversation, or simply point your camera at a restaurant menu for a translated image.
Best Travel Apps for Tours & Activities
GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide takes the aggregator approach of services like Kayak and applies it to travel experiences. Whether you’re looking to join a walking tour, find entry tickets to popular tourist spots, or book a full day trip experience, GetYourGuide will find it.
Booking is easy and you can cancel plans up to 24 hours in advance if your plans change. There are a lot of options in major cities like London. Smaller towns off-the-beaten track may not have as much to offer. I recommend checking out the reviews before you book to make sure the experience will be what you expect.
Viator
Viator is also an aggregator for tours, entry tickets, and unique experiences. Slightly less known in Europe and UK compared to GetYourGuide, but Viator is still worth checking out to compare prices.
Rick Steves Audio Europe
Check out the massive library of audio tours, all available for free from this handy app. Whether you’re visiting the British Museum or the streets of Pompeii, learn something new without needing to book a tour guide.
Best Travel Apps for Restaurants and Food Delivery
The Fork
Sort through the restaurants near you by price, type of food, and more. This app will help you find restaurants across the UK and Europe. Menus are displayed for most and you can even book reservations directly through the app.
Happy Cow
Are you or your travel companions vegetarian or vegan? Take the guesswork out of where you can eat on your travels with this app that highlights veggie-friendly restaurants. Limit your search to only restaurants with fully vegan or vegetarian menus, or find general restaurants that offer vegetarian meals.
Save favorites in advance, and even access offline maps to easily find your way on the go. The Happy Cow website also maintains a blog with top vegan and vegetarian restaurant lists for major European and UK cities.
Deliveroo
Sometimes you are too exhausted from traveling to face another restaurant meal. Deliveroo offers food delivery services across the UK for easy ordering. Find and book your meal and it will be delivered right to your door.
Just Eat
Just Eat is also a food delivery service, but this one has a broader reach across many European countries. They also operate in the US and Canada, so you may already be familiar with their app. Simply book a meal in the app and get it delivered directly to you.
Make Your Next Trip Simple
Your next trip to the UK or Europe should be filled with discovery instead of headaches. Let technology save you time and money, so you can focus on having a great time. I hope you find this list of useful apps helpful as you head off on an incredible adventure!
