Top 10 Travel Apps For Every Kind of Traveler

Welcome to the first in a new series of 10 Expert Tips where I will be bringing you tips and advice across a myriad of different topics from specialists in their own areas of expertise.

I am delighted to welcome Lucie Hys, travel and social media expert as the first guest in the series with her compilation of travel apps to aid every kind of traveler. If you would like to find out more about Lucie you can connect with her on Twitter @OnlineFantastic and at her excellent Online Fantastic’s Blog.

Top 10 Travel Apps For Every Kind of Traveler

This is certainly not a first (or last) article on this topic, but I decided to focus on the travel apps that help all kinds of travelers -“airport hoppers”, jet-setters, and even those whose most exciting trip in last couple months was just to the grocery store.

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1.  Google Maps Navigation

If I could only download one application on my cell phone, this is the one I’d choose. I need GPS everywhere I go, because of my poor orientation skills (I am not shy to admit it) ;-) There are many mobile GPS apps, but this one works well and is free! The features are overwhelming (traffic view, walking navigation, offline reliability, street view, satellite view, search along the route to name a few).

2. GasBuddy

Though there is no such thing as cheap gas these days, you can find the best gas price (even set up the tracking!) around you with this great app for free! So not only this app can save you money, it can also save you a lot of trouble as those who ever ran out of gas can tell you. GasBuddy utilizes users’ feedback and rewards the users for sending in the gas price info.

3.  TripAdvisor

I consult TripAdvisor every time I am booking a hotel or looking for the things to do. It is hard to rely only on a company’s website, as you will only learn what the company wants you to learn. With thousands of user reviews, you will find out the consumers’ point of view, which will help you make better purchasing decisions and save you from spending a fortune on a terrible hotel, restaurant or an attraction. Even better, this app is totally free!

4.  TripIt

TripIt was recently named the best travel app by Webbys (rightfully so). This free app serves as a personal travel organizer, so those who travel frequently are particularly grateful for its existence. It can join together many travel confirmations (flights, car rentals, hotel bookings etc.) into one main itinerary and provide you with other relevant information like weather, events or maps.

5.  Kayak

The economy is tough and even business travelers feel the pinch. Kayak’s free mobile app lets you compare the flights, hotels, car rentals on the go, which can save you a lot of time and mostly money. The app also allows for flight tracking and trip management, but these functions are not this app’s primary focus, so don’t miss out on TripIt or FlightTrack.

6.  Taxi Magic

Ever had a problem with finding a taxi? There are many times in my life when I wished I could easily get a cab but didn’t have the number. Taxi Magic is incredibly useful (and free!) app that helps you find a taxi, book it with few taps directly through the app (works in 30 cities, in other cities you book through click-and-call), and even track its arrival!  Taxi Magic currently lists 40,000 taxis from 4,000 US & Canadian cities.

7.  WeFi

If you can’t go a day (or should I say few hours) without the Internet, you will definitely find this app useful. There are quite a few nice Wi-fi finder apps, but I chose this one because it lists over 91,000,000 WiFi hotspots around the world and works with different mobile phones, not “just” the iPhone.

8.  SitorSquat

This app may not save you money, but it can certainly save you lot of embarrassment ;-) Finding a restroom on the go, especially if you are in an unfamiliar place and want something “decent”, can be quite a challenge! For those who are content with just about any place, this app will not be a hit, but there sure are lots of people who will be forever thankful for this app ;-) This free app lists over 100,000 toilets around the world and incorporates user reviews, even pictures (not sure that is something I’d enjoy looking at though) ;-)

9.  World Nomads Language Guides

This translation app is great even when you’re not traveling, as you can learn something useful while for example standing in a line at the grocery store :-). However, it really comes in handy when you are in a foreign country and can hardly find anyone who speaks your language.  There are 25 guides, each containing about 230 phrases (free version) and 550 phrases ($1.99 premium version).

10.  FlightTrack Pro

For frequent flyers, it is definitely worth the $9.99 investment. This app keeps the travelers well informed about the flight of their choosing – one can get change alerts, itinerary updates, info about the gates, seat maps, weather radar etc. Plus there is a nice bonus – social networking integration and offline capability. If you don’t travel all that often, give a try to Flight Track – it doesn’t have as many features, but it is little cheaper.

Many thanks to Lucie for her informative Top 10. You can find Lucie’s previous guest appearances on the blog at Top 10 Social Media Blogs of All Time, Top 10 Travel Tweeple and her Interview. Watch out for Lucie’s compilation appearing soon at Glenfiddich Explorers.

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Excerpt – Trade Networking – renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net