11 must-have apps for road trips in Europe
International Travel & Smart Phones
One of the most useful tools while navigating a journey in Europe is to have a few apps handy on your smartphone. First and foremost, if you’re traveling from abroad, you want to be sure that you have an international phone plan. Otherwise you’ll be paying super high roaming charges while online without a wifi connection (check with your provider). The alternative (and almost always cheaper option) is to buy a local SIM card in your destination. Typically, you can find these upon arrival in any international airport. Either ask at an information counter or check for mobile phone providers in the terminal or baggage claim areas.
For example, if you’re flying into Charles du Gaulle airport, look for the Orange counter (a top mobile phone provider) in Terminal 2 near baggage claim #32. There you can buy a “Holiday” SIM card for around 30€ which is good for 14 days. If you want to avoid the hassle of doing this after a long flight, you can order a SIM to be mailed to your home before your trip. Check the Simoptions website for deals. Recommended SIMs for travel in France are pre-paid plans from the providers Orange or Bouygues but be sure to do this well in advance of your trip to make sure the card arrives on time.
Now that you’ve sorted out your international phone plan, the following are my tried and true must-have applications while on the road in Europe.
Navigation
Google Maps
This one is kind of a no-brainer and one you will use constantly for navigating how to get from point A to point B or for walking around the streets of a new town. The other thing I love about google maps is to see images of potential stops that you don’t know. You can get a pretty decent picture of what a new area looks like before even going.
*Useful tip: while you’re in an area with a decent connection, be sure to map out your next stop on Google Maps so that you can navigate your way there even if you lose connection or go offline.
Waze
Like Google Maps, Waze is a satellite navigator relying on user input which can be useful to avoid traffic jams, to know when a speed trap is coming, to be aware of police activity or brace for an accident up ahead. I like Waze over Google Maps in a few cases… when I’m in a congested traffic area or when I’m traveling long distances on highways. It also tells you the speed limit wherever you are which is super helpful as it’s easy to miss speed indicators on country roads. Both of these work well, it just depends on which platform you prefer.
Maps.me
Another great navigation app, this one works without draining your data plan like google maps can. Before arriving in a specific destination, you can download maps for offline use (from cities to whole countries). This can be a lifesaver when you find yourself in a remote location with no connection or simply for saving some of that valuable data in your plan.
Route planning
Mappy
One of the best apps for planning out your route and your budget for said route, is the app called Mappy. It will tell you the various ways you can go (quickest and shortest vs. longer but more affordable), how much you will pay in tolls and how much gas you will likely spend. This is a wonderful way to budget for your expenses and to choose alternative routes if you don’t feel like doling out a fair amount on those pricey autoroutes.
Useful on the road
ParkMe
While driving in cities and towns, parking can be a nightmare. Use this clever app to find where to park by your location, what the capacity is in each lot and how much you can expect to pay. It’s a total lifesaver when you can’t find a spot!
Toilet Finder
Ahhh, life on the road. We all know that having no direct, immediate access to a toilet can be a terrible situation. Well luckily, some clever soul devised the idea to create an app for that! Using satellite navigation, finding a toilet just got easier. Simply open up the app, allow it to access your location and in moments, you can find the nearest toilet. BOOM!
Money
XE Currency Converter
I don’t know about you but I’m terrible at math, especially when I have to compute exchange rates on the fly. Well, this super handy tool will do it for you, even offline. I highly recommend downloading the XE app to have at the ready when traveling so you’re not surprised when you receive your credit card bill later.
Splitwise
If you’re ever sharing expenses while traveling, this app is totally helpful to keep track of who pays for what, then splits up who is owed what at the end of the trip. My husband and I have a joint account but we’ve also used this when I’ve paid with a personal credit card to get points for example. It’s also a lifesaver when traveling with a group of friends. It’s definitely worth the download.
Where to Sleep (Camper van)
Park4Night
Seriously the best app ever for those traveling by camper van or motorhome, this handy tool will be your new best friend. Using your sat-nav, you can find camping spots wherever you may roam—from free wild camping areas, to private parking lots, to farm and home stays to proper serviced campgrounds with facilities. The free version works great but only with a data connection. If pay you for the premium version for 1.99€/month or 9.99€/year, you can use it offline along with many other useful features including satellite views, route optimization, additional campground services, no ads, etc.
One of the many great things about this app is that its generated by other users who can add photos, descriptions and reviews of each location so you’ll have a better idea of where you’re headed for the night. We used this every day of our van-life adventures, never knowing where we’d be sleeping the next night and it worked like a charm.
*Useful tip: even if you’re a non-planner like me, it’s helpful to decide where you’ll be sleeping at least a few hours before dark. That way, you can secure the best spot in the location (beating out other later arrivals) and also to be sure you actually like it. If not, you’ll have time to move on before it’s too late or too dark. We had a couple instances where it wasn’t what we had in mind, didn’t feel comfortable or it was simply too crowded so we had ample time to find the next best spot.
Communication
Google Translate
If you don’t quite grasp the language of the country where you are headed, the best thing you can download to your smartphone is Google Translate. Simply speak or type into the app and you’ll have the translation in seconds. You can also have whoever you are speaking with talk into the phone. It can feel terribly silly to use this method but if you’re in a communication bind, it can save the day!
Hiking
AllTrails
For the hikers/walkers out there, this is the best app for finding great trails wherever you may go. Simply download the app, allow location access and see all the great walks that you can do in your area. It will tell you the trail’s difficulty level (easy, moderate, difficult), the distance of the walk, the elevation, show the trail map as well as a description and user reviews. You can either plan out some hikes in areas that you’re headed or simply see what’s around your current location. My #1 activity in discovering new areas is walking, so naturally, I love this app!
