Finding the right travel apps for Europe can save you time, hassle, and money, but with so many to choose from, it’s hard to know which ones to download. Essentials like ride-hailing apps are obvious, and Google Translate is vital if you’re heading off-grid in Bulgaria, but there are plenty of lesser-known apps that are a huge help too.
There are apps for almost everything now, from Europe-wide eSIMs and convenient itinerary planners to apps for picking up discounted meals from local eateries in Paris and handy currency converters. Here’s your guide to the best European travel apps, from hostel apps for solo travellers to group trip must-haves.
Which Apps Are Essential for Travelling Europe
Best Money-Saving Apps for Europe
Knowing which apps to use in Europe can help reduce your daily spending, with apps like Too Good To Go for tasty local food at a discounted rate or Airalo to avoid roaming charges.
Too Good To Go
The Too Good To Go app lets you buy unsold food from cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and supermarkets at discounted prices. Stores sell surplus items in “Magic Bags,” which can contain anything from fresh croissants to authentic Italian pizza, depending on the store and what hasn’t sold on the day.
You won’t know the exact contents until you pick them up, though the store type and description usually give you an idea of what to expect. It’s an easy way to grab some budget meals and snacks while travelling in Europe, especially in major cities like Rome, Barcelona, and Paris, where a wider selection of participating stores gives you plenty of options to choose from.
With Too Good to Go, you don’t only get to eat for less, but you also get to help reduce food waste. Simply filter by collection time and distance to find the best deals nearby.
Airalo
The Airalo app is the easiest way to get affordable mobile data for your trip, with country-specific and regional Europe eSIMs you can install within minutes. It saves you time and money, sparing you the need to track down a local SIM card each time you arrive somewhere new.
You can even track your usage on the app to ensure you never run out of data. This helps keep you connected across Europe for everything from booking taxis to searching for Rome’s best hidden gems.
Top Transportation Apps To Get Around Europe Easily
Ride-hailing apps and public transport planners like Citymapper are a lifesaver for getting from A to B in a new city. These are the essential transport apps in Europe.
Ride-Hailing Apps in Europe
Uber and Bolt are the go-to ride-hailing apps in Europe and operate in most major destinations across the continent. They’re usually the most convenient option for booking taxi rides, giving you an exact fare upfront and the option to pay via the app.
It’s best to have both apps installed so you can compare prices and wait times to find the most suitable option. It takes the hassle out of finding a taxi on the go, whether you need a last-minute airport transfer or a late-night ride back to your hotel in Amsterdam.
Depending on where exactly in Europe you’re going, it can also be worth installing alternative ride-hailing apps like Cabify and FreeNow. Cabify is widely used across major Spanish cities, while FreeNow lets you book traditional taxis in popular destinations in several countries, including Germany, Greece, and Spain.
Citymapper
Citymapper is the app equivalent of having a local show you how to get around using a city’s public transport system. It uses real-time information to map out the most efficient routes between any two points, taking all the stress out of navigating an unfamiliar city.
The platform covers most transit options, including buses, trains, and metro lines, and even tells you the cost of each journey. It primarily operates in major European cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Rome.
Best Map and Navigation Apps for Your European Trip
Navigation apps are a must-have on your European travels. Apps like maps.me even work offline, so you never have to worry about taking a wrong turn.
Google Maps
Google Maps is probably installed on your phone, in which case you already know just how useful it can be. It covers the basics like directions for walking, driving, and public transport, but it’s helpful for more than just navigation.
It works just as well for finding up-to-date opening times for attractions and the best local restaurants, with user reviews for extra insight. You can even create your own custom lists to save your must-visit spots, so you won’t spend hours researching the best gyros in Athens only to forget to actually eat there.
Maps.me
Maps.me lets you download maps for offline use, so you can save your data for when you really need it. Thanks to crowdsourced information, its maps are extremely detailed and include hidden paths and shortcuts not found in other apps.
Its search feature works offline too, so you can easily track down the nearest ATM or public toilet, even in rural Albania and Montenegro, where coverage is notoriously spotty. You can still mark favourites and drop pins like other map apps too.
Maps don’t come pre-installed and need to be downloaded in-app for the specific countries or regions you’re visiting; just make sure to download them via Wi-Fi to avoid burning through your data.
AllTrails
AllTrails is one of the top European travel apps for nature lovers and outdoor explorers. Its collection of hiking, walking, running, and cycling trails encompasses some of the continent’s most scenic landscapes and national parks.
Each route lists a difficulty level, estimated duration, and user rating to help you find your perfect match. The app is especially helpful for identifying and navigating hiking routes in remote spots like the Troodos Mountains in Cyprus and the Austrian Alps, and the user reviews often provide invaluable up-to-date information that you can’t find anywhere else.
You’ll also find a selection of sightseeing routes through major cities, which is ideal for anyone planning to explore on foot. You can follow routes in real time via the app to make sure you don’t take a wrong turn.
Must-Have Apps for Solo Travellers in Europe
Solo adventures through Europe don't have to be lonely; solo travel apps like Hostelworld make it easy to connect with other travellers to explore together and share local tips.
Hostelworld
Hostelworld is an essential app for solo backpackers in Europe, not only for finding the best hostels to stay in, but also for connecting with other travellers.
If you book hostels through the app, you get access to hostel and city chats from seven days before check-in, as well as during your stay. So if you fancy a break from adventuring solo, it’s an easy way to meet and make plans with other people.
Meetup
Meetup is a helpful tool for solo adventurers looking to meet locals and other travellers through community events. You’ll find everything from pub crawls in Amsterdam and nights out in Vienna to hiking meetups in Barcelona and board game clubs in Berlin.
It’s easy to filter by date and location, so just sign up for the events you want to attend. Who knows, you might even meet a local with some invaluable insider tips.
Handy Apps for Group Trips in Europe
If you’re travelling through Europe with other people, apps like Splitwise make sure no one ends up out of pocket. These are the best group travel apps for handling the logistics.
Splitwise
Splitwise is a convenient expense-tracking app that helps simplify who owes what over the course of a trip.
Simply create a group in-app, enter any expenses, and allocate a share of each expense to anyone in the group. At the end of your trip, the app works out who owes money to whom and how much to send, avoiding constant back-and-forth transfers.
You can even track spending across multiple currencies, which is particularly useful if you’re heading to countries like Poland and Hungary that don’t use the euro.
TripIt
TripIt compiles your plans into a neat itinerary, and although it’s not primarily a group app, it definitely makes it easier to travel with other people.
Forward confirmation emails to TripIt’s email address, and it merges everything into a single timeline, complete with addresses, check-in and check-out times, and flight details. It keeps everything easily accessible, and the schedule can be shared with your group so that even your most disorganised friends have no excuse for not knowing the plan.
Other Useful Travel Apps for Europe
Handy apps like Google Translate are essential to avoid unnecessary confusion caused by language barriers. Here are the other must-have travel apps for Europe.
Google Translate
Unless you’ve already mastered the local language at your destination, you’ll want to have the Google Translate app installed. Even if you’ve been practicing hard and your Duolingo streak is well into three figures, it’s still worth having on hand as a reliable backup.
It makes understanding the local language a breeze, with speech-to-text translation to help you communicate anywhere you go across Europe. It’s extra handy when you visit places where English is rarely spoken, such as markets in Estonia’s less-visited neighbourhoods or local village bakeries in Slovakia.
The camera translation feature is a game-changer and comes into its own for translating menus, especially if you’re hunting down authentic local spots, which tend not to have menus in other languages.
XE Money Transfer & Currency
The XE Money Transfer & Currency app is a handy tool for quickly converting foreign prices. It saves you from having to figure out conversions in your head, or constantly search up exchange rates, letting you know precisely what something costs in your home currency.
It uses live exchange rates to give you exact figures, and covers every currency you’ll need, from euros to Albanian lek and Polish zloty to Hungarian forint.
Directs to Airalo help center for more support information.
Opens chat with Airalo support on WhatsApp.
