The travel apps you need to use this year

Hey, you! Yes, you with the smartphone!

Did you know it’s 2015 already? No, of course you didn’t, because you were too busy staring into your phone. Oh, you!

Looks like it’s time to update that app tray with the best in travel apps.

Seasonal Cities

Seasonal Cities is a bespoke travel guide to 11 major global cities. It’s written by travel journalists living in those destinations, and the app is updated every three months with new info. Impressive professional content isn’t the only draw though – the app will give you recommendations depending on the weather forecast.

Roamer

The European Parliament voted to get rid of roaming charges in the EU by the end of 2015, but for the rest of the world, you’ll want to use Roamer. Roamer helps you avoid extra phone charges by enabling you to make calls on your normal number using a local SIM and a wi-fi connection. We don’t know how it works either, but the magic box in your pocket does.  

Entrain

Entrain helps travellers avoid jet leg, or at least try their darnedest to deal with it. It came out for IOS in spring last year, while the Android version was released recently, allowing even more people to sort their sleep patterns out in 2015.

  Trover If you like both Trip Advisor and Instagram, and judging by their user numbers, there’s a good chance you do, then you have to check out Trover. Fostered by users with exploration in their hearts, Trover is a rich gallery that’s actually a guidebook to all the nooks and crannies being sought out by its userbase. It’s growing all the time and 2015 is the time to jump in if you haven’t already.  

Lyft

The car-sharing service Lyft was a hit in California when it launched in 2012 and has since expanded to over 60 cities around the USA. The app allows users to join other passengers heading to the same destination, giving them all a reduction in the fare. At the end of 2014, Lyft representatives were scoping out London, and the smart money is on them expanding into the UK capital sooner rather than later – expect to see lots of cars with pink moustaches around town suddenly, and their passengers high-fiving each other.

Cost Split

If you take trips with friends, then Cost Split will be a godsend. One of the most confusing aspects of a group holiday is the way people pay for different shared meals and experiences alternately with little heed to how they’re tracking these things. Cost Split will save you arguments and possibly whole friendships by keeping all of the spending data up to date as you go along, giving you a handy who-owes-what-to-whom when you head home.  

Travel Pocket

Another excellent app to help you budget what on earth you’re doing with all that foreign lolly. Travel Pocket keeps track off all your spending, and reminds you of your budget to stop you making silly decisions that leave you broke and crying in a ditch.

Kamino

Kamino is perfect for people who love walking tours but are easily distracted. Local users create guided tours for their towns that you can make use of through your phone, allowing you to get their insider knowledge while taking it all in at your own pace. The app recently had a slick update and will be sauntering its way into many phones in 2015.

Pinterest

Pinterest’s place pins were launched around a year ago and their use has grown steadily since. The number and rate of pins appearing has reached an event horizon resulting in an extremely useful travel-related info service for 2015. Who knew the photo-sticking app would become so handy?

HotelTonight

The name says it all. The HotelTonight app let’s you book a hotel at short notice with absurd ease – particularly useful if you’re more of a wanderer than a planner. You simply pick whether you want Basic, Hip or Luxe, and that’s pretty much it. Lots of cities have HotelTonight-handpicked hotels and more are being added all the time so 2015 should be a great year for those suddenly looking for a bed to lay their head.  

Sunscreen

The Sunscreen app has been available for a few years now, helping sunbathers everywhere maintain a perfect tan while avoiding burning and sunstroke. What with climate change and all that freak weather those science people keep telling us about, isn’t it time you downloaded it too in 2015?

Localeur

Localeur is a service where locals build up a communal network of insights about cool and interesting stuff to do in their town. The service is only available in 12 US cities at the moment, but its popularity is growing and users have been demanding it branches out further. Don’t be surprised if Localeur starts to spread its wings in 2015.

SOAR

SOAR is an organisation that has been helping nervous flyers conquer their fears for over 30 years. Now they can help you do it through your phone, giving you all the info you need to set your mind at ease. The SOAR app even includes a G-force counter that keeps track of that turbulence you’re getting all needlessly stressed about. What a year to be alive.  

Alongways

Alongways uses Google Maps to help you create the perfect trip from A to B. Let Alongways know what you want or need to see along the way, even if it’s vague, and it’ll sort you out an itinerary. Previously the service was only available on their website, but now it’s in shiny IOS and Android form. Perhaps 2015 will be the year Alongways becomes the go-to app for adventurers looking for the random on their roadtrips.

Lounge Buddy

Stuck at an airport due to transfers or delays? Lounge Buddy will help you find some peace and quiet. Airport lounges are often seen as impenetrable dens of decadence, but many are in fact available to travellers for a fee. Put in all your details and the Lounge Buddy app will let you know where the best lounge for you is waiting. They recently launched in-app bookings too, so you can now pretty much stroll in. A great tool for the inevitable delays you’ll experience in 2015 what with all that terrifying climate change.  

(Feature image: Highways Agency)