Travel Apps i frequently use

Travel is a great teacher.  Saint Augustine once said "The world Is a book and those who don’t travel read only one page". The Dalai Lama said “once a year go someplace you've never been before”.  Philosophers, saints, and all great thinkers have encouraged us to travel, to know the world we live in.

Technology has made the world a global village and planning a trip has become much easier than before.

Today I am going to talk about the Android enabled applications which I use the most before and during my trips.

 

Maps

Map apps are a necessity.  No matter what mode of transportation you use, at some point of time you’ll need navigation assistance. I refer back to Google maps many times during my journey.

Google Maps is quite useful and comes pre-installed in almost every smartphone. This app is very useful for finding interesting places that are nearby, restaurants, hotels, and bus or train stations. The app offers written directions as well as audio directions and images of the places.

 

Maps.me isn’t as popular, but great for remote areas.  It comes with quite impressive navigation features. You just need to install a map of the region you are visiting, then you may use it offline. I found this app very useful especially during hiking in no network regions.

 

Accommodations

Be sure to always compare deals offered on aggregate travel apps like Tripadvisor, Skyscanner, Make My Trip, or Agoda.  Mostly, I use Booking.com and Hostelworld.com more often.

 

Booking.com offers you a feature to book now and pay later and free cancellation, which becomes very important especially now when you don’t know if you’ll even be able to travel to that area due to Covid restrictions. Also, it’s interesting that bookings made by this app are valid for Visa applications, hence you won’t lose money even if God forbid your Visa application gets rejected. 

HostelWorld.com is a UK-based app that is frequently used by backpackers across the globe. You just need to pay a nominal deposit to confirm your booking. Prices for refundable and non-refundable bookings may vary. So far I’ve found this app quite useful while looking for best deals for Travel Hostels around the world. This app also offers a language translation feature.

Airbnb helps you find entire villas or flats while traveling in a group with family or friends. It’s a nice alternative to a hotel and usually offers cooking facilities.

Finding Your Way Around

Google makes it easy to locate what you are looking for and, because of it’s GPS functions, it can lead you to the nearest place that provides what you are looking for.  For instance, if you need medications, simply type into the Google search bar “pharmacy near me”.  It will provide you with everything you need to know plus phone numbers if available.

Trip Advisor is another useful site to help you plan what you want to see.  Go to the site and search for “Best things to do around Dharamshala”  for instance.   It will bring up information, traveler ratings, and photos of all that the area has to offer.  Be sure to check the timings and entry costs here. 

 

Flight booking

Booking through travel portals like Go Ibibo, Kayak, Momondo, or Make My Trip is quite common these days. I prefer to use Sky Scanner to plan my trips.    

Sky scanner helps you to find the best airfare deals based on whether you are traveling solo or in a group, as an adventurer or spiritual traveler.  They scan all airlines prices for your travel month and destination. This app also sends you an alert if the price for your desired flight drops down before you book it.

 

Train booking

I prefer to plan my trips using the official app offered by IRCTC, the official site of Indian Railways. IRCTC Rail Connect will show you up-to-date availability and give you instant transactions.

You will find an endless number of travel applications offering train tickets, however these companies charge third party transaction fees on all purchases and confirmation of your ticket may be delayed.  

 

Bus booking

I use RedBus.com the most because of its unique features. You may opt for a bus with features like live tracking, and amenities like quilts, washrooms, etc. These options are rarely found in other apps. Always request the Volvo buses.  They’re the best for traveling.

The majority of online travel agencies offer bus ticket booking.  Bus tickets can also be bought at local travel agencies.  Government bus tickets can be purchased at the bus station itself. 

 

Tracking Your Journey and Creating An Itinerary

Only a few apps exist in this category and I prefer Tripit

Insert your trip details, including your flights, train and bus tickets, hotel bookings, and places you plan to go to and it will create a working itinerary for you. Your entire plan will be listed on one page.