Whether you’re backpacking Europe for a few weeks or several months, these are the apps we found ourselves opening almost every day. Some helped us navigate train systems, while others made booking accommodations or finding transportation much easier. Here’s what we used and why we’d recommend downloading them before your trip. 

Transportation

Eurail

Purpose: Train travel

If you’re traveling through multiple countries by train, the Eurail app is a must. It allows you to add your rail pass, search train schedules, activate travel days, and keep your tickets all in one place. 

Good to Know: We found that some trains required an internet connection to initially load your trip or ticket, so we always made sure everything was downloaded before boarding. Once you’re familiar with the app, it’s surprisingly easy to use. 

**Must Have if you’re using a Eurail Pass. 

Rome2Rio

Purpose: Finding Transportation Routes

This quickly became one of our favorite planning tools. Whenever we weren’t sure how to get from one destination to another, Rome2Rio showed us multiple transportation options, including trains, buses, ferries, flights, and driving routes.

It was especially helpful when there wasn’t a direct train available. Once example was planning out route from Salamanca, Spain to Porto, Portugal, where Rome2Rio helped us find the best bus connection.

FlixBus

Purpose: Long-Distance Bus Travel

Not every destination is connected by train, and that’s where FlixBus came in. The app lets you book affordable bus tickets throughout Europe and was a great backup whenever trains weren’t the best option.

Ferryhopper

Purpose: Ferry Tickets

If your trip includes islands or coastal destinations, Ferryhopper is incredibly useful. We used it to book ferries throughout Italy, and the app made comparing schedules, routes, and prices very easy. 

**Highly recommended for Greece, Italy, Croatia, and other coastal destinations.

Uber

Purpose: Ride Sharing

Available in many major European cities and perfect when public transportation wasn’t convenient.

Bolt

Purpose: Ride Sharing

Think of Bolt as Europe’s version of Uber. In many cities, Bolt was actually cheaper than Uber, so we always checked both before requesting a ride. 

Local Transportation Apps

One thing we quickly learned is that many cities have their own transportation apps, and they made getting around much easier. 

De Lijn

Used throughout Belgium for buses and trams. Simple, reliable, and made navigating cities like Ghent much easier

SBB Mobile

Probably one of the best transportation apps we used. It covered Switzerland’s trains, buses, boats, and even cable cars. If you’re traveling around Switzerland, this app is a must.

At Bus

Used in Tuscany. We mainly relied on it while visiting Montepulciano, where buses were the easiest way to get around. 

ATAC Roma

Rome’s official transportation app for buses, trams, and the metro. Very helpful for navigating one of Europe’s busiest cities.  

Bonjour RATP

Essential if you’re spending time in Paris. This app made riding the Metro incredibly easy by showing routes, transfers, and estimated travel times. 

Capri Schedule

A simple app showing ferry and bus schedules throughout Capri. Helpful if you’re planning a day trip and trying to coordinate transportation around the island. 

Easy Napoli

Naples’ transportation app covering the Metro and buses. Very useful if you’re spending time exploring Naples before heading to places like Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast

Travel Planning

Google Maps

Purpose: Navigation & Trip Planning

Google Maps quickly became one of our most-used apps throughout Europe. Beyond simply getting from point A to point B, we relied on it daily for walking directions, public transportation routes, restaurant reviews, grocery stores, train stations, and even finding nearby attractions. 

One feature we highly recommend is downloading offline maps before arriving in each destination. This allowed us to navigate cities even without service or Wi-Fi, which came in handy more often than we expected. We also used Google Maps to estimate metro and bus travel times, determine which stations to use, and save restaurants, wineries, viewpoints, and hidden gems we wanted to visit. 

Booking.com

Almost every accommodation we booked throughout Europe was through Booking.com. We loved being able to compare hotels, apartments, and bed & breakfasts while reading verified reviews from previous travelers. Many accommodations also offered free cancellation, which gave us flexibility when our plans changed. 

** One of our most-used apps

Polarsteps

This ended up being one of our favorite travel apps. It automatically mapped our route, allowed us to upload photos, journal our experiences, and share our trip with family and friends. One of the coolest features is the ability to order a printed travel book after your trip. We did and it’s something we’ll treasure forever. 

GetYourGuide

Our go-to app for booking excursions and experiences. From cooking classes and boat tours to museum tickets and guided hikes, GetYourGuide made finding activities incredibly easy. We especially appreciated the reviews, flexible cancellation policies, and digital tickets

Communication & Safety

WhatsApp

If you’re traveling internationally, download WhatsApp before you leave. It’s the preferred messaging app throughout much of Europe and makes it easy to communicate with hotels, tour guides, restaurants, family, and friends using Wi-Fi or mobile data. We used it almost every day.  

Smart Traveler

Offered by the US Department State, Smart Traveler provides travel advisories, safety alerts, and important information about the countries you’re visiting. Thankfully, we never experienced any issues, but it gave us a peace of mind knowing we could stay informed about strikes, demonstrations, weather events, or other important travel updates. 

Staying Connected

Saily

Having reliable phone service throughout Europe made traveling so much easier. We used Saily as our eSIM provider, and it worked extremely well across multiple countries. Instead of swapping physical SIM cards, we simply activated our eSIM and had data almost immediately after arriving. If you’re planning a multi-country trip, we’d absolutely recommend using an eSIM like Saily.