However, when venturing into a big city as a tourist this isn’t necessarily the case, especially in London, you’re just going to annoy the locals rushing to work and make your day stressful.
Below are five apps that will make you look and feel like a true Londoner:
Tube Map – London Underground (iOS, Android)
The Tube Map app is a given for anyone in London, whether they’re a tourist or Londoner. You can still pick up the old style paper maps at tube stations and there’s always the large poster maps on the wall but having the underground in your pocket is the easiest way to navigate your way around the city. As well as providing you with an on-hand map, the app also contains a route planner, which is super handy when you’re new to the city and not sure how to get from A to B. Another useful feature of the app, that you don’t get with the paper version, is line updates so you can easily stay up-to-date with the latest line disruptions.
London Live Bus Countdown (iOS, Android)
Still on the topic of transport and another app that is a must-have for both tourists and locals, is London Live Bus Countdown. You can easily see all of the bus stops in your current location in map view, or search for a particular route, having selected a bus stop you can see all of the bus departures for the next half an hour, as well as being able to access entire bus timetables. This is a super handy app for anyone moving around the city by bus, especially given that buses rarely stick to their timetable, meaning live updates work much better. A nice feature of the app is that once you’ve selected a bus you can track the whole journey, this is useful for planning your onward journey as it gives you an estimation of the time you should arrive at your stop, taking into account current traffic, as well as giving tourists a little extra confidence as it’s easy to see when your stop is coming off.
Dojo (iOS, Android)
Dojo is a great app for anyone looking for something a little less touristy within the city, whether that be pop-up food events, exhibitions, quirky restaurants or concerts. There are two ways to view in the app, either in week view where you can see the top events happening around London that week. Alternatively, you can search by category to get a breakdown of what’s happening around the city. Dojo makes it easy to find those hidden gems that it can be all too easy to miss when you’re only in a city for a short space of time.
Visit London – Official Guide (iOS)
Visit London is basically the equivalent to have an old style guidebook in your pocket, however, it is constantly updated for free, doesn’t add any weight to your bag and doesn’t make you look like a tourist when you pull it out in a packed street. The app offers offline maps, designed to highlight the key points of interest for tourists, as well as acting as a route planner making it easier than ever to navigate your way around. Plus you can access a list of events currently happening in the city, including shows and concerts, if that wasn’t enough you can book ahead from with the app and create your own personal itinerary.
Drinki: One free drink a night (iOS, Android)
A night out in London can quickly become expensive but don’t worry because Drinki has your back. Not just does the app act as a bar guide, helping you to find the top places across the city, including The Magic Roundabout and Hopscotch but with Drinki you also get one free drink a night. All you have to do is show the app at the locations listed within the app itself and you get access to bars and your first drink free.
