Regardless of where you travel, having the right information on hand at the right time really helps, and online applications is a great way to achieve exactly that. Knowing how to get around and what to see and do enables you to make the most of your time, ultimately ensuring that you go home with the best possible memories.
This is particularly the case when you travel somewhere really different, like India. The better prepared you are, the smoother your trip. Below please find a list of the top 10 travel applications that we believe will come in handy when travelling in India.
- Booking your trip and tours – Bookmundi
Let’s start at the beginning, namely with booking your trip to India. For that, the globally leading holiday and trip search engine Bookmundi, is a great option. Using their web application you can plan and book everything from day tours to multiday tours, from relaxing vacations to adrenaline pumping adventures. The app comes with a price guarantee on all trips, and often, you find better prices on Bookmundi, compared to going direct. The app also has a wonderful design making it really intuitive and easy to book your favorite tour in India.
- Finding your way around – Google Maps
India is a vast country that is still in the process of being properly mapped out. So, it is best to forget about other map apps and go with Google Maps. It is as comprehensive as it gets and is constantly being updated.
The fact that you can now download and use their maps offline makes it twice as useful. In India, the mobile infrastructure is very well laid out, giving you a good coverage. Thus, finding a signal is normally not difficult. However, it makes sense to be prepared for those rare occasions when there is not a signal available so download the most important maps for the day, before venturing out.
- Traveling India by bus – RedBus
India still has a good public transport network, so it makes sense to take advantage of it while you are there. It is extremely cheap and the quality of the vehicles are getting better all the time. RedBus covers most of India. Its database covers 67,000 routes with live tracking on many of them.
- Traveling India by train – Rail Info
You will also find that travelling by train in India is an excellent way to get around. There are several really good Indian train apps available. However, many of them tend to be network specific. The application with the most comprehensive rail network available is the Rail Info app. That said, if you are planning to travel within a very specific area it makes sense to download the app for that particular network. Delays happen, so look for one that offers live train location updates.
- Getting a taxi – Uber
Not like in the West, taking a taxi in India is actually an affordable (and effective) way to get around. If you want a taxi in a city, the Uber app is what you need. They are also starting to offer intercity routes. However, please note that Uber is not available in every city. So, it makes sense to also download the Ola app as well. Together, Uber and Ola cover around 95% of the Indian market.
- Keeping in touch – WhatsApp
If you do not already use it, download WhatsApp before you leave home. It is free, very stable and super easy to use. Plus, a lot of people in India use it. That comes in handy when you want to use the same taxi driver or touch base with your tour guide.
- Don’t let the weather ruin your activities – WeatherPro
The weather in India is variable so you need to keep an eye on it during your trip. At the time of writing this article, WeatherPro by meteogroup.com is definitely the best app for doing so, also in India.
- Communicating effectively – Google Translate
English is widely spoken in India and in many towns and cities signage is also in that language. However, it is polite to ask for things in the language of the area you are traveling in. Take the time to learn some key phrases. For the rest, download and use Google Translate. The six main Indian languages are well-catered for by the app. You can also photograph text and get a reasonable translation of what it is you are looking at.
- Where to eat – Zomato
One of the joys of traveling to India is the food. It is tasty, interesting and usually made from fresh, local ingredients. The level of choice is amazing, but, it can also be a bit bewildering.
If you want suggestions to narrow down your options, try Zomato. The application covers the vast majority of India’s cities and towns. You may also want to download Swiggy and UberEATS to find even more options and compare the reviews across the three apps.
- Find out what is going on – Townscript
If you want to find out about activities and events that are happening in the area you are staying in download the Townscript app. It currently covers 16 of India’s major cities, with more being added.
So, there you have it, 10 apps that are essential for your upcoming Indian vacation. In most parts of India internet coverage is excellent. But, it makes sense to download your apps before you leave for the airport. That way, you will have everything you need ready to use, when you land.