London is a connected city, so it’s hardly surprising that your smartphone can be an essential tool. While Forbes Travel Guide will help you figure out where to stay, these apps will assist with the rest of your London trip:
Get a Tube. You may need a little help navigating London’s labyrinthine metro system — the Underground, or “Tube” to a local. Tube Deluxe is an Underground survival kit: Get live status updates for every Tube line plus the Docklands Light Railway and Overground networks; browse comprehensive line and network maps; and check a live departures board for your chosen station. There’s even an online journey planner than will help you design the optimum route from A to B by Tube, bus, rail — or a combo of all three. iOS; $.99.
Get a coffee. London’s Best Coffee is the caffeine geek’s trusty companion. The city now has world-class bean roasteries, plus the baristas who know what to do with the raw materials. Search for a great coffee by location, browse a map, find a specific recommended café or cart or take a detour to sample the best coffee in town — the app allows user reviews, too. Some top-rated spots include Nude Espresso in Soho and Hoxton newcomer Embassy East. Everything in the app works offline without a data connection, too. iOS, Android; $2.25-$2.99.
Get a cab. With Get Taxi, you can forget standing in the rain, with your arm out and your eyes peeled. Just tap the app and one of London’s knowledgeable “black cab” drivers will start heading towards you. Track your hailed taxi’s progress on a live map, pay by credit card or via credit preloaded on to the app, and have a receipt emailed to your inbox. You can also pre-book a cab for a set time and date. iOS, Android, Blackberry; free.
Get a table. It is functional, it is free and it is the best app for anyone who needs a confirmed table reservation in a hurry. Fire up Toptable, plug in your preferred time and party size and the app will find you something nearby, and this includes some of the capital’s top restaurants. There’s a filter that allows you to pick cuisine types and a price range, and, of course, you can browse the user reviews for anything that catches your eye. iOS, Android; free.
Get a beer. London has been enjoying a craft beer revolution—but then you knew that already. The elegant Craft Beer London app will help you track down the best bars with the niche microbrews, including beers from exciting newcomers such as Partizan and Pressure Drop. Find the nearest craft beer bar, check its food and drink offerings, and even locate the nearest artisan beer bottle shop. Everything works without a data connection; an Android version launches by March 1. iOS; $2.99.
Photos Courtesy of Get Taxi, London’s Best Coffee and Craft Beer London
