15 Essential App Downloads To Survive London

1) Visit London: London Official City Guide

The name really does give it away doesn’t it? Whether it’s your first visit to London or you’ve been living here for the last few years and thinking “there must be more to this concrete city than this!”, Visit London’s App highlights a list of free attractions, top markets, best eats and things to do on a daily all from your smartphone – and of course, it’s free! (Lord knows we all spend enough in London as it is without spending on apps too). Get it on Google Play and on iOS

2) Plume Air Report

Prefer to take the streets rather than the treadmills? Plume air report brings you the latest air report updates direct to your smartphone covering air quality and pollution as well as forecasts by the hour. With a customised AI to give recommendations on the best times to do your favourite activities without getting overexposed to air pollution – there’s no other app in London that will look after your health as well as Plume will for free too. Get it on Google Play and on iOS

3) OpenTable

The perfect travel app to dine like a local – find and discover new restaurants all around you and make free reservations directly on the app! Filter through and find your favourite eateries by location, cuisine and reviews and even get personalised recommendations based on your preferences. They even have a loyalty scheme of earning points every time you dine using OpenTable – as if we need reasons to eat more! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

4) Uber

For the times that TFL unfortunately take slightly longer than expected – Uber becomes your best friend! Being known as the alternative safer way to take a taxi around London with the fact of being able to see your driver details and car reg as well as journey the whole way throughout your ride, save the whole ‘oops I have 0 cash on me’ scenario and pay by card for your taxi ride throughout London. Bonus – there’s a load of companies that offer discounted first rides too so be sure to keep an eye on the likes of Voucher Codes and Design My Night. Get it on Google Play and on iOS

5) Voucher Cloud (or any other discount voucher app)

So we know there are hundreds of voucher based apps out there, including the likes of Groupon and Wowcher! But we’re slightly more drawn to Voucher Cloud and Voucher Codes – with daily email alerts for restaurant and shopping offers and discounts, it’s a must have for living in the big city! Get Voucher Cloud on Google Play and on iOS

6) TfL Oyster App

Since the world is moving to contactless and less plastic – TfL has enabled all of us Oyster card users to manage the card on the move with the features of topping up with PAYG credit, buying daily to annual travel passes, view your journey history and more! (It even drops you a notification when your travelcard balance is below £10 or is about to expire – now isn’t that a helpful reminder!)Get it on Google Play and on iOS

7) AppyParking (Yellow Line Parking)

Providing a whole spectrum of features us 4-wheelers need to know the most such as nearest and cheapest petrol stations, nearby free parking zone, event day zone alerts, paid car park locations and congestion zone alerts and so much more - you’ll soon begin to wonder how you’ve ever tried to park around London without this! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

8) London Live Bus Countdown

Always wondering when you’re bus is going to turn up or questioning which one you need in the first place? Whether it’s your first time visit to London or a daily commuter, you’ll find everything you need for your route on the app including live and predicted arrivals, journey planner with service statuses, nearby stops, tube station information and loads more to make London commuting less of a hassle! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

9) City Mapper

Bored of Google Maps? City Mapper is your next best friend. Covering live departures, transport maps, line status and travel updates, uber intergrations and way more to survive a stay in the capital (as well as other cities national and international), city mapper is your go to map for your stay or life survival in London! Oh, and it’s also available in most other European and Asian languages too for convenience! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

10) London Coffee Guide

The ultimate guide to finding your next best coffee stop in London – bringing about the best of independent coffee shops, coffee houses and cafes, all serving locally roasted premium coffee! With the whole guide being handpicked and critiqued before being added to the app, you can find an up-to-date database of up & coming coffee shops, map or list view of places with details including wi-fi availability, opening hours and phone numbers with addresses, filter options to find coffee stops by the closest tube station and everything else to make getting a coffee super quick and simple! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

11) Tube Map

We all already know the easiest way to get around the big city is underground – but it’s quite daunting for a first time user, and with Google Maps not having the greatest signal underground if you haven’t got EE Underground Wi-Fi, you need tube map more than you really know! Plan real-time routes via the official TfL underground app, which works without an internet connection too with live updates and delays posted on the app instantly. Perks – it also includes the night tube and national rail maps on there too! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

12) National Rail

Last minute fares always catch us off guard, and with some destinations around London being off the tube map and only accessible on rail via South Eastern/Western train line services – it’s handy to keep national rail in your pocket. Click to buy tickets instantly without having booking or credit card fees applied, set up travel alerts and updates, view live departure and arrivals boards and view London Underground and DLR stations on the app too! Get it on Google Play and on iOS

13) Hype

Designed around the concept of never being bored in London or searching aimlessly for things to do, Hype discovers unique experiences in the city for you! Follow influencers and become one yourself to share your favourite places – be it art, parties, food, architecture or outdoor – spend your day off well with impulse explorations via Hype. Get it on iOS

14) Hidden London

Bored of the usual tourist attractions and already counted the pikes on the London Eye? Use Hidden London to discover London deeper than what everyone knows the capital for. Picking up on attractions such as the cartoon museum, hidden crypts and Roman ruins that you’ve unknowingly walked past before! Get it on iOS

15) TimeOut London

So we all come back to TimeOut for their articles and reviews and things to do on the weekend – but wouldn’t it make life easier just having the app on your phone?! Plan events around you at the touch of a button, save and explore your favourite place, login through your Facebook to keep up with your friends and rediscover brand new places to visit. Get it on Google Play and on iOS