Just getting to work doesn't have to turn into a second job. These apps keep you happy and entertained while making your travel as pain-free as possible. Whether you want to find a route, keep updated on traffic, or have something to listen to other than morning radio, they have you covered.
Whether your car is in the shop or you're just trying to save money or stay green, these apps have you covered. They'll let you check out bus and train schedules to plan your trip and make it to your stop on time.
Citymapper is a useful app if you are traveling to a major city and want to check out your transportation options. With support for buses, rails, and ferries as well as Uber, you can check real-time departures, transit maps, and even disruption alerts. You can also vote to have a city added by visiting citymapper.com/nextcity.
Why we love it
Check out your transportation options with the helpful and handy Citymapper.
For users of public transit who want to be in control.
Public transit can be annoying. Sometimes you're in an unfamiliar area and aren't sure about the routes available. Or maybe you're waiting for your regular bus, only to have it not show up, and are wondering whether it's just a bit late or if you'll have to wait for the next one. Transit has you covered. The app can show you all of the available public transit lines near your location and tell you when the next vehicles are expected to arrive. And if your transit line of interest supports it, you can see the real-time location of whatever mode of transportation is on its way toward you next!
The app is also helpful for planning routes, which might include answering questions for you such as "if I need to get to the mall on Saturday by 9 a.m., what's the latest train I can catch?" And to make things more convenient, information about the next departures for lines you mark as favorites show up in the iOS Notification Center widget, along with in the Apple Watch app.
Why we love it
We've found that this is the most comprehensive app for becoming aware of public transit lines surrounding you in supported cities (and a lot of cities are supported!).
For anyone who drives constantly or takes public transit and wants to alert people to their ETA.
ETA is a gorgeous app that lets users easily send their ETA to others through the app or in iMessage. You can save your favorite locations and then quickly get directions there, and even see your estimated time of arrival. Now with the iMessage compatibility, sharing your ETA has never been easier.
Why we love it
ETA is a gorgeous app that is super easy to use and it is useful for things like telling your significant other when you'll be home. You can also get directions easily to your saved favorite spots.
It's important to know where you're going, but it's equally crucial to know how to get there. These apps provide maps, routes, and travel times both on and offline to help you arrive at your destination on time. They'll even reroute you in case of traffic snarl-ups to keep you on schedule.
First up, the popular Apple Maps alternative now works on the CarPlay Dashboard mode. That will show your route in a split-screen view with other information including your music and more.
That feature is available now for all CarPlay-enabled videos.
In the coming weeks, the app will also make its return to Apple Watch.
On the wearable device will show ETA and step-by-step directions.
Google Maps is designed for the iPhone and all iPad models. It can be downloaded now on the App Store for free.
Why we love it
If you're looking for a free alternative to Apple Maps, this is the cream of the crop. While the interesting UI might not be for everyone, Google Maps is still arguably even better than Apple's own system and definitely worth a look - especially if you're well ingrained in other Google apps.
For anyone looking for the most real-time traffic details.
Waze is a pretty impressive app. You may plan to leave for an appointment based on how long it normally takes you. But, if there is a traffic incident or closure that will lengthen your average drive-time, it is beyond helpful to know that. Waze has you covered.
Why we love it
For community-based reports, real-time traffic conditions, and reminders for what time you need to leave for an appointment, Waze is a terrific tool.
Advanced navigation app that has everything you need.
Sygic has high quality maps stored on your device. It also offer voice guided navigation with spoken street names and offline navigation without internet connection. Sygic has free map updates multiple times per year and their live traffic service finds faster routes, avoids traffic jams.
Why we love it
It offers detailed GPS navigation and has everything you could ever need while commuting.
A bike is a good way to save gas money and get into shape. But it's no good unless you have a place to ride it, and here are some apps designed to get your wheels rolling. They'll help you plan your ride and track how far you've pedaled. And they'll even help you discover new routes in your area so that you can go on new adventures.
For those who want a bike map app with route tracking and sharing.
Bikemap helps you to find new routes for your next cycling excursion. Navigate with interactive maps, track your rides with distance, duration, elevation, and speed, and share your routes with friends. With almost three million routes available around the world, get pedaling with Bikemap.
Why we love it
When you are ready to head out on your next cycling adventure, take Bikemap with you and try a new route.
For those looking for the best bike routes for commuting or exploration.
Bike Maps shows you bike routes, lanes, and trails everywhere in the world. Whether you’re commuting to work, exploring your local neighborhoods, or planning a round-the-world tour, this app will help you find a good route to ride.
Why we love it
Bike Maps gets you where you need to go without a hassle.
For those looking to track their bike performance and monitor their progress.
The Runtastic Road Bike app, developed by road biking experts, turns your iPhone into a top GPS cycling computer with an array of incredible features! Track your tours, races and rides with your iPhone, monitor your training progress and compare your performance to your friends’! Become a part of the Runtastic Community with millions of enthusiastic users.
Why we love it
If biking is your life, Runtastic Road Bike is for you. It has loads of features, but none cooler than the ability to go live and show your friends where you are and how fast you’re moving.
You don't always want to listen to music while you're on the go, and these apps let you expand your horizons while keeping your hands free. Audiobooks help you learn and keep you entertained by putting knowledge and stories directly into your ears. We don't always have time to read, and they help keep us relatively literate with polished productions from professional narrators.
For those who prefer to BYOB (bring your own books).
MP3 Audiobook Player offers a convenient place to keep and access your existing files if you don't want to go through your phone's onboard Music app. It supports MP3s (obviously) and Apple's M4B audiobook format. This app aims to make listening to audiobooks in MP3 and M4B formats easy and convenient!
Why we love it
It has a simple, clean interface. And we really like its sleep timer, which lets us doze off while listening without having to worry about finding our place again when we return to the land of the living.
For those interested in a huge selection of free and premium audiobooks along with radio shows.
Free Audiobooks HQ offers 10,500 free and 250,000 premium audiobooks for an enormous selection. You can browse popular, top-rated, or a specific genre, preview the book before you download it, and use the handy bookmark feature. As a bonus, the app includes an Old Time Radio catalog that includes more than 77,500 episodes.
Why we love it
Free Audiobooks HQ provides a simple interface, great selection, and easy search feature.