10 Top iPhone Apps For London Residents

Ah, London, the Big Smoke, where it’s all happening all of the time. Being the epicenter of commerce, cool and Kick-starting trends, our very own capital city has a lot to show off about. The transport, the food, the nightlife, the high paid jobs, (still eluding me…), if you live in London then you will know that there is always something happening just around the corner from where you are. So, whether you are a true London-ite who inhabits our wonderful city or just paying a brief visit to see what all the fuss is about, to help maximize your time in London, iPhoneAppCafe has devised a list of the top ten iPhone Apps that will help you make the most of your time in London.

Travel

London Tube Deluxe – App updated 23 July 2010, Price £0.59, Developed by Malcolm Barclay

Anyone who has even been within the outer perimeters of London will know that to drive anywhere towards the centre is a stress-inducing, heart-stopping, gut-busting task that can end relationships faster than you can say, “I told you to take the last left!” That’s why all sensible Londoners travel everywhere by tube. London Tube Deluxe is the definitive tube App for the iPhone as it provides users not only with a map, route planner and departure times, it offers up-to-the minute status updates with regards to which tube lines are open, closed or slowed down, meaning that you can plan the best route before you leave the house. It’s sensible to note that updates can’t actually be accessed when you are underground, seeing as an Internet connection is needed…fingers crossed for a Tube- Wi-Fi in 2011!

London Cycle Maps and Routes – App updated 07 October 2010, Price Free, Developed by FIPLAB Ltd 

For anyone who is worried about their carbon footprint when travelling around London, check out London Cycle Maps and Routes, the best-selling App for the Barclays bike hire scheme that will tell you exactly where to pick up and drop off your ‘Boris Bike’, show you key routes that will help you reduce the time of your journey and a timer to let you know how long you have left until you have to return the bike and how much you will be charged for your trip. Not only will your journeys around the city cost less, you’ll get a work out and a clearer conscience as well!

Tube Exits – App updated 01 October 2010, Price £0.59, Developed by Wavana CC

Ok, this may seem like the geekiest App in the world, however, for busy commuters who want to get to work as quickly as humanly possible, then this app is Appsolutely essential! With London being so vastly populated, the tubes have to be incredibly long, stretching right along the platform; this means that if you get on at one end then you may have to walk the entire length of a busy platform in order to make your connection when you alight. Tube Exits means that you will always know which carriage to get on at, shortening the time it takes to change at stations. For anyone who hasn’t experienced the sheer hell of rush hour on the tubes, then you will have to take my word for it – this App is a lifesaver as well as a timesaver.

London Master A-Z – App updated 09 June 2010, Price £9.49, Developed by Visual IT Ltd

Anybody put off by the massive size and price tag of this App should probably be warned that driving around London is one of the most stressful experiences after moving house and watching an entire series of 24 back to back. For around the same price as a regular A-Z Map, (which definitely can’t be stored in your trouser pocket, unless you’re MC Hammer), you get all of the benefits of a normal map, plus GPS tracking to map your movements as you travel. Covering 1445 square miles of the London area, you can guarantee that you will never be lost again and the great thing is, it doesn’t even require an Internet connection to use it. A sage investment for any London road user.

Bus – App updated 11 November 2010, Price £0.59, Developed by City Of London Consulting Limited

For those who get a little claustrophobic on the tube and a little pissed off with extortionate cab fares, there’s always the good ol’ London buses for nipping around the city. The trouble is, with such a vast population, finding out a quick route with several changes at the correct time can often be a right palaver. That’s why anyone planning on using the London bus services should download the cheap and cheerful Bus, a fantastic App that will guide you to the nearest bus stop and tell you which route it is that you need to jump on, where to get off to change buses and it’ll even offer you a map to use while you walk home from each stop. Not bad for fifty nine English pennies, hey?

Out and About

London Vouchers Free – App updated 02 December 2010, Price Free, Developed by Australian Apps Store

Any bargain hunters travelling around London can leave their coupons and tourist guides behind, as London Vouchers Free gives you all of the information about how to ‘do London’ on the cheap, as well as providing you with on screen vouchers to be redeemed at participating shops, restaurants and bars! From museums to art galleries, boat tours to paintballing, fast food to fine dining, all of the delights of London can be sampled at a reduced rate to any iPhone user with this App. The free version does contain adverts, but by purchasing the full version, this can be got rid of…but if you are on a money saving mission, you may as well put up with a little advertising!

Time Out: Things to do in London – App updated 24 August 2010, Price Free, Developed by Time Out Digital Ltd  

Time Out is the definitive guide to what’s going on in London; yes, the books are a tad on the heavy side and yes, the writing can be a little self-indulgent, (maybe I should apply for a job?!), however, it can be relied upon to really nail the best hotspots for our capital city. If you want to enjoy what London has to offer, then download this free App and browse through its sections, taking in the rating for originality, enjoyment, quality and value. Once you see something that tickles your fancy, then allow the App’s Map function to lead you to it!

London Zoo – App updated 19 October 2010, Price Free, Developed by AVAI

“Just a perfect day, feed animals in the zoo,” Oh Lou, you really knew how to treat your gal, (or guy? I was never sure…) If you are looking for your perfect day in London then look no further than London Zoo, situated a short walk from Camden Town tube stop. If you decide to pay a visit to the animals then don’t forget to download the ZSL London Zoo iPhone App which will take you to the zoo, help you purchase tickets and act as a guide that will bestow weird and wonderful animal facts as you wander about the Zoo. All you need now is some Sangria, a park and a movie and you are the living imitation of a Perfect Day!

Useful

Toiluxe: Central London Edition – App updated 01 December 2009, Price £0.59, Developed by Jason Dunne

If anyone has ever known the agonising pain and embarrassment caused by being caught short whilst out in the city, then this iPhone App is for you. Never again will you have to suffer the shame and indignation of waddling cross-legged down an alley while your friends form a tittering shield around you, only to run away at the crucial last seconds…, (thanks guys, I still remember.) Toiluxe is a simple yet incredibly useful App that locates and guides you to the nearest luxury toilets that are dotted around the city of London. With almost 300 loos on their books, all of which are located in swanky surroundings such as Harrods, anyone with a weak bladder and a penchant for strolling the streets of London should download this App now!

Free Wifi London – App updated 13 October 2010, Price £1.19, Developed by LDN Creative Ltd

Ever since a certain mobile phone provider that shall go unnamed, (think the chemical symbol for oxygen gas), capped my unlimited Internet allowance at a measly amount, I have been hunting out free Wi-Fi like a junkie seeking out smack, (aaahhh, love that first hit…). Well, if you are out and about in the city and need your latest hit of free Wi-Fi, then it would be advisable to purchase Free WiFi London as it displays hundreds of venues around Greater London that provide free Wi-Fi and sorts them into venue type, so you know whether you can get a coffee or a pint with the money that you just saved!