Whether it’s making sure you have comfortable short stay accommodation, or organising your packing list – preparation is key to a smooth, productive trip.
Caro have tracked down the best apps and tools that can help you prepare for your business travels with minimal effort.
From transport and money to keeping organised and staying sane, these tools will have you killing your business trips like a pro.
Getting Around
These apps will make finding and booking transport a breeze, whether you’re moving by air, train or car.
1. Uber – Always a must when on the move, for those fuss-free, there-when-you need-them taxi rides. Follow your driver’s journey, then sit back and relax in comfort as you drive to your destination. Some cars even allow you to choose your own music.
2. Kayak – If you’re going overseas, Kayak can help you book only the best value flight tickets. Unlike Skyscanner, it predicts air-fare fluctuations for the next seven days, so you can know you’re getting the best deal.
3. AllSubway – For when you need to use the tube, AllSubway can be your golden guide. It features underground train and tube maps for pretty much every city you can imagine, meaning you’ll never be left clueless at a station again.
4. FlightAware – FlightAware is your handy pocket mobile flight tracker, and is free to download. Know when a flight is due to take off, land, and view full-screen maps and level of activity at any chosen airport. It’ll post to Twitter for you, give you push notifications of updates or delays, and even offers NEXRAD weather reports.
5. Skiplagged – Skiplagged is a nifty little app that can save you hundreds on flight fares. It’ll find you flights that are stopping over in your destination, so you’ll pay a much cheaper fare. Of course it means you can’t check baggage, but on a business trip, who’s doing that anyway?
6. Citymapper – Citymapper is a friendly, playful little journey planner that’ll give you a comprehensive guide to trains and buses in any city. With easy-to-follow schedules, real-time departures and disruption alerts, it can be the chirpy voice you need in times when transport is proving stressful.
7. Wanderu – Wanderu will help you book trains and buses at great value rates anywhere in the UK, US and Canada. Many major bus carriers, such as Megabus, are supported.
Finding Accommodation
Finding short stay accommodation for your trip has never been easier, thanks to the current wave of accommodation-booking apps.
8. Booking.com – One of the perhaps most popular booking websites, and also now a handy app. Search for your desired location, find the best rates, and even check in online. There are even options for flexible travel, if you’re looking to knock a few quid off the cost.
9. Hotel Tonight – The creators of this app have made their mark in the industry by only recommending hotels that “they’d want to stay at too”. Its users describe it as an attractive, streamlined, enjoyable booking experience.
10. One Night – One Night specialises in same-day booking only, making it the go-to tool for last-minute travel arrangements. Its suggestions are based on the hotel experience, not price, so don’t be surprised if you need to root for a cheap deal.
11. Caro Serviced Apartments – Of course, if an apartment is more your thing, we can help. We provide a great choice of luxury, short stay apartments in Liverpool, right here on our website.
Planning Your Schedule
It really helps if you’ve got someone or something there to help you stay on schedule during your trip.
If you don’t yet have your own PA, here are the tools we recommend.
12. TripIt – Send all your confirmation emails (for flights, trains, car hire, meetings etc) to plans@tripit.com. TripIt will then consolidate all these and create you your very own personalised, well-planned itinerary for the trip! Sync it to your calendar, or share it with others.
13. GateGuru – GateGuru will improve the way you spend your time at airports, for good! It knows the length of the line from baggage to your gate and gives you a full map layout of the airport you’re in, so you can spend that waiting time more productively.
14. Waze – Described as ‘the most reliable time management app yet’, Waze will ensure you’re never late for a meeting again. With over 50 million members contributing minute-by-minute traffic info, you can know what’s ahead on the roads and plan your journey accordingly.
15. SeatGuru – Streamline your perfect flight right down to your seat number, with SeatGuru. The app gives you access to over 1000 seat maps from 125 airlines, and you can also see reviews, photos and insights from thousands of passengers.
16. App in the Air – App In The Air lets you keep up with your flight’s status in real time. Get tips and info about your chosen airport, including wifi passwords, places to eat and navigational maps.
17. Trip Case – This app works similarly to TripIt in that it centralizes all of your travel documents in one handy place. It has an easy-to-use interface and gives driving directions, alternate flight options and other ‘on-the-fly’ travel info. It even syncs with other corporate travel app systems like Sabre.
Finding Food Spots
Finding good grub doesn’t have to be a challenge when working on the road. These apps help you find a delicious meal, no matter what your tastes or preferences.
18. Foodspotting – Sate all your office cravings with Foodspotting. The app lets you search what’s in the area by cuisine, then filter by diet, cost, distance and other criteria. You’ll even find photos posted by other diners, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
19. Happy Cow – Veggies and vegans need not worry about finding something to eat on business trips. The Happy Cow app allows you to find vegetarian and vegan places right within walking distance of your accommodation.
20. Find Me Gluten-Free – This app pretty much does what Happy Cow does, but for those on a gluten-free diet
21. Urbanspoon – Search restaurants based on what you fancy, then organise by price, proximity, ratings and reviews. You can even get directions or book a table for your chosen place through the app.
22. Just Eat – An essential app for the hungry traveller! Just Eat allows you to find anywhere that offers takeout near you, for either pick-up or delivery.
23. Open Table – If you’re wining and dining with clients, make sure you pick somewhere that’ll impress. OpenTable can help you find available tables at restaurants near you, and make a reservation directly through the app.
Staying Fit & Healthy
Staying your healthy, fit self may seem much harder when you’re travelling for work. But there are plenty of apps and resources to ensure you stay your best self.
24. Gyms Near Me – Gyms Near Me helps you find the closest gyms to wherever you are staying, so you can fit in that workout.
25. Gymsnear.com – Similar to above. Simply enter your location and grab your trainers.
26. YogaGlo – With over hundreds of full-length, high resolution yoga workout videos, you’ll be able to keep up your practice, AND stay zen.
27. RunGo – RunGo has been described as ‘the first ever digital running partner’. Not only does it help you find running routes in your chosen town or city, it also gives turn-by-turn directions and points out iconic landmarks along the way.
28. MapMyRun – See routes that other runners before you have mapped on their travels, with MapMyRun. The app will also detail the mileage and elevation profiles, as well as the ‘Route Genius’ function which creates you a route from scratch.
29. Strava Local – The creators of Strava have now developed Strava Local, bringing the popular running, cycling and walking stats to your very own surroundings. Find popular routes recorded by others in top cities around the world.
Arranging Money & Expenses
When travelling for business, expenses need to be managed. Whether it’s tracking your own expenses or that of your employees, expenses and converting currencies can be a real headache.
These apps will turn any number-riddled brain into calm and peace.
30. Concur – Concur is quite possibly the easiest way to look after your business expenses. Simply snap a pic of all your receipts on your phone (don’t forget those cab fares!). The app will help you effortlessly generate an expense report after the trip and fire it off to your boss.
31. Certify – Certify is a piece of automated corporate expense report software that can be rolled out company-wide. To log expenses, employees simply need to take a picture of all their receipts, which will later be used to generate an expense report and get them reimbursed as quickly as possible.
32. XE Currency – One of the go-to currency conversion sites on the web can now be right in your pocket, thanks to this app. Convert any world currency, as well as business-oriented features such as rates for precious metals and historic currency charts. It can also work offline.
33. Splittr – When you’re splitting costs with colleagues, things can get complicated real quick. Splittr makes it easy to share costs, particularly when travelling. Simply tap in your expenses, along with who paid what, and the app will do the rest! All currencies are supported.
Staying Organised
Of course, productivity is always going to be the most important thing on business trips. But to stay productive, you need to stay connected to all your essentials.
Here are our top recommended apps for staying organised.
34. Storydesk – Finally, you can create attractive, magazine-worthy presentations without resorting to Powerpoint. Storydesk is an iPad-only app that’s so easy to use wherever you are. Add client-interactive features, additional sounds and music. It also works offline.
35. Onavo – Onavo works in the background to compress the data on your phone, which can be really helpful when there’s no wifi available. It also gives you a detailed data report for all of the apps you’re currently running.
36. Wifi Finder – Wifi Finder does what it says on the tin – it shows you where you can find free public wifi nearby.
Are there any must-have apps or tools that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re preparing for a business trip in Liverpool, take a look at our range of luxury serviced apartments.
