The Top 12 iPhone Travel Applications

Picture the magical Genie, able to make dreams come true, from one of the most famous of the Arabian Nights tales Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp. But this powerful Genie doesn’t inhabit a dusty oil lamp, but a phone—an iPhone—and Aladdin had just three wishes —you have 900! Now all your travel wishes and needs are met with the iIPhone’s travel applications, 900 now, with more being created all the time.

Typically, the cost of iPhone travel apps ranges from .99 cents to $19.99—and many are “Free”—most definitely a passport to savings. Yet, despite the lack of expense the value you get is immense with this trusty travel partner, and like a lavishly ornamented Sultan’s palace, these applications are well-appointed.

Here is a round-up of the best, yet less well-known iPhone travel applications, so forget your suitcase the next time you travel, just make sure to take your iPhone!

The Top 12 iPhone Travel Applications:

1) Where in the world are your friends? Dopplr will show you—this “Social Atlas”—gives you the ability to share your travel plans with family and friends, and find out who you know that may already be at your travel destination. This app comes with the bonus of city-specific travel tips and advice.

2) Feel like your wheels are chugalugging Krug Clos du Menil Champagne? Now you can fill the tank without emptying your Piggy-Bank! GasBag locates the cheapest gas near your immediate location. And you can put the brakes on spending by using its gas purchase and mileage log which will make your gallon of gas go further.

3) Your two cents can be translated into any currency imaginable from Guilders to Rupee with HiConverter . You become a financial guru with this app on your iPhone, now able to figure out the current currency exchange rates. If you need to calculate sizes to buy some Manolo’s when abroad or a Gucci ensemble this app is your superhero. It also has a very handy tip calculator that takes tax into consideration and even divides the restaurant bill by the number of people in your gathering. You’re so money!

4) Sit or Squat directs you to public rest rooms whether you are traveling around-the-world or strolling about Main Street in your hometown. Complete with photos of your lavatory of choice from a hole-in-the-earth or a porcelain throne, now you know where you can sit (or squat) your fanny in a hurry.

5) Eat, drink, and be merry with UrbanSpoon. Imagine an app that combines a Magic 8 ball with a menu—not only does it predict your dining future, you literally shake your iPhone to get your restaurant answer—and just like a Magic 8 ball you can keep shaking it until you get the answer you want!

6) Isn’t it time to get your foot out of your mouth when on foreign soil? Make sure you say “Hello” when needed and not “Goodbye” or how to say “It’s a pleasure to meet you” instead of “It’s not a pleasure to meet you.” Lingolook Flashcards is an app that’s got your back wherever you go. It’s currently sold in numerous languages with more on the horizon.

7) Think of On The Road as a mini blog platform. This fun app keeps folks informed about your travels, through your poetic travel posts. You can also add photos, videos, slideshows, and GPS locations to your content.

8) With Skype you’ll never want to screen your calls again, because this app makes using the blower easy. Connect to Wi-Fi and you have free calls to any Skype buddy in the world, sayonara to pricey international phone calls.

9) When trying to catch the ChooChoo in Europe let iRail plan your route. This app gives you European Rail timetables at your fingertips so you can pull into the station with confidence.

10) The immensely helpful app FlightTrackPro saves you time and relieves stress by giving you a live international flight itinerary status tracker and flight tracker maps.

11) Whether your travel style is Louis Vuitton or a backpack—this iPhone app helps you weigh-in your options—though you may be carrying ‘excess baggage’ of the brain, no need to carry it onboard in your luggage. Excess Baggage helps you out by tallying the numbers and weights so you can be advised on what to pack, how to pack, and how much each airport will charge you for it.

12) Postino gives you the ability to mail real postcards (not just e-cards—though that’s an option too) with photos of yourself and more. This app makes “pretty as a picture” a reality since you can craft your own custom travel postcards replete with your handwritten message and virtual stamps.

[photos by http2007 via Flickr; iPhone photo courtesy of FlightTrackPro]

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Tags: Dopplr, Excess Baggage, FlightTrackPro, GasBag, HiConverter, iPhone, iPhone apps, iRail, Lingolook Flashcards, On The Road, Postino, Sit or Squat, Skype, UrbanSpoon