Hopper predicts the best times to fly. When planning, I recommend taking a look at Hopper to display projected price points for flights. When you “watch” a trip that you’re planning, Hopper will let you know of the price prediction: current lowest price, the price before your search, and future price fluctuation. If the price is low enough, Hopper will tell you to ‘book now’. If you’re not ready, you can always wait and keep an eye on the trip details until then. There are a number of filters to customize and refine your trip details.
NOTE: You can also book flights with Hopper through third party sites. I have never booked with Hopper at all. I’ve only used the app for price prediction purposes because I tend to plan months to a year in advance.

Hostelworld is great for solo-travelers. In no way should all hostels be doxed from the accommodations list even in a time of the pandemic. There are some amazing hostels out there and some not so great hostels (trust me). I found them all on Hostelworld and made sure to do my research through reviews, testimonials, photos and on social media because it’s important that the hostel has information that is up to date. This is an inexpensive accommodation!
NOTE: I haven’t used Hostelworld since before the pandemic. As a solo traveler, Hostelworld is a gem – if you send me a note, I am happy to give my hostel-specific recs for each country I’ve visited.

Booking is similar to Airbnb where you can book multiple types of accommodations like stays, attractions, flights and hotels, even car rentals.
NOTE: I have only booked accommodations with Booking, specifically hotels. I booked a hostel through Booking once, which turned out to be a disaster. If I am going somewhere and I’m looking to splurge the lux life a little, I will likely use Booking as my main site. Sometimes I will book directly with Booking and other times, I will go to the hotel’s website and book. In my experience, Booking is a trusted third party site.

Flixbus is similar to MegaBus here in the States except it’s global! Flixbus is an inexpensive charter bus. It will take hours and hours to get to your destination, but if you’re ballin’ on a budget Flixbus is where you need to be. I could not get over how cheap it was for me to take a ride from Roma to Genoa. Sometimes I would travel overnight, which worked out per my trip itinerary. I have had good experiences in Europe on Flixbus and not to mention, the quality of the bus’ interior was updated, clean and comfortable.

Trainline has served as a safe third party website, in my experience. I have also used TL EU, which is very helpful. Trains in Europe, at least, are pretty affordable, however, the earlier you book, the more reasonable the price can be. Dates aren’t available too far in advance, but about a month or two should be early enough to book.

Italo Treno is a train line where you can book tickets to major cities in Italy. The app doesn’t have the best rating (I’ve never used it), however, the desktop version is user friendly in addition to kiosks at train stations. From personal experience, Italo is a pricier option. It is also the cleanest, updated and most comfortable in comparison to some other train lines I’ve rode. I book Italo if it’s in my budget as well as if I am traveling a long distance.
NOTE: Italo always checks tickets on board.

Trenitalia is much like Italo – widely used throughout Italy. Trenitalia is available for short and long distances. The price and/or distance can reflect the quality of the carriages. Like Italo, Trenitalia can be purchased in app, online or at a kiosk at a train station. I have never used the app, but could be user friendly. Trenitalia is especially great for short train routes.
NOTE: Trenitalia doesn’t always check tickets on board, however, in the off chance they do, you will be fined and dropped off at the next stop.

Taxiplon is a site where you can arrange to be picked up by taxi from the airport in Greece. I used Taxiplon’s services once after arriving into Athens International Airport late in the evening. In my opinion, the fare was practical and reasonable for a ~30 minute drive to the city center.
NOTE: I don’t typically take taxis, however, I took a chance and the service was great. Another transportation option from airports in general, especially if you’re on a budget is the airport shuttle or train to the city center.

Scooterino is a ride share app like Uber – instead of a car, it’s a vespa/scooter! This app is available in Rome and some other major cities in Italy.
NOTE: I have not used this app, however, I heard it can be an alternative option; cheaper and likely quicker.

FREE NOW is available in Europe. It is an alternative to Uber. It is as simple as typing in your destination, choosing the type of vehicle/price, and tracking where your ride share driver is. Additionally, you can pay by credit card or Apple Pay.
NOTE: In some countries, Uber is illegal. It is important to check before getting in an Uber (the app will still work). If caught in an Uber, you could be fined thousands. Additionally, Uber may actually be legal in a country, even with signs posted at taxi stations stating otherwise. I do not use Uber unless it is my sole option and even then, I do a quick Google search to double check. Apps like FREE NOW are good to have just in case.

HSL is a mobile ticket app in Helsinki. HSL will help you find routes and tickets. You can buy tickets for the local bus, streetcar, ferry etc. The tickets are valid up to 110 minutes.

WienMobil is a mobile ticket app I used in Vienna. With WienMobil, you can buy a ticket for the local subway, buses, streetcars, city bikes, etc. Information to download the app is posted in subway stations, which was very helpful.

Moovit is an excellent app to get around any city. When I moved to Italy, my host family made sure I downloaded this app. If you do not have phone service, as long as you begin your navigation while you have service, the directions will work offline. Moovit is great because not only does it give you a visualization of where you are on the map, but it also gives you step by step written instructions. I found this helpful because it forced me to figure out where the street signs were and ultimately I became familiarized with my surroundings. If you have service, Moovit also shows you the live times of local buses and subways. I have only used Moovit in Europe, however, you can “moovit” wherever 🤓
NOTE: Another app like Moovit (though I haven’t used) is Citymapper.

Transit is very similar to Moovit. However, I have only used the Transit app in San Francisco and only to view the live bus/streetcar times. I have not used the navigation features per say, but I like Transit because it will display your bus route. On the map, you can click your bus stop, the app will give you a projected time of when you will arrive at that bus stop.
NOTE: I noticed Transit also worked while I was in Europe, though I did not use it.

Glovo is a food delivery service like Uber Eats or Doordash. Glovo offers multiple services though food is the most popular. The service is pretty fast. I used Glovo quite a bit in Rome. Glovo accepts either credit cards via the Glovo app as well as cash!
NOTE: There are plenty of food delivery services in Europe. Glovo is one of many; Wolt is another worth mentioning.

Bangladino was helpful for me in Rome. Bangladino shops are small corner stores located on pretty much every block it seems. Even though you see them outside of the metro station or right around the corner from your Airbnb, the app will tell you where they are located and hours of operation. You can visit these convenient stores to get snacks or everyday essentials. In addition, it can offer the average price of products as well.
NOTE: There is a huge Bangladesh community in Italy, particularly in Rome. These corner stores seem to be owned and/or operated by a Bangladesh native.