10 apps for Dubliners
Dublin might be a small capital compared to the others in Europe, but it is a very modern city in term of technology. You can have free wifi connection in mostly all public places including public transports, and in term of speed connectivity, 4G and e-fiber are available. As good millennial that I am, I cannot go anywhere without my smartphone with me. Hence, if you live in Dublin it is important to have some useful applications to get around and know what is happening. Here is a list of the 10 applications I use the most in Dublin.
1. Dublin bus
Very helpful to know at what time the next bus is coming, find a bus route or the closest bus stop to go to your destination.
2. Irish rail
Similar to Dublin bus but for the trains. It can also be used to check the timetable of trains travelling to other cities.
3. Google maps
Google maps has been updated since a couple of years to let you know how long it will take you to go from point A to point B by bike, by foot, by car or using public transports. It also takes into consideration the live traffic and shows you the quickest route to use accordingly. I use it almost every day.
4. Hailo
I discovered Hailo once I arrived in Dublin in 2012. Very useful application that allows you to call or book a taxi for later by just a few taps.
Choose where you want the taxi to pick you up, set how many seats you would need and the app will find you the closest taxi available and provide you the estimated time of arrival so that you can get ready accordingly.
You can also set the destination while waiting for the taxi to arrive. I love this app for a few reasons:
Safety: when going out, especially if you are a woman, you can call a taxi from inside the club/restaurant/bar and once the taxi is booked, you will be able to see the name of the driver and their registration number. You will either receive a call from the driver or a notification in the app to let you know that the taxi has arrived.
Handy: if you register your credit card details, you can pay directly the taxi driver via the app, no need to keep some cash with you. You can of course choose to pay cash, it is optional.
Hassle free: It can sometimes be very difficult to find a cab in Dublin over the weekend as it gets busier. Hence, with Hailo you can just call a taxi or book one for later and it will come to pick you up if available at the time you requested.
5. Dublin bikes
Launched since 2009 in Dublin, Dublin bikes have become very popular. Today you can see many people using them to commute on daily basis. It can be even faster to use bikes rather than public transports or cars sometimes to move around Dublin. The subscription is 20 euros per year, and it is free to use the bike for less than 30 minutes, perfect to commute in Dublin city centre. However, due to its popularity, some bike stations might become empty faster than others. That's why this app can be very handy as it lets you know if some bikes are still available at a station and where is the closest station around you.
6. Luas times
As Dublin bus and Irish rail apps, it lets you know when the next tram is coming and provides also a live timetable.
7. Eventbrite
This app allows you to know the events happening around your city. Just select your city and it will show you what's happening from entertainment to sports events. You just need to pick the categories of your interest.
8. Yahoo! Weather
The weather in Dublin can change a lot in one day. It is common to joke in Ireland and say that there can be four seasons in one day, but that can actually be true. The weather changes very fast.
I personnaly like to use Yahoo! weather application for its design and user friendly interface. It is pretty accurate and you can setup alerts for any kind of weather changes. Very helpful to plan your day ahead and figure out how to dress up for the day.
9. Parking tag
If you own a car, this application can be very useful as it allows you to pay for your parking directly online via your phone, no need to bring your coins. You just need to register your details and credit/debit card details to use it.
10. Dublin town
This app is a guide to Dubliners or just travelers passing by Dublin. It basicaly lets you know what's happening around the city and provides detailed information about restaurants, shops, bars, night clubs, cultural events and so on. It is a great app to keep up to date.
I hope that you will find them as useful as I do. I think my top 3 would be Google maps to move around, Yahoo! weather to know what's waiting for me outside and Dublin town to keep up to date with what's happening in the city. But what about you Dubliners? Any other applications in mind?