Seven essential Edinburgh and Glasgow smartphone apps
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Next Bike
A must for any Glasgow residents, Next Bike grants you access to 20 different pick up/drop off points across the city. Simply register your bank account details and you will be charged for the amount of time that you choose to hire the bike. You can pick up and drop off at any point across the city. It costs £1 for every half hour, and £10 for five to 24 hours of rental. A perfect way to get about the city while keeping fit.
Uber
Uber, the app-based taxi service, has made its way north of the border, and it promises to shake up the cab industry in Scotland in a big way. Download the app, set up an account and with a single tap you can order a taxi to anywhere using your smartphone’s location services function. Prices are reasonable (especially for Edinburgh residents, where taxis are much more expensive) and it means you don’t have to carry cash on you. Perfect for avoiding the huge festive taxi queues.
Parkopedia
Free on iOS and Android
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Hide AdEdinburgh and Glasgow are notoriously short of parking spaces, but Parkopedia could go a long way to making the search easier. The app allows you to search for free and paid car parks by location. The app lists the opening hours, pricing, real time space availability and even directs you to the car park entrance.
Global Movie Trails
Free on iOS and Android
Scotland is home to a rich film history and Global Movie Trail offers interactive tours around film locations in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Films such as Under the Skin, Trainspotting and Chariots of Fire all have a guided tour, with interesting facts about the film, locations and interactive questions to engage and educate.
Scotland’s Pubs and Bar – A Story to Tell
How much do you really know about your local? Many of Scotland’s pubs and bars have a story to tell, and this app will do just that. From The Laurieston in Glasgow to The Last Drop in Edinburgh, there is more to discover than what beer is on tap. There are locations throughout the whole of Scotland, so this is one for us all.
Transport for Edinburgh
It’s difficult to beat Lothian Buses for their user-friendly and copmprehensive transport app. As well providing you with live updates of bus and tram timetables and delays, you can also save locations – such as your house or workplace – meaning you can find the best commuting route from wherever you may find yourself in the capital. Using the m-ticket app (available on iOS and Android) you can also buy bus or tram tickets online, though the minimum spend is £10.
Timetime Trip Edinburgh
Some of us may think history tours are strictly for the tourists, Timeline Trip offers a whole new way of wandering around Auld Reekie. Mapping your location with GPS, the app lets you walk old map routes peppered with insightful and interesting historical trivia.