In the 21st century we no longer use our phones only to call or text someone. They’ve really become a part and parcel of our lives and there are so many different ways in which we can use them, e.g. pay at the shop, buy transport tickets, book flights, order food. Many useful applications are created for our convenience. If you just moved to Kraków or are planning to come here as a tourist and want to have everything in your hand (or actually in your smartphone 😛 ) check out our list of top useful applications that will make your life in Kraków easier. Some apps listed below will be extremely useful not only in Kraków, but in any other city in Poland, but they are so must-have for everybody, that we decided to include them in the article.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
Jakdojade
An absolutely crucial application while talking about getting to any place in any Polish city is Jakdojade. This truly useful app allows you to check how to get from point A to point B in the fastest possible way. You just enter your departure and arrival addresses and Jakdojade will do the work for you. You can also check the bus or tram routes there and even buy tickets. This application is top 1 to download in Kraków as it makes transport around the city really simple, especially if you suddenly experience an outburst of topographical disorientation. So why not plan ahead with Jakdojade?
Wavelo, Hulaj
If you want to explore the city by bicycle or prefer an electric scooter but don’t have your own – these apps are just for you! Wavelo is a city bike system functioning in Kraków both sustainable and cheap. There are a lot of stations covering whole Kraków and it’s extremely easy to use as well. In the Wavelo app you can manage your trips, borrow bikes and so much more. In order to use it, you have to choose your plan and sign up for a Wavelo membership through the website or mobile app. Hulaj is an app that allows you to borrow an electric scooter which is pretty awesome and fast! You can check where the scooters are located on the map and how much battery is left. Then you just need to scan the QR code and you already can use the scooter. What a great alternative for eco-conscious city dwellers!
IMKA, Skycash, Mobilenet
Sometimes in Kraków it can be quite problematic to buy a bus or tram ticket if you don’t have any cash. Unfortunately, paper money is not accepted by the machine in the bus, you can pay either by card or with coins. Some machines require only the exact amount of money and don’t give you any change. It’s also not always possible to buy a ticket from the driver. That’s why you always have a plan B. Buying tickets through the apps is the most convenient solution to the problem. IMKA, Skycash, Mobilenet are the apps perfect for that aim. You can buy bus tickets in a matter of seconds and never be afraid of being fined. Actually, if you have a good banking app you can do such things through them. For example, in the Millennium Bank app you can go to “Tickets and parking fares”, select a city and a ticket type and validate it with just one click!
Some of those apps have to offer even more than this! You can also purchase cinema tickets that allow you to skip the line, buy train tickets, top up your phone or pay for parking fees without the need to find a parking machine. What can be more useful, right?
Traficar
Traficar is a useful car sharing app which helps you rent a car easily in order to move around the city. The map shows you where is the nearest point where you can pick up a car. You pay only for time and distance as petrol and parking are already included in the price. Basically, it’s like a taxi in which you’re the driver and you can use it in any large city in Poland.
SIGHTSEEING AND EVENTS
Krakow.pl
Imbued with history and filled with culture, the prospect of a visit to Kraków can be exciting and overwhelming in equal measure: so many places to visit and things to do! A Kraków.pl application is a modern and free city guide for mobile devices with Android and iOS operating systems. Its merit is that you can use it offline after downloading, but if you want to see new events coming you have to connect to the Internet. You can find a list of Kraków attractions there, popular tourist routes as well as upcoming events. Using this app you can make your own plan of the trip by choosing the most interesting places and events. Useful info about Kraków and its history can be found in the app together with the description of the sights that are the most popular among tourists. This app is still a little bit rough around the edges as it’s not updated regularly, but we hope that in the future it will be improved.
Kraków Travel Guide by etips
That’s another helpful travel app that provides you with a full city experience when it comes to sightseeing. The app features plenty of advice to travelers about getting around the city, but also about shopping, nightlife, most famous sights, as well as practical safety tips. You can easily book a tour via this app or find useful information about Kraków and its culture.
Co i gdzie.pl
There’s a myriad of incredible places and events in Kraków you just can not miss! Coigdzie.pl is a well-designed application for cultural events in Poland pretty much everybody can benefit from. It will tell you what is going on in your city. You want to go to the cinema, theatre or concert? Using this app you can filter them all according to your interests, i.e. you can choose for example only films, exhibitions, festivals or events for children. You can add chosen events to your calendar to schedule everything in time. Unfortunately, the app is available only in Polish but it’s still pretty user-friendly even if you don’t really speak Polish.
FOOD AND SHOPPING
Pyszne.pl, Pizza Portal, Zomato
Some days, you’re feeling inventive enough to whip up a dinner masterpiece entirely from scratch. Other days, you are so lazy that even making fried eggs seems quite challenging for you. Pyszne.pl is the best remedy for such days. You can use it as a website or download an app and order food delivery. It is very convenient and offers various types of cuisine to choose from. Pizza Portal is a pretty similar app where you can also order food and it’s not only pizza that you can find there. It is one of the apps most used and trusted by visitors and locals alike. Zomato is a really great app that not only allows you to order food to your home, but also shows you the most popular and high-ranked places to go out for lunch or dinner. If you want to spend your evening in a place with a nice atmosphere and exquisite food, Zomato’s got you covered.
Vegan Kraków
Polish traditional cuisine includes a lot of meat, so in the wide variety of restaurants it can still be tricky to pinpoint exactly where to enjoy a vegan meal. But not anymore! Using this app you can find a place that caters for vegans or vegetarians in any district of the city. With Vegan Kraków you can also search for stores and markets that are vegan friendly. No matter whether you are a tourist or live in Kraków – this app provides a fast access to the best places where to satiate your cravings, buy food or other goods.
Applications of your favourite shops (Żabka, Auchan, Rossman, GoodLood)
Don’t forget to download the apps of the shops you go to most often as they provide you with useful information concerning discounts as well as coupons and other perks to encourage their clients. In addition, it’s always more convenient to have an app on your phone than take millions of plastic cards with you every time you go somewhere.
OTHER:
Airly, Powietrze Kraków, Smoksmog
Sadly, smog is still a present problem in Kraków, especially during the winters. If you want to monitor the current air condition these apps may be handy. They also contain some useful information about pollution and the measures taken by the city to reduce smog. Some of them, such as Powietrze Kraków, also have an option to send reports about the places where, for example, garbage is burned.
O!strzegator
You can’t underestimate the advantages of this application. O!strzegator is an app informing about the situation on Krakow’s roads. Having it in your phone, you will know about changes and difficulties in traffic. It will also inform you about the meteorological and hydrological situation as well as about the quality of air in the area.
Kiedy wywóz
This application allows you to view the schedule of garbage collection in a selected location. It also contains a list of permanent points of selective garbage collection.
Not a day goes by that we don’t use at least one of these apps, and let us tell you, a few of them have saved us from never wanting to step off base again. If you find this article useful, share it with your friends and if you want to add something to this list, write your suggestions in the comment section below.