Whether you’re visiting Berlin for a weekend or you’re a seasoned local, there is a huge range of genuinely useful Berlin-centric apps available. Whatever you want to do it seems that some clever developer has sat down and thought “I’ll make that!”
We have avoided the more famous apps that are useful when traveling (everyone knows that you can use Google Maps offline, right?), in favour of apps that were either created in Berlin or offer something specifically useful to the city.
All apps mentioned in this article are free to download – we’ve linked to the iPhone versions, but the majority are also available for Android.
Read on for our favorites covering everything from table tennis to travel.
PINGPONGMAP
The sun’s out, you’ve got your table tennis bats stashed in your bag and you’re prowling the mean streets of Berlin looking for some ping pong hustle. Homegrown Berlin app pingpongmap is your new best friend. It has a really simple interface – just a map showing nearby tables (you can easily add your own if you find an unlisted one).
Handily, it also has a submenu where you can access the rules of the game: you’re only ever a click away from ending a ping pong argument over a net serve or a double bounce.
Never miss a bout of whiff whaff again
WINEMEISTER
We’ve all played the Lidl lottery in Berlin when choosing wine – so many €5 bottles… but which one is heaven in a glass and which one is going to require a Sterni to get rid of the taste? WineMeister has the answer.
- You can scan the barcode of your prospective wine purchase for a review
- Alternatively, tell the app how much you want to spend and the type of wine you want (by color or by occasion) and it will tell you how many different bottles of wine there are in your area, and which supermarkets are stocking them
If you like this app, you’ll also love Durst, which tells you the distance to your nearest Späti (visitors to Berlin: that’s an off-licence or liquor store).
Bad grape-juice: A thing of the past
VAMOS
Tired of wandering the dusty city streets feeling like the best parties are always tucked away behind a hidden door? Download VAMOS and you’ll never be short of something to do. Created in Berlin (although you can use it anywhere), VAMOS aggregates all the public facebook events near you, and orders them by popularity.
- Narrow down the search by choosing your interests, from Food & Drink and Nightlife to Family and Arts & Culture
- Follow your favorite venues so you don’t miss out on what’s coming up
STRANDBÄDER
When the hot weather finally lands in Berlin, this handy little app tells you where your nearest swimming place is, including lakes, beach-bars and swimming pools. Strandbäder also gives them each a rating, and tells you whether there is a bar or a snack place there.
Splash out with Strandbäder
BERLIN WALL
This is a comprehensive app for those interested in learning more about Berlin during the Cold War. It has a range of handy features, including a map showing where the Wall ran, and a “Discover” mode which will alert you via notification when you are near a site of historical interest. It also has a range of tours that you can follow, complete with commentary, or you can create your own route depending on your particular interests.
For other historical tours in Berlin check out our comprehensive guide.
GETTING AROUND
Here are some useful apps for navigating your way around the city:
By Public Transport: Download Subway and FahrInfo onto your phone. The former is a simple and easy to use route planner, which is available offline so you don’t need to use expensive data roaming, and the latter is the official app of BVG (Berlin’s public transport provider) showing timetables, problems on the track and general transport information.
By Bike: Deutsche Bahn’s Call-A-Bike programme allows registered users to grab any of the red and silver bikes in racks across the city and return them to any other rack – a really useful and cheap way to get around. Register with them and download the Call-A-Bike app to get started – and download RegenRadar to check whether its about to start raining before you start cycling!
Another great app with good Berlin support is Citymapper, which combines excellent map functionality with transport links – and tells you how many Döners you will burn off if you decide to walk rather than take the U Bahn. It also has a very handy “get me home” button for those 5am treks across town.
108 minutes only burns off 0.6 Döner! (Citymapper screenshot)
AND FINALLY…
Just because so many German people speak such excellent English is no excuse not to at least attempt to spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. Download Dict.cc, a very simple-to-use offline German dictionary (most languages are supported) to practice your vocabulary, and Duolingo if you are interested in a simple and fun online course that will quickly take you beyond “ein Bier bitte!”
Do you have a favorite Berlin app, or one that you find useful when traveling? We’d love to hear about it – tweet us @wimdu using #berlinapps
