Traveling abroad can present many unique cultural and technological challenges. While technology has helped bridge the gap between cultural divides, not all apps are made equal regionally. In seeking the best regionally-specific travel apps I consulted with FlightHub, a Canadian online travel agency. FlightHub reviews all facets of travel as a service to their customers heading abroad. I asked FlightHub for some of the best and lesser known travel apps that their recommend to people heading to Europe, China, and Japan.

Navitime – Japan

Tokyo’s massive metro system has 285 total stops across its massive sprawl. That’s a lot to wrap your head around during the course of your Japanese vacation. To help you crack the metro code in Tokyo, FlightHub recommends the metro mapping app Navitime. This offline app gives you access to the complete system map at anytime. The best part, it is designed with English users in mind, meaning you don’t need to depend on iffy translations to understand your routing. This is especially important as Japan is notorious for being one of the most difficult countries to get around if you don’t know the local lingo, so an app like Navitime comes highly recommended when in Tokyo.

Metro China Subway – China

Meanwhile in China, FlightHub recommends the Metro China Subway app. This English-centric app is your offline guide to the 32 lines and the almost 700 stops that make up the Metro systems in both Shanghai and Beijing. In addition to maps and routes, this app also includes information about the surrounding stores, restaurants, and attractions, making it extremely useful for those who are solely using public transit to get around these massive cities.

Rail Europe – Europe

If you are planning to travel Europe chances are you will be making use of its very efficient and comprehensive rail service. Rail Europe makes this super easy by allowing you to view departure times, purchase tickets, and pick seats on the go. FlightHub’s favourite feature though is the ability to view station specific amenities. This includes things like lockers and luggage storage options.

Metro – Europe

Featuring Metro maps for over 400 cities worldwide, this offline transit app is a must have for any globe trotters looking to make use of public transit while abroad. FlightHub recommends this app due to its offline accessibility to so many different metro maps, making this app useful whether you are in a country with incompatible networks, or simply underground.

Wi-Fi Finder – Worldwide

While many of the apps mentioned above are praised for their offline capabilities, sometimes you need to get online to get the information you need. That is where Wi-Fi Finder comes in handy. International data usage rates can vary from reasonable to downright criminal, so using this app, which works in 144 countries, can be a major savings. In addition to finding Wi-Fi hotspots, this app also allows you to separate which of these spots are free to use, and which require payment.

Tokyo image via Trover