Essential Apps for India Travel

TL;DR – install these right away

Category	Apps
Taxi & transport	Ola, Uber
Trains	MakeMyTrip, IRCTC
Maps & navigation	Google Maps
Translation	Google Translate, Papago
Payments	Wise, Revolut
Dining & delivery	Zomato, Swiggy
Tours & booking	GetYourGuide, Klook
Accommodation	Booking.com, MakeMyTrip

---

1. Taxi & transport

Ola

India's largest ride-hailing platform, founded in 2011 and now operating in 250+ cities across India. Usable in nearly every major Indian city — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Agra, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and more.

• Ola Auto: request an auto rickshaw (a three-wheeled electric vehicle) — India's distinctive mode of transport, able to navigate narrow city lanes
• Ola Mini/Micro/Prime: choose from a range of vehicle types, from compact cars to premium sedans
• Fare transparency: shows an estimated fare before you leave, preventing overcharging
• Payment: accepts cash, card, and Ola Money (an Indian payment method) — card or cash is most convenient for foreigners
• Cheaper than Uber: comparing the same route often shows Ola as cheaper than Uber
• Optimized for India: Ola uses an algorithm optimized for India's road conditions and traffic congestion
• Tip: traffic congestion is severe in Delhi and Mumbai. Allow plenty of travel time, and specify your pickup location precisely.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

⚠️ Note: people approaching you at Indian airports or train stations saying "taxi?" are unofficial taxis. Always call a ride through the Ola or Uber app — overcharging is very common otherwise.

---

Uber

Also one of India's two dominant ride-hailing apps alongside Ola. Uber, familiar to foreign travelers in particular, has an edge in English-language interface and card payment convenience.

• Uber Go/Comfort/Black: a range of vehicle tiers
• UberMoto: a motorbike request option (not recommended, since it's risky)
• English UI: an interface friendly to foreign travelers
• Card payment: pay with a foreign card even without an Indian card
• India airport pickup: operates at both Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM)

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

2. Trains & long-distance travel

MakeMyTrip

India's largest travel booking platform, letting you book trains, flights, buses, and hotels all in one place. Much easier for foreign travelers to use than IRCTC.

• Train bookings: search and book train routes across India (jointly integrated with IRCTC)
• Foreigner-friendly: accepts foreign credit card payment, with an English interface
• Seat classes: compare prices across seat classes — Sleeper (SL), 3AC, 2AC, 1AC, CC, and more
• Delhi↔Agra: Gatimaan Express (about 2 hours), Vande Bharat Express (top-tier, under 2 hours)
• Delhi↔Jaipur: Ajmer Shatabdi (about 5 hours)
• Hotel+train package: Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) package products
• Tip: popular Indian train routes sell out weeks in advance. Book especially early for the night before visiting the Taj Mahal.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

IRCTC Rail Connect

The official app of Indian Railways, handling all train bookings within India. This app manages one of the largest railway networks in the world, but the registration process can be complicated for foreigners.

• PNR lookup: check your seat assignment and train status in real time using your PNR number after booking
• E-ticket: board with a mobile ticket
• Foreigner registration: you can register with a foreign phone number, but the process is complex — using MakeMyTrip is recommended instead
• Tip: it's more convenient for foreigners to book train tickets through MakeMyTrip or Cleartrip, and only use the IRCTC app for PNR lookup.

---

3. Maps & navigation

Google Maps

Provides maps, public transit, and walking routes across India — one of the most-used apps for traveling in India.

• Offline saving: save destination cities like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Mumbai in advance. Signal is often unreliable in India.
• Delhi Metro: includes route information for Delhi Metro lines (Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Violet, Orange, and more)
• Mumbai local trains: information on Mumbai's suburban rail (Western, Central, Harbour Lines)
• Rickshaw routes: also provides some auto rickshaw route information
• Attraction locations: locations for the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, India Gate, Jaisalmer Fort, and Lake Pichola in Udaipur
• Tip: Indian street names can change confusingly (especially in Delhi). It can be more convenient to describe your destination by landmark instead.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

4. Translation

Google Translate

India is a multilingual country with 22 officially recognized languages. Hindi (north India), Tamil (south India), Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, and more vary by region. English gets you by at tourist sites and hotels, but the local language is needed at local restaurants, markets, and train stations.

• Camera translation: instantly translate Hindi or Tamil menus, signs, and train timetables
• Offline Hindi pack: usable on a train with no signal or in provincial cities
• Conversation mode: real-time two-way voice translation with locals
• Devanagari script: the camera translation feature for the Hindi alphabet (Devanagari) is especially useful
• Tip: Indian train timetables and platform information can be displayed only in Hindi. Prepare a translation app in advance.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

Papago

Naver's translation app, strong in Korean-based translation.

• Korean-optimized: produces natural Korean→Hindi/English translations
• Camera translation: real-time camera translation for Hindi
• Indian English: Indian English can be hard to understand due to its strong accent — text translation helps bridge communication

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

5. Payments

Wise

Offers the most favorable exchange rate for paying in Indian rupees (INR) and ATM withdrawals.

• Direct INR payment: pay in rupees directly at the bank's mid-market rate
• ATM withdrawals: withdraw rupees from ATMs in Delhi, Mumbai, and Jaipur — Indian ATMs sometimes have low withdrawal limits (INR 10,000–20,000 per transaction)
• Watch for DCC: always choose the local currency (INR) if an ATM offers "Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)"
• Tip: cash use is very common in India. You'll need cash at bazaars, local restaurants, auto rickshaws, and temple admission. Carry plenty of small-denomination rupee notes (INR 10, 20, 50, 100).

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

Revolut

Useful for managing the Indian rupee exchange rate and spending analysis.

• Real-time exchange rate: instant alert on the home-currency equivalent the moment you pay in INR
• Spending analysis: manage spending by category — transport, dining, tours, shopping, and more
• Currency exchange: exchange for rupees in advance while still in Korea, before your India trip

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

💡 Tip: app-based payment (UPI) is spreading rapidly in India. Signing up for PhonePe or Paytm can be difficult for foreigners, so a combination of a Wise/Revolut card plus rupee cash is the most practical approach.

---

6. Dining & food delivery

Zomato

India's largest food delivery and restaurant review platform — a homegrown Indian app started in Delhi in 2008.

• Finding restaurants: reviews and ratings for restaurants across Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, and more
• Food delivery: offers food delivery service in major cities
• Filters: filter by Veg Only, Non-Veg, or cuisine type
• Exploring Indian food: search for restaurants known for butter chicken, palak paneer, dal makhani, biryani, dosa, and samosas
• Price range: search by price range, from cheap eats to fine dining
• Tip: since many Zomato reviews are written by actual locals, they tend to be highly reliable for finding a genuinely good restaurant.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

7. Tours & activities

GetYourGuide

Book tours and admission tickets for India's major attractions.

• Taj Mahal: a sunrise tour — advance booking essential due to a daily admission cap
• Red Fort: a guided tour of Delhi's Red Fort, plus its evening light show
• Golden Temple: a guided tour of the Golden Temple in Amritsar
• Rajasthan desert camping: a camel trekking and desert camping package departing from Jaisalmer
• Kerala backwaters: a houseboat tour departing from Kochi or Alleppey
• Jaipur city tour: a combined tour of Amber Fort, City Palace, and Hawa Mahal

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

Klook

Conveniently book India travel products in your own language.

• Taj Mahal package: a day trip to Agra departing from Delhi (Taj Mahal, Agra Fort)
• Golden Triangle: a 5-day package covering Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur
• Airport pickup: pickup service at Delhi and Mumbai airports

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

8. Accommodation

Booking.com

Compare and book hotels, guesthouses, and heritage hotels across India.

• Heritage hotels: heritage hotels converted from Indian palaces (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur) — a distinctively Indian experience
• Delhi hotels: accommodations around Connaught Place and India Gate
• Agra: Taj Mahal-view hotels — rooms with a view of the Taj Mahal from the window
• Mumbai: accommodations in the Colaba area or near the beach
• Tip: prices for Indian accommodations vary enormously. Options range from cheap guesthouses (INR 500+) to 5-star heritage hotels (USD 300+) — choose based on your budget.

📱 Download: App Store | Google Play

---

9. Travel safety

⚠️ Practical tips for traveling in India:

• Water: never drink tap water. Only drink bottled mineral water or sealed beverages.
• Food: enjoy street food with some caution — during your first few days, we recommend easing in at restaurants with confirmed hygiene standards first.
• Splitting up cash: don't keep all your cash in one wallet — carry only a small amount, and keep the rest stored deep in your bag.
• Bargaining culture: at markets and souvenir shops, negotiating down to 50–70% of the asking price is normal.
• Overcharging: foreigners are almost always quoted an inflated price — using Ola/Uber is the safest option.

---

App installation checklist

• Ola (essential for taxis)
• Uber (an alternative to Ola)
• MakeMyTrip (train/hotel bookings)
• Google Maps (saved offline)
• Google Translate (Hindi/Tamil offline packs)
• Wise or Revolut
• Zomato (dining)
• GetYourGuide or Klook (Taj Mahal tours)

---

Why an eSIM matters for an India trip

Requesting an Ola, navigating with Google Maps, finding restaurants on Zomato, and checking your GetYourGuide Taj Mahal tour all require data. Lines for buying a local SIM card at Indian airports (Delhi IGI, Mumbai BOM) can be very long (waits of 1–2 hours are common), and foreigner SIM registration requiring a passport photo and signature takes time. Install an eSIM from home in advance, and you can call an Ola the moment you land, avoiding airport taxi overcharging. An eSIM running on India's Airtel, Jio, or Vi network offers the widest coverage.

👉 Compare the best India eSIM prices on esimoa

---

Note: app details are current as of 2025 and service policies may change.