15 Useful Apps for NYC Travel & Exploration

When you’re exploring New York City, you will be quite reliant on your phone for navigating, finding restaurants, and buying tickets for attractions and events.

Make sure you download some essential apps to avoid long lines, save money, and make the most of your time in the city.

Here are our must-get apps for NYC:

1. Citymapper
2. Google Maps
3. MyMTA and/or TrainTime
4. Curb
5. Uber & Lyft (for bikes, too)
6. Resy
7. OpenTable
8. TooGoodtoGo
9. TodayTix
10. TKTS
11. VividSeats & SeatGeek
12. Viator
13. GetYourGuide
14. See Saw
15. Bloomberg Connects

Let’s look at each one below. 👇

Quick Links:

• Access dozens of curated Google Maps lists
• Get 50% off your first two Uber rides
• Get 50% off your first Lyft ride
• Get a free Citi Bike unlock
• Explore our Viator collection
• Free Bloomberg Connects app

Note: This article was written by a real live human being who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

Best NYC Apps Podcast Episode

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1. Citymapper

Citymapper is a fan favorite for effectively getting around New York City.

Many users highlight its feature of calling out exactly which car to ride in for transfers and fastest exits. People also love the accuracy of train times and the exact directions on which subway exit to take to get to their destination most effectively.

For New York City, it’s very effective at showing different routes for a variety of methods, including the subway, bus, rail lines, PATH trains, and more.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps is our personal go-to app for getting around NYC. I love having all my saved spots (access all our Google Maps lists for free here), transit options, and reviews in one spot.

Sure, privacy and data issues aren’t something I’m naive to. It’s a calculated choice.

I’ve found Google Maps to be great at planning future train times, highlighting delays, and also showing Citi Bike options nearby.

3. MyMTA and/or TrainTime

MyMTA and/or TrainTime apps are a couple worth mentioning for navigating New York City. If I need trains on very specific timelines, I often double-check routes in these apps beforehand.

MyMTA is great for the subway. TrainTime is vital when using Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road. You can even buy and activate/use train tickets within the app!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of navigating all the trains, don’t! You can download our 100% free NYC Navigation Guide.

4. Curb

Curb makes it easy to pair and pay for taxi rides. You can also hail taxis from within the Curb app, though we don’t do it often.

You do NOT need the Curb app to use a taxi, but it’s convenient because you can sometimes handle payment issues in taxis.

Many like the Curb app for planning and estimating taxi costs beforehand.

5. Uber & Lyft (for bikes, too)

Uber & Lyft are great apps for New York City. Most people are familiar with the concept, but it allows you to hail rides from any location at any time.

The Lyft app also lets you unlock Citi Bikes! Before doing that, be sure to brush up on safety tips for biking around NYC.

If you’re new to Citi Bike, you can get a free bike unlock here! 👈

If you’re new to Uber, you can get 50% off your first two rides here! 👈

If you’re new to Lyft, you can get 50% off your first ride here! 👈

6. Resy

Resy is an app for making reservations at certain restaurants in New York City. It can be a tool for finding new restaurants, but that’s not its main feature.

Most restaurants are either on Resy or OpenTable, but rarely both.

7. OpenTable

OpenTable is an app for making reservations at select bars and restaurants in New York City. It can be a tool for finding new restaurants, but that’s not its main feature.

The best part about OpenTable is that you can earn rewards when making reservations. The rewards can be used on:

• Prepaid experiences at restaurants
• Dining credits at restaurants
• Amazon gift cards and more

We’ve personally gotten multiple Amazon gift cards simply by booking reservations through OpenTable. So, if you have the opportunity, reserve tables at restaurants through OpenTable!

8. TooGoodtoGo

TooGoodtoGo is an app that connects you to lower-cost meals from select restaurants and grocers throughout New York City (and other cities).

Essentially, participating restaurants, cafes, grocers, etc. will set aside a certain number of meals that will go to waste. In the app, you can reserve one of those meals, pay the discounted price, and pick that meal up later that day.

It’s a GREAT way to try out new spots for a fraction of the normal price. Most of the meals are around $5-$9.

Be warned that most of the time, what you will get is a complete mystery. I’ve had some phenomenal meals from TooGoodToGo, and some awful ones.

Also, many popular options sell out quickly, so you must plan ahead.

Try out TooGoodtoGo here.

9. TodayTix

TodayTix is one of the best ways to get cheap Broadway tickets. While it’s best if you plan ahead, you can often find good options for upcoming shows.

Another huge perk of TodayTix is the ability to earn rewards, including discounts on future shows, ticket protection, lottery multipliers, and more.

There are also Lottery & Rush options within TodayTix, making it a must-have app for Broadway lovers in New York City!

10. TKTS

The TKTS app shows you which Broadway shows are available at the TKTS booths (yes, there is more than one) for discounted prices.

Most of the time, you can snag tickets for up to 50% off the normal price for day-of performances and next-day matinees.

But the line can be ROUGH. Here’s what you can do. 👇

To clarify, you cannot buy tickets through the TKTS app, but it will show you a real-time display of what’s currently on sale at the discount booths.

11. VividSeats & SeatGeek

VividSeats & SeatGeek are great options for tickets to sporting events, concerts, Broadway shows, and other events in New York City. While we personally use VividSeats most often, we’ve also found great prices on SeatGeek from time to time.

Again, an advantage of VividSeats is the ability to earn rewards redeemable for future ticket purchases!

When we’re looking for tickets, we often check both of these apps to find the cheapest options, with VividSeats usually having the best options!

12. Viator

Viator is an app that offers tickets, sometimes discounted, to events and attractions in New York City.

You can use it to book tickets in advance, often allowing you to skip long lines at places like the Museum of Modern Art, Statue of Liberty ferries, any of NYC’s observation decks, and more.

Viator also lets you earn rewards redeemable for ticket discounts!

Check out our full collection of recommended attractions and tours on Viator.

13. GetYourGuide

GetYourGuide is another app that aggregates tours, attractions, and other events in New York City.

Again, a major advantage of GetYourGuide is avoiding long lines to buy tickets for popular spots in NYC!

14. See Saw

See Saw is a free app (iOS only) that showcases public art galleries to visit in New York City. It shows information about the artist, hours, and locations.

If you want a large concentration of art galleries, Chelsea is the place to go! You’ll find over 200 art galleries within a handful of blocks.

15. Bloomberg Connects

Bloomberg Connects is a free app that provides audio tours and information about a variety of NYC museums, parks, and attractions.

The Central Park Audio Guide within the app is the best way to explore NYC’s most famous park.

Useful NYC Apps Recap & Next Steps

All of these apps can help simplify your New York City travel by saving time, skipping lines, and even saving money!

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