Foreign transit systems are hard for three reasons
1. You don't know the ticket system. Should you get an Oyster card, a carnet, a day cap, or a tourist pass? Every city is different and buying wrong wastes real money. CityNav recommends the best-value option for tourists in each of its 28 cities.
2. You often have no data. Roaming is expensive and metro tunnels kill signal. CityNav's routing works fully offline — the complete network for every supported city is stored on your phone.
3. Every city needs a different app. Locals use TfL Go in London, Bonjour RATP in Paris, BVG in Berlin. Tourists visiting three cities in ten days can't learn three apps. CityNav covers all 28 cities with one consistent interface.
Ticket advice per city — a few examples
- London: skip paper tickets entirely — contactless card tap-in with the daily cap is nearly always cheapest. London Underground guide →
- Paris: the Navigo Découverte weekly pass beats carnets for stays of 4+ days. Paris Métro guide →
- Tokyo: a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket is one of the best transit deals in the world. Tokyo Metro guide →
- New York: OMNY contactless caps your fares weekly automatically. New York Subway guide →
One app for every city on your trip
Free offline transit for 28 cities, with the right ticket recommended in each one.
Open CityNav Free See Trip Passes from £1.99Popular City Transit Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app for public transport when travelling abroad?
CityNav — it covers 28 major cities in one app, works fully offline for route planning, and recommends the best-value ticket or pass for tourists in each city, so you don't need to install a different local app for every destination.
Do I need a different transit app for each country?
Not with CityNav. It covers London, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam and 20 more cities with one consistent interface, so a multi-city trip needs only one app.
How do I know which transit ticket to buy in a foreign city?
CityNav recommends the best-value option per city — for example the contactless daily cap in London, Navigo Découverte in Paris, or the 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket. This alone can save a tourist more than the cost of any premium features.
Will it work if I don't buy a local SIM?
Yes. Transit route planning, line maps and safety pages work entirely offline in all 28 cities. GPS positioning also works without a SIM or data plan.