I work in the digital industry so I’m conscious of my own digital body language; specifically which apps end up being ‘sticky’ and stay on my phone. Usually it has to solve a specific pain point or serve a specific function and, it has to be easy-to-use. Since moving to Luzern I’m always on the look-out for apps that make my life here easier. I have 6 apps, some obvious some less so, that I wanted to detailed for my fellow Living in Luzerners. Most apps are available for iOS and Android.
ParkingMe
real time information about the parking availability at most parking garages in Switzerland – iOS / Android
- find parking garages using a list of cities, an interactive map, or just click Localization in the menu to find the closest parking garage via GPS
- for each garage you can see the availability vs capacity (which a graph which serves no real purpose but is fun to look at), the address, the prices, which credit cards are accepted, and the opening hours
- create a list of favorites for easy reference
SBB Mobile
transportation schedules for all of Switzerland and the ability to buy tickets via the app – iOS / Android
- look up timetables for all types of transportation in Switzerland
- see the expected occupancy for your train (sometimes I upgrade to 1st class if it looks like 2nd class will be extremely tight)
- buy tickets directly within the app. Yes, you can free yourself from ever again using one of the ticket machines!
VBL
real-time transportation information for the Luzern area – iOS
- a better option that the SBB app for Luzern transportation; find busses based on your location or a set route (with real time updates if your bus is running late)
- the map function lets you zoom into where you want to go and tell the app to tell you how to get there. Sometimes this is very useful when you have a street address but don’t know the name of the closest bus stop
Recycling
the where, what, how of recycling centers in the Luzern area – iOS / Android
- find your closest recycling center by map, a search of postal code, or by the type of material you want to recycle. I found this app when I had a load of styrofoam to recycle but no idea where to take it.
- for each recycling center you’re provided the address, the collected items and the opening times
- create a list of your favorite recycling spots for easy reference.
MeteoSwiss
an all inclusive weather app for Switzerland – iOS / Android
- see a detailed 6-day weather forecast for any city in Switzerland including temperature, percentage of sunshine, and precipitation
- set notification alerts to let you know about high winds, storms, and rain that’s approaching. As someone who loves thunderstorms this is an awesome feature
- watch an animated map to see the the progression of precipitation, clouds, or temperature (warning: this can be strangely addictive and preternaturally accurate)
- simple but extremely useful app to get the most out of Luzern’s Hofkirche. I included this in the list because it’s a great example of an app that focuses on a single task and doesn’t try to do to much.
- read about points-of-interest inside the church and the surrounding grounds.
- provides information on the weekly services
