Save maps and addresses offline

• Save the full details for your accommodation, train station, airport, meeting point and emergency address.
• Copy place names exactly as they appear in your booking, ticket or official address.
• If a different writing system is used, add the local spelling and a readable transliteration.
• Keep important details as text and as an image that can be viewed offline.
• It’s best to keep the address, district, street number, stop and phone number together in one complete note.
• Before you leave, test your saved map areas and addresses without an internet connection.

Start with the destinations you must be able to reach. These include your accommodation, your first train station or airport, a meeting point and an address to use if you need help. For each one, save the full name, street and number, district, city, country and, if available, a phone number. For a hotel or holiday rental, include the booking number in the note as well. If you haven’t chosen accommodation yet, the accommodation search by destination and location can help you choose a suitable place to stay. Save the details as text in your digital travel documents so they’re still available offline.

Arrange your destinations in your travel itinerary by arrival, accommodation, first outing, onward journey and return trip. For your first journey after arrival, transfers and local public transport are important; for train travel and railway stations, include the platform, station and direction of travel in your note.

In countries that use a different writing system, the same place may appear differently on a ticket, a sign and in a map app. First save the spelling exactly as it appears in your booking or ticket, then add the local form and a readable transliteration alongside it. This helps keep variant spellings clearly matched in language and communication.

Don’t shorten an address to just the city name. A train station, airport, port, district and streets with the same name can be far apart. If the address uses Cyrillic, Greek or another script, save the place name in its original script and transliteration together with the type of destination and street number. For border crossings, include the entry documents required for each country in your route; if you’re visiting several countries, list transit and onward travel as separate legs.

Download the map area you need before you leave. Test it by switching off your connection, opening the map and looking up your accommodation, train station and meeting point in offline mode. A saved route is a useful guide, but the full destination address is still important if a closure or missed connection changes your first route. Make a note of contacts and an alternative option as well.

Create a short note for each important destination that you can show someone. A screenshot of your booking or a PDF can also help, but make sure it’s up to date, large enough to read and doesn’t have any lines cut off. Save phone numbers in the destination note as well as in your contacts. That way, you can still find them if you change phones or accidentally save a contact under a different name.

Before each onward journey, compare the destination on your ticket with the information provided by the transport operator. Check the district, terminal, station, stop number, direction and departure time. A bus or ferry may leave from a place with a different name from the city itself. For long-distance buses and ferry connections, make sure your destination note includes the exact stop or port.

Keep a second payment option available that you can use at your destination in case you need to pay for a ticket, transfer or short taxi ride while you’re out. A card, cash and a second payment option should therefore be part of your offline preparations. If you’re travelling with others, make sure a second person can access the most important addresses. This helps the group keep going if someone’s phone runs out of battery or they need to take a different route at short notice.

Do a simple offline test the day before you leave: switch off your connection, open your saved maps and read the most important addresses aloud. Check the spelling, street number and type of destination against your ticket or booking confirmation.

Which destinations should I save offline?

The most important ones are your accommodation, arrival point, key connections, meeting points, return journey and an emergency address where you can be reached.

Is a screenshot of the address enough?

It’s a useful addition, but you should also save the text and phone number. That way, you can search, copy or read out the details.

Which spelling should I use for a booking?

Use the form required by your booking document or ID. For navigating, also save the original script and a transliteration.

How do I check an offline map?

Disconnect from the internet, open the saved map area and look up your accommodation, train station and meeting point again.