 Poster: A snowHead
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Not sure if this is the correct forum for this type of question but in any case here goes. Driving from Salzburg to St Anton next month in a hired car from the airport, I didn't select Sat Nav as my iphone has a sat nav feature i.e. the maps app which works fine here the majority of the time except in areas of poor coverage. My question is has anyone used their iphone as a sat nav when driving to ski resorts or anywhere else in europe. Given the fact that I'll be in a mountainous country will the iphone map app struggle to get a signal?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sneachta2013, welcome to snowHeads!
I'm not sure about the new, botched (at least initially) app, but I used the old version OK. Only sporadically though, because one must beware huge data roaming charges. We used Mrs L's Tom Tom in the car we got at Innsbruck last week. Worked a treat, but we had to download European maps for a one-off fee. I think it's worth planning routes before hand and sanity-checking the GPS, rather than putting blind faith in it. But I may be in granny and eggs territory now!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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if you get an app that stores the maps locally (CoPilot is the one my mum uses) then all you need is a clear view of the sky for the GPS to work, it has all the features of a fancy GPS (voice navigation, traffic updates etc.) and only costs £25 for the whole of Europe (or £20 for western Europe) and doesn't need/use a data connection.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sneachta2013, welcome to sH
I think the route is so straightforwards that a satnav probably isn't even necessary, apart from maybe the last streets from the St.Anton turn off. Data roaming depends on your plan. Mine is €2 per day for 25megs then drops down to unusable data rate.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Sneachta2013, I've used the Navfree app, which is, as the name would indicate, free and has the maps on the iphone, so no data connection required, only gps. European maps can be downloaded for a small fee. I think most of them are £1.99 and I've used the Austria maps with no problem. You will need enough free storage space on the phone for the maps though.
Edit: You get the UK and ROI maps with the free app.
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Sneachta2013, buy a map.
1. Apple's Maps wots not of half the roads round here
2. The place is full of mountaibs getting in the way of your signal
3. It will try to send you down closed/completely unsuitable roads
4. It's likely to cost you a fortune in roaming charges
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Iaink, Not strictly true - the device needs to be able to see 3 satellites, preferably 4 for accurate navigation - in steeop vallies this may not be the case. (especially when you need it most - finding the final address)
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There's no steep valleys along that route. The satnav will work, except for in the tunnels. I've used my sat nav for the entire route from Salzburg to Bregenz.
For the route the OP needs to do, there are only 2 autobahn interchanges to worry about - at one the satnav will work, at the other the satnav should give a warning to get in the right lane in time (but then you end up in a tunnel). But it may seem strange following signs to Innsbruck and then driving in to Germany within minutes of leaving the airport!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Slight extension to this topic, are there any toll roads on the route from Salzburg to St Anton, or is a 'vignette' or what ever they are called all that I will need to purchase?
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Sneachta2013, I'd expect the rental car to have the vignette already, since it;s already in Austria. Check at the rental car desk.
There are no more tolls, unless you miss the St. Anton turn off.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| geepee wrote: |
| Sneachta2013, I've used the Navfree app, which is, as the name would indicate, free and has the maps on the iphone, so no data connection required, only gps. |
That^^
I have used navfree in the US and UK (both entirely free including maps) and it worked well both times.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Sygic, the sat-nav app I use on my iPhone knows when you're in a tunnel, and rather than complaining about loss of satellite signal, assumes you're driving at around the same speed as when you entered and will navigate you based on that, so will still deal with directions while within a tunnel.
Obviously if you get stuck in a traffic jam, it'll recognise that you've not popped out the other side when you were expecting so will deal with that, but I find it one of the best and most fully featured smart-phone satnav apps.
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My vote goes for Sygic too (not on Iphone though but Android). I never really had need for special sat nav devices. Before I had this on my pocket pc, now I have it on phone. It's always with me, even if I have rented car, and based on this what I saw at my colleagues Garmin, it's a lot, and I mean A LOT! better then any Garmin. Not to mention, it has nice little feature, which beeps when you close on stationary speed cam... and it's up to date contrary to most of such features in designated sat-nav devices  Once you do few 1000km in winter driving around ski resorts where World cup makes its stop, you get sick of driving 50km/h... so these little beeps make things much less expensive  Another plus is, that it's relatively cheap compared to sat-nav devices.
Other option is Navigon, but personally I like Sygic better. And neither of these two requires internet, and therefore it's roaming expenses free, unless you want some of real time data it can provide (weather, road blocks...).
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You know it makes sense.
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Why would you need a sat nav, its pretty much motorway all the way!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| primoz wrote: |
My vote goes for Sygic too (not on Iphone though but Android). I never really had need for special sat nav devices. Before I had this on my pocket pc, now I have it on phone. It's always with me, even if I have rented car, and based on this what I saw at my colleagues Garmin, it's a lot, and I mean A LOT! better then any Garmin. Not to mention, it has nice little feature, which beeps when you close on stationary speed cam... and it's up to date contrary to most of such features in designated sat-nav devices Once you do few 1000km in winter driving around ski resorts where World cup makes its stop, you get sick of driving 50km/h... so these little beeps make things much less expensive Another plus is, that it's relatively cheap compared to sat-nav devices.
Other option is Navigon, but personally I like Sygic better. And neither of these two requires internet, and therefore it's roaming expenses free, unless you want some of real time data it can provide (weather, road blocks...). |
The latest version also has a tight-bend alert which has an additional beep and visual alert (if you want it) to let you know a sharp bend is coming up. It's a little hit and miss, but it has helped me out a couple of times, recently, when driving in the dark, on unfamiliar roads.
The other thing that's recently been added is a quick search for fuel stations ON route, not just nearby.. so you don't end up taking a 5 mile detour back where you came from, it will only point you at ones ahead of you, and with minimal detour.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Fogliettaz, +1 motorway all the way from the airport signposted to Innsbruck. Then follow the signs from Innsbruck towards Bregenz. Turn off before the Arlberg Tunnel!
Do watch out for the speed limits though and make sure you have a Pickerl/Vignette. The police fine you mostly on the spot for the former and the ASFINAG vans have a safe in them so they can secure the fines collected by people thinking they can get away without paying the toll. An awful lot of Germans have been caught like that as well as Swiss (which I feel is poetic justice considering their one price regardless toll).
The 10-day vignette can be bought at any of the motorway services between Salzburg and the border at Kiefersfelden/Kufstein. The ASFINAG check is carried out a wee bit further along from the Kufstein-Süd interchange and they use the gantry cameras to monitor offenders and then pull them over! The vignette costs 8.30 Euro for 10 days, 24.20 Euro for 2 months and 80.60 Euro for 13 months (that's my one). The fines for not having one start 300 Euro and going up to 3000 euro (mostly for repeat offenders I think).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We have used the Navigon app on husband's iPhone driving in Australia and it was absolutely fine
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Got a generic Android phone that came with a Sygic Sat Nav system which is much better than 3 Sat Sav I had before. These are the feature why I said that
(A) An Android phone can last for the whole day without a charge. A normal stand-alone Sat Nav needs constant charging in the car and last an hour or so without it.
(B) An Android phone is much lighter to carry around while walking and still able to use it as a Sat Nav.
(c) Many Anddroid phones have bluetooth. So mine can boardcast the Sat Nav instructions and play MP3 music via the car radio almost like an in-built system.
(D) Later Android phones have dual core processors and that are much more faster and sensitive than the slow processors of the normal Sat Nav units. The processor on a smart phone is always more powerful than that inside a Sat Nav because of its duties as a small computer (to play MP3, movies, act as a phone, display photos, connecting wifi, bluetooth, browsing Internet, working with GPS etc, etc.
(E) Most Sat Nav systems, like Tom Tom, require extra payment for adding a map. Many Sat Nav systems on the phone don not need extra payment if maps are pre-downloaded while there is a wifi connection.
(F) My Android phone Sat Nav can do countries many stand alone Sat Nav won't support like Middle East countries, Africa and South America which can be handy for working in those areas.
(G) Many phone Sat Nav systems need an Internet connection to operate, like Google Navigation, but many other Sat Nav systems on phone can operate without the Internet just like any Stand alone Sat Nav unit.
(H) The Sygic Sat Nav system and its maps I got on Android phone is the best system I have come across and the maps can be freely downloaded.
(I) The addresses that can be stored in a normal Sat Nav seem always restricted to a small number. There seems to be no limit on an Android phone as one can insert a 64Gb Sd card to increase the storage.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sneachta2013, navigon europe , is a great app , never lets me down
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Sneachta2013,
You don't need a satnav or i-phone, just the free map that the car rental company will provide at Salzburg Airport and a bit of common sense. You drive on the autobahn almost the entire way. For finding your accommodation in St Anton, look it up online before you leave the UK and print out the instructions or Google Map.
You will be driving in Austria and Germany, so tell the car rental desk to include Germany on the insurance docs.
You will need an Austrian Vignette for the Austrian autobahns - it should be included in the car hire price (they usually give one to you when you pick up the documents).
The car rental companies at Salzburg Airport are all located in the multi-storey car park opposite the terminal building. Remember that you will need a credit card, with sufficient funds, as you will need to leave a returnable security deposit (even if you have already paid for the rental online).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Went to Schladming last year and i couldn't get a satelite fix at any price on my samsung Galaxy 2 phone. My wife's HTC was no better and a friend's iphone was just as bad. Very odd as there's a great free navigation on slope app from Ski Amade so someone must be getting a signal!
My tomtom worked fine however......
Finally got a fix in Salzburg on the way back to the airport at the end of the week - I hope it's better when we go in February.
Incidentally other places in Europe i have been to - the phone with Android Copilot on it has been excellent - as good as the Tom Tom and protable like saikee says but it eats the battery alive if it's not on charge in the car.
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