Commuting is just a fact of life for some people, but your trip to and from work doesn't have to be a dull one. Way back when, your options may have been limited — bring a book, read a newspaper, stare out the train window — but the with one of the best phones on hand, you've got more ways than ever to get through your travels, thanks to all those apps you can install on your device.
For the past year, I've been commuting for about an hour every day. And over that time, I find myself coming back to the same five apps on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each of these offers something different, aside from letting me avoid looking someone in the eye, that helps to beat the commuter blues.
If you find yourself on a train or bus on a daily basis, perhaps you'll find that these apps help make the journey go more pleasantly, as they have for me.
Amazon Kindle
Over the last year I've found myself reading more on the Kindle app than before, and there’s no doubt that the majority of that time has been on the train. The reason for this increase is the Kindle app. This free app turns your phone into an e-reader and offers enough options to make the experience comfortable.
The biggest strength of the Kindle app, at least for me, is that it's so handy. Instead of having to carry around a book, or even an Amazon Fire tablet, I can have a full library in my pocket. There's also the advantage of Kindle giving access to certain books that would be a nightmare to find paper copies of — in my case The Horus Heresy series.
Running on Kindle has an added advantage — I don't need a lot of room to read on my phone. I just hold the device in one hand, which can be a real life saver on a cramped train with little to no seating and a high chance you might accidentally nudge someone in the ribs.
Download Amazon Kindle: Android, iOS
NYT Games
The second app will probably be familiar to a lot of you, especially if you’re a fan of Wordle. I have found myself constantly returning to NYT Games while waiting for a train.
The strength of the app for me is the amount options it has. While Wordle is the most popular game on the app — it's now caused more bragging and arguments in my family than Monopoly — there are several other brain teasers and puzzles, like Connections, to pass the time.
What's great is that you can play the daily game for free. If you're like me, that'll take up a fair amount of commute time. if you want to play more, then you can sign up for a paid subscription which allows you to play older puzzles.
There's one caveat, though: while NYT Games has a lot to offer, it does require internet to run. When I'm on the London Underground, that can be a pain, and connectivity may not always be available on your commute, either.
Download NYT Games: Android, iOS
1010!
There’s something to be said for a game that doesn’t really require a lot of focus. 1010! Is that game for me: it's a simple premise with a gameplay loop that's just fun. I couldn't play it for hours at a time, mind, but for 10 to 15 minutes, it's ideal.
1010!’s gameplay is essentially Tetris, although without the time pressure. You're continuously given sets of three shapes that you have to place in a grid. Once you fill a line, the blocks are removed, as you try to make sure you always have room to place the available shapes. While there's a bit of thought involved, you can safely turn your brain off while playing.
This makes 1010! the ideal commuting game for me, especially for short journeys. When I'm stuck on a crowded train, sometimes I just want an app that just lets me focus on a task and distracts me from the morning halitosis of the person on my left — 1010! does just that.
Warhammer 40,000: The App
Ask anyone who plays Warhammer, and they’ll tell you that half the fun comes from creating and playing around with lists. I love making new army lists when I have a spare minute, imagining how successful they’ll be on the table. Admittedly, that never tends to be the case as dice hate me, but the love remains.
Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000: The App allows me to do this with ease, although there are some limitations. You'll need a membership to make more than one list, and you need to have each army's Codex to get the most out of the app.
However, the interface makes the app easy to use, and there's little bits of lore sprinkled into each unit data card. In other words, there's plenty to keep my occupied as I wait for my train. Even better, there's no really need for Wi-Fi connectivity for basic functions, should your commute go through any areas with dead spots.
Download Warhammer 40,000: Android, iOS
Duolingo
Sometimes it's nice to just try and learn something new, including a new language. For trying to teach yourself a foreign tongue, few apps are quite as good as Duolingo, even if the owl can be a bit pushy.
The advantage I've found with Duolingo is that it makes learning on the move much easier. The app's game-like features mean that I can sit on a train and go through lessons until I run out of hearts — usually about a 5-minute burst. The option to turn off any speaking exercises helps with this, as no one else on the train has to hear my terrible accent as I practice speaking
Admittedly, Duolingo's focus on gamification does come with some downsides. The app can be a bit pushy to force you to pay for its "super" membership, but I've never felt it was necessary. Besides, using a commute to try and expand my language options is probably better for my mental health than constantly swiping on dating apps.
Download Duolingo: Android, iOS
What apps do you use?
These five apps all work for me when I'm stuck on that morning commute or evening trip home, but they're by no means set in stone. Over time, I'll find new ones or get bored of the current and replace with something different.
So what apps are you currently using when you're stuck on a train or bus? Do you have a particular app that helps you get through your daily journey and why would you recommend it to others? Let us know in the comments.
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