How do travel nurses facilitate all their travel? As a nurse new to your assignment city, it's important to figure out ways to get around once you’re there. For example, how do you get to work? Is there a bus or subway system? Do you need to rent a car? Here are some cool transportation apps perfect for traveling nurses.

1. Car2Go

Car2Go is a car sharing service that allows you to rent a car for short periods of time. It is a good option if you want to go shopping or to see the sites of the city, but it’s not a cost-effective choice to work each day. If your work assignment is taking you to a major city, then this app will help you find a smart car to rent for a couple hours on the cheap.

The app is free and available for both Apple mobile devices and android systems. It will search the area and let you know if there is a Car2Go service in the vicinity of each job.

2. Embark

If you are working in a major city with a mass transit system, such as New York or Washington, D.C., then download Embark to stay up to date on the schedules. Embark helps you plan trips, alerts you when the bus or train is running late and even works when you don’t have Internet service.

The downside to Embark is it only covers a limited number of cities and transportation services, but the list is growing. The app is free to use and available for iOS systems.

3. Uber

When you need a ride on demand, then Uber is an affordable option. The app lets you contact a local driver and get picked up whenever you need a ride. You can schedule a driver ahead of time to get you to and from work and can even pay using the app.

Uber is not available everywhere. Riders can be charged more during certain times so don’t depend on it 24/7. The Uber app is free to use and available for both android and iOS systems.

4. CityBikes

Maybe you are not looking for mass transit or a car, but something on two wheels instead. CityBikes is a bike sharing network that shows you how to get a bike and where to go with it. With this app, you find a bike to rent and learn about the trails in the city. Whether you want to explore during your time off or use a bike to get you back and forth to work, this can come in handy.

Like most of these apps, it does not cover every city. It currently works only on android devices and is free to download.  

5. Transit App

How about one app that does it all? Mass transit, bike sharing, Uber, Car2Go – that is what the Transit App brings. It will do a search of the area and highlight your best transportation options. You see a map of the local bus and train stops, view schedules, connect with Uber or find a bike to rent all with one app.

Transit App currently covers 99 metro areas. If you don’t see your next assignment location on it, try Roadify Transit instead. It does the same thing, but may cover some cities that Transit App misses. Both are free to use. Roadify is available for iOS systems and Transit App for iOS and android.

Traveling can be hard work, especially when you are getting to know a new area. Taking advantage of a few travel apps can make it easier to get around while travel nursing.