Family off to Switzerland in a few weeks and i have just found out our old satnav is on its last legs.

I have an iphone – is it really a viable alternative to the old garmin?

As these things change quite quickly – whats the best satnav app these days?

Whats the score with data use etc abroad?

Any info/tips would be great

Thanks

NavFree app

Uses offline maps, remember to download it before you go

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navfree-gps-switzerland-+/id422004202?mt=8

Whats the score with data use etc abroad?

Read your contract, speak to your operator, bring your own lube & don’t complain if the bill is in the £1000’s
Unless you have a data pack/allowance and can cap it at that avoid mobile data on holiday. Plenty of DL sat navs around.

O2 is doing a £2 per day all you can eat (subject to blah, blah, blah ….) for going to the continent – didn’t know anything about it until I got to France last week. Seemed very reasonable for 3 days away so check with your operator.

OP as @jota says you do not need roaming data to use phone sat nav provided you download the maps first via wifi (in uk or at your hotel). For some apps the “download” just involves viewing the area required and scrolling around bit. If in doubt just turn off data roaming.

I have found waze really good in France, not sure how it works in Switzerland. Google maps is good enough.

As an aside the swissmobility app is excellent for normal OS style maps. I’ve spend hours researching trails with it !

Don’t bother paying extra for an app that can show speed camera locations as the Swiss don’t make that information available…
If you’re driving from Geneva to Lausanne on the A1 there are cameras every 5km between Nyon and Lausanne…

Also, there’s a new law here now, you need to have your headlights on at all time, not sidelights but main beam…

I can verify there are speed cameras on that stretch and the Swiss are efficient enough to send you the tickets in the UK !

Yep, something with a loud clanging cowbell alert for speed cameras.

Waze is pretty good abroad, though you need a decent data connection before you set off as all the planning is done in the US. Make sure you have a screen mount and a charger as it sucks the life out of the battery.

Thanks for all the info.

Will have a look at into those mentioned

Cheers