Photos: 20 essential Android apps for business travel

From splitting the bill to finding out about delays, here are the apps you need outside the office...

Smartphones are almost guaranteed to be part of your business travel kit, so why not make your phone do a bit of the legwork when you're away on business?

Here, we've rounded up the 20 apps that will help turn your Android device into a super sleek travel assistant. And if you're an iPhone user, you can also check out our 20 essential iPhone apps for business travel.

ProOnGo

ProOnGo aims to help you keep track of your expenses while away on a business trip.

You can record expenses on the app by downloading credit card transactions, tracking mileage over GPS and scanning receipts. Your expenses can then be exported from the app to Excel and other programs used to manage accounts.

London Underground

London Underground lets you check for problems on the Tube before you start your trip, giving you a chance to avoid long delays. You don't need internet access to use the app, so if you do get delayed mid-journey underground you can reroute your travels.

OysterCatcher

Getting caught out with no credit on your Oyster card in London can leave you feeling stranded. Handily, the OysterCatcher app lets you find the 10 closest places where you can top up your Oyster card so you'll not be stuck for long.

Urbanspoon

The Urbanspoon app compiles restaurant ratings and reviews from newspapers, bloggers and diners so you can figure out which are the best restaurants near you. This makes it a useful app for travellers seeking out tasty food in an unknown city or seeking a venue for a business lunch.

A novel feature of the app is that it will generate a random restaurant for you to try if you shake your phone - good for when you want to try something a bit different.

Rail Planner Live

Rail Planner Live is aimed at those who rely on the rail network, providing access to live departure and arrival boards.

To keep you updated, the app can send SMS alerts to notify you of disruptions to your chosen journey.

The app also helps you to find the cheapest fares for your journey and provides maps of your nearest station.

CoPilot Live Premium

This voice-guided sat-nav app allows you to store detailed street maps of one European region on your Android device so you can navigate your way abroad without incurring data roaming charges.

The app also gives you the option to receive notifications of Facebook check-ins and Twitter status updates, and can provide real-time weather forecasts at your location or destination.

Foursquare

Foursquare has two useful features for business travellers: the ability to connect you to people nearby, and to provide you with insider tips on where and what to eat as well as which nearby places are worth exploring.

Currency Converter

For frequent travellers, alternating between currencies can make it difficult to keep track of outgoings abroad. As well as providing a simple conversion function, the Currency Converter app also gives you the latest news on currency rates and works without mobile or internet connection.

TripIt

TripIt is an app that lets you plan trips while keeping all your travel information in one place. By creating a TripIt account and forwarding confirmation emails regarding flights, accommodation, dinner reservations and anything else you may have booked, TripIt creates an itinerary of your trip.

As well as making it easier to plan for your travels, TripIt reduces the need to go trawling through your inbox every time you need to find confirmation details.

FlightTrack Pro

FlightTrack Pro provides you with live updates on flight delays and cancellations from 1,400 airlines at more than 4,000 airports. The app also features live status updates on gates and boarding, making it a useful app for those rushing to catch a plane or fed up of squinting at departure boards.

The app also gives you the option to sync your flight details with your TripIt itinerary, keeping your travel details ultra-streamlined.

FactBook

Business trips are not famed for allowing much time for sightseeing, but this app might help you develop a better understanding of the country you only get to see through taxi windows.

The FactBook app gives access to information from the CIA World Factbook and United Nations data including how countries compare in terms of their economy and population demographics.

Skype

The Skype app means making calls from abroad needn't bankrupt you. Video calls between Skype accounts are free so you get the added benefit of seeing a friendly face as well as saving money.

OpenTable

This app allows you to make dinner reservations by showing you resturants in your area that have tables available.

All you have to do is enter the time you want to eat and how many people you would like to book for, and OpenTable gives you a choice of restaurants.

Restaurants can be displayed by food type and price, and the app also provides reviews for many of the eateries featured.

TipNSplit

Splitting the bill can be a bit of a challenge after a few glasses of wine, so the TipNSplit app could help speed up the process. The app calculates the tip at a percentage of your choosing and splits the total between any number of people.

British Airways

The British Airways app reduces the hassle of keeping track of your boarding pass by allowing users to forgo a physical boarding pass in return for a QR code on your phone. The app also keeps you up to date on arrival and departure information as well as BA tweets so you can stay informed on any potential delays or problems with your flight.

Auto SMS

Auto SMS is a useful app for keeping your contacts up to speed on your whereabouts when you are unable to answer your phone or reply to a text - for instance, when you're driving or in a meeting. The app can send automatic replies to text messages and missed calls, and can read text messages aloud - particularly useful if you have to drive for long periods of time.

The app can also programme your phone to switch to silent mode when you're scheduled to be in a meeting.

World weather clock widget

This app makes keeping track of time across time zones easy and has the added benefit of updating you on the weather in a given location so you don't get caught out in the wrong clothes.

Where

The Where app is aimed at helping you discover nearby places, and features recommendations for places to go and things to see - useful for lone travellers or those in a new locale. The app also gives you access to special offers and deals from local businesses.

On business trips abroad, being able to manage 'Hello, how are you' in the local language is always helpful. The 25 Language Phrasebook app covers 25 languages from French to Chinese and gives you a selection of basic phrases and words in each language.

Booking.com

The Booking.com app lets you book hotel accommodation directly through the app from over 135,000 hotels worldwide. Booking confirmations are displayed on your phone screen, so you can skip the printouts. The app also provides reviews and photos of the hotels it features so you can make an informed choice.