Google Trips app will help you plan your next vacation

Google Trips on Android. Screenshots: AndroidWorld

Google Trips on Android. Screenshots: AndroidWorld

Google is working on a new app called Trips that will help users plan their next vacation by automatically pulling information from their emails. The app will also help travelers find things to do while they’re away, and offer reviews from locals.

Google already offers an app called Local Guides, which lets users find business reviews for cafes, restaurants, and more before they visit. Now the company appears to be combining this with a trip planning app that will go head-to-head with TripIt.

Just like TripIt, Google Trips will automatically pull travel information from your emails and provide you with a useful itinerary. It will also offer flight alerts, allow you to share trip information with others, and help you make the most of your vacation when you get there.

Trips will provide you with information and reviews on nearby places and attractions, then help you make reservations. You’ll be able to look for things to do or food and drink, see what the locals think, then find out the best way to get there.

Screenshots: AndroidWorld

Screenshots: AndroidWorld

In its “Getting Around” section, Trips will provide things like public transportation schedules, details for local taxi and ride-sharing services, and more. Some of this can be found in Google Maps already, but having it all in one place makes it even more convenient.

What makes Trips really useful is that it will have an offline mode that will allow you to save your trip information locally so that you don’t lose it when you have no data connection.

Trips is currently in testing on Android with a small number of users who contributed to Google’s Local Guides program, according to TechCrunch. Google couldn’t confirm when it would be available, but it did say there would be an iOS version, too.

My colleague Luke, resident iPhone fanboy over at Cult of Mac, wanted me to mention that he’s previously written about the vacation search habits of Android and iOS users. It has nothing to do with the Trips app, so I gave up trying to seamlessly work a mention into this story.

If you’re interested anyway, it would make his weekend if you would go and take a look at it, but I’m certainly not going to force you.