Hay,

heading to Germany in a few weeks and I will really need my phone for maps etc. Im with 3 pay as you go. Worried about the costs. I normally just do there £15 addon each month.

Just wondering what my options are for going to Germany. I asked in a 3 store but they were no help. My phone is not networked locked as far as i know.

Not too sure, I've been with Three for years but never tried using it abroad. Very surprised nobody could help instore? Have you looked on the website

Get one of the offline sat nav/ mapping apps, I used pocket earth while travelling abroad and it was excellent, nav free is ok for offline sat nav.

http://www.three.co.uk/Support/Roami...Roaming_abroad

Yes, and even Googlemaps has the facility to download a user defined area for off line use

30 miles by 30 miles might not be enough for a visit to Germany .

Something like NavFree would be a better choice.

Navfree GPS Germany + Street View by Geolife Ltd.
https://appsto.re/gb/WYcmz.i

How can a SatNav work without using data?

You preload the maps via WiFi at home etc. Then all the phone does is use its GPS receiver (that has nothing to do with the mobile networks) to determine your location.

Ive downloaded the Navfree GPS Germany app above. So if the phone was in airphone mode to avoid charges, I would still be able to use it like a satnav to get about?

Exactly! I used Navfree France like that last year. Navfree maps are downloaded when the app is installed. In use it just uses the phones GPS - and no data at all!

I don't know whether airplane mode on the iphone disables the GPS receiver, but if it does, just kill roaming and data in the Settings menu instead.

well this seems like a much cheaper solution

If you dislike NavFree then TomTom is available with maps for all of western europe; it also doesn't need a mobile/internet connection. (Unless you want traffic news).