Vehicles
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| car | A private motor vehicle with four wheels. She drives a red car. |
| bus | A large vehicle carrying many passengers. I take the bus to school. |
| train | A vehicle that runs on rails. The train arrives at 9:15. |
| plane | An aircraft that flies through the air. We flew there by plane. |
| bicycle / bike | A two-wheeled vehicle you pedal. She cycles to work every day. |
| motorbike / motorcycle | A motorised two-wheeled vehicle. He rides a motorbike. |
| tram | A vehicle that runs on tracks in a city. Take the tram to the centre. |
| taxi / cab | A car hired with a driver. We took a taxi from the airport. |
| ship | A large ocean-going vessel. They crossed the Atlantic by ship. |
| ferry | A boat that carries people across water. We took the ferry to the island. |
| helicopter | An aircraft with rotating blades. A helicopter landed on the roof. |
| subway / underground / tube | An underground city railway. Take the tube to Oxford Street. |
| van | A medium-sized vehicle for goods or people. The delivery van arrived. |
| lorry / truck | A large vehicle for transporting goods. A lorry blocked the road. |
Tip British English and American English differ on some transport words: underground / tube (BE) = subway (AE) · lorry (BE) = truck (AE). The London underground is famously called "the Tube".
Public Transport — Key Vocabulary
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| ticket | A document that allows you to travel. Buy a return ticket. |
| single ticket | A ticket for one journey one way. A single to Birmingham, please. |
| return ticket | A ticket to travel there and back. A return ticket is cheaper. |
| platform | The raised area where you board a train. The train leaves from platform 3. |
| timetable / schedule | A list of departure and arrival times. Check the timetable online. |
| departure | The time a vehicle leaves. Departure is at 10:30. |
| arrival | The time a vehicle reaches its destination. Arrival is at 12:45. |
| delay | When a vehicle is late. There is a 20-minute delay. |
| stop | A place where buses or trains pick up passengers. Get off at the next stop. |
| station | A building where trains or buses depart. Meet me at the station. |
| airport | A place where planes depart and land. We went to the airport. |
| port / harbour | A place where ships dock. The ferry leaves from the port. |
Travel Verbs
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| to drive | To operate a car or vehicle. She drives to work. |
| to fly | To travel by plane. We flew to Spain for the holiday. |
| to sail | To travel by boat or ship. They sailed across the ocean. |
| to cycle | To travel by bicycle. He cycles 10 km every morning. |
| to ride | To travel on a bike, horse, or motorbike. She rides the bus home. |
| to commute | To travel regularly between home and work/school. He commutes by train. |
| to board | To get onto a vehicle. Please board the train now. |
Real world: Discussing transport
"How do you get to school?" — "I usually take the bus, but sometimes my dad drives me when the weather is bad."
"Attention passengers: the 14:30 train to Manchester is delayed by approximately 15 minutes. We apologise for the inconvenience."
"When I was in London, I used the Tube every day. It's the fastest way to get around the city."
Practice Problems
What is the British English word for 'subway' (an underground train system)?
Show answer
underground / tube
What is the difference between a single and a return ticket?
Show answer
A single is one way; a return is there and back.
Which verb do you use when travelling by bicycle?
Show answer
to cycle
Name the place where trains depart from a city.
Show answer
a station