Vocabulary · Travel
Transport in English
A1
Transport in English: cars, buses, trains and bikes, public transport, tickets, and the prepositions by and on to say how you travel. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Ways to travel
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| car(n.)“I go to work by car.” | a vehicle with four wheels and an engine | /kɑː/ |
| bus(n.) | a big road vehicle for many passengers | /bʌs/ |
| train(n.) | carriages that run on rails | /treɪn/ |
| plane(n.) | a vehicle that flies in the sky | /pleɪn/ |
| bike / bicycle(n.) | two wheels that you pedal | /baɪk/ |
| motorbike(n.) | a heavy two-wheeler with an engine | /ˈməʊtəbaɪk/ |
| taxi / cab(n.) | a car with a driver you pay | /ˈtæksi/ |
| boat / ship(n.) | a vehicle that travels on water | /bəʊt/ |
Public transport
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| subway / underground(n.) | trains that run under a city | /ˈsʌbweɪ/ |
| tram(n.) | an electric train in the streets | /træm/ |
| tube (London)(n.) | the nickname of London's underground | /tjuːb/ |
| station(n.) | where trains or buses stop | /ˈsteɪʃən/ |
| bus stop(n.) | where you wait for the bus | /bʌs stɒp/ |
| platform(n.) | where you wait next to the train | /ˈplætfɔːm/ |
Tickets and travelling
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ticket(n.) | a paper or code that lets you travel | /ˈtɪkɪt/ |
| return / round-trip(n.) | a ticket there and back | /rɪˈtɜːn/ |
| one-way / single(n.) | a ticket that only goes there | /wʌn weɪ/ |
| driver(n.) | the person controlling a car or bus | /ˈdraɪvə/ |
| fare(n.) | the price of a journey | /feə/ |
Verbs and prepositions
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| to drive(v.) | to control a car or a bus | /draɪv/ |
| to ride(v.) | to travel on a bike or horse | /raɪd/ |
| by car(phrase) | using a car to travel | /baɪ kɑː/ |
| on foot(phrase) | by walking | /ɒn fʊt/ |
| to get on / off(v.) | to enter or leave a bus or train | /ɡet ɒn ɒf/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
On car ❌: by + transport, but on foot
Say by car, by bus, by train, by plane. But for walking, say on foot. ✓ by car / ✗ on car.
Get in the bus ❌: you get on a bus
You get on and get off a bus or a train (big vehicles where you can stand and walk). You get in and get out of a car or a taxi (small vehicles).
Practice quiz
Related pages: Transport
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “Transport” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Frequently asked questions
Is it by bus or with the bus?+
Say by bus: by + means of transport, with no article. I go to school by bus. Other examples: by car, by train, by plane. The exception is walking: on foot.
Why do we say on foot and not by foot?+
It is an exception in English. You say on foot (walking), not by foot. It is a fixed phrase. So: by car, by bus, by train, but on foot.
Is it a return ticket or a round-trip ticket?+
Return is British English and round-trip is American English. For a ticket that only goes one way, say single (UK) or one-way (US). So two singles (UK) = two one-way tickets (US).
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/transport
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.