A1 — Travel Basics: Theory
Level A1
Transport & trips
Real-life English
Goal
Talk about simple trips and holidays, use basic transport words, and understand tickets and times.
Transport words
- bus, train, plane, taxi, bike.
- Places: airport, station, bus stop.
- Example: I go to work by bus. / We travel by train.
Tickets & times
- ticket — paper or digital card for a trip.
- single ticket (one way) vs return ticket (go and come back).
- timetable — times of buses, trains, planes.
- platform — place for trains; gate — place for planes.
- Example: Our train leaves at 7:30.
Talking about trips
- travel — go from one place to another.
- trip — a short travel: a weekend trip.
- holiday (vacation) — time when you don’t work or study.
- Useful verbs: go, leave, arrive, take (a bus), catch (a train), miss (a bus).
- Example: We arrive in Rome at 10 o’clock.
At the airport or station
- Where is the ticket office?
- Which platform is the train from?
- What time does the bus leave?
- Useful words: on time (not late), late, delay (the bus/train is late).
- Example: The flight is on time.
Vocabulary — 30 travel words & phrases
1. travel
I like to travel.
2. trip
We go on a weekend trip.
3. holiday (vacation)
We are on holiday in Spain.
4. ticket
I need a ticket to Paris.
5. single ticket
A single ticket, please.
6. return ticket
I’d like a return ticket.
7. bus
We go by bus.
8. train
The train is fast.
9. plane
They travel by plane.
10. taxi
Let’s take a taxi.
11. bike (bicycle)
He goes to school by bike.
12. airport
The airport is far from the city.
13. station
We meet at the station.
14. bus stop
The bus stop is near my house.
15. platform
The train is at platform 3.
16. gate
Our flight is at gate 12.
17. timetable
Check the timetable on the wall.
18. ticket office
Buy your ticket at the ticket office.
19. luggage (baggage)
We have a lot of luggage.
20. suitcase
My suitcase is heavy.
21. backpack
He travels with a backpack.
22. passport
Don’t forget your passport.
23. ID card
You need an ID card for the flight.
24. hotel
We stay in a small hotel.
25. hostel
The hostel is cheap.
26. booking
I have a booking for two nights.
27. reservation
We have a reservation at the hotel.
28. seat
My seat is by the window.
29. to arrive
We arrive at 9 o’clock.
30. to leave
The bus leaves at six.
Tip: combine travel verbs with transport: take the bus, catch the train, arrive at the airport.
Booster — 20 extra travel words & chunks
1. window seat
I like a window seat.
2. aisle seat
He prefers an aisle seat.
3. on time
The train is on time.
4. late
The bus is late again.
5. delay
There is a 20-minute delay.
6. departure
Departure is at 18:45.
7. arrival
Arrival is at 21:10.
8. check-in desk
We go to the check-in desk first.
9. boarding pass
Show your boarding pass, please.
10. security check
We go through security check.
11. sightseeing
We go sightseeing in the city.
12. city tour
We take a city tour by bus.
13. day trip
We make a day trip to the mountains.
14. by car
We go to the beach by car.
15. by train
I travel by train to work.
16. by plane
They go to London by plane.
17. on foot
We go to school on foot.
18. from … to …
The train goes from Rome to Milan.
19. travel plan
Let’s make a travel plan.
20. to come back
We come back on Sunday.
Tip: say your travel story in 3–4 short sentences: We go by train. We stay in a small hotel. We come back on Monday.
Mini-dialogues
- A: A return ticket to London, please. — B: Here you are. Platform 5.
- A: What time does the bus leave? — B: It leaves at 9:15.
- A: Where is the check-in desk for flight 204? — B: It’s over there, next to gate 10.
Conversation pattern
- A: Excuse me, where can I buy a ticket?
- B: At the ticket office, next to the station entrance.
- A: Thank you. What time does the next train leave?
- B: It leaves at six. Platform 2.
Use a polite start (Excuse me…), a clear travel question (Where can I buy a ticket?), and check times and platforms: What time does it leave?, Which platform?.