Foundation · Travel

Buses, Trains & Taxis

Your goal: Buy tickets and use local transport safely. Simple phrases to get you from the station to your destination.

1

Survival Phrases

Buying Tickets

A ticket to the city center, please.
Single or return? — Single, please.
How much is it?
Can I pay by card?

In a Taxi/Uber

Can you take me to this address, please?
How long does it take?
Keep the change.

At the Station

Which platform for the train to London?
Is this bus going to the museum?
Where do I get off for the park?

2

Model Dialogue

Passenger: Hello. One ticket to Oxford, please.

Clerk: Single or return?

Passenger: Return, please. Coming back today.

Clerk: That's £24.50.

Passenger: Can I pay by card?

Clerk: Yes, just tap here. The next train is at 10:15, platform 4.

Passenger: 10:15, platform 4. Thank you!

3

Register: formal vs informal

Situation	Formal	Informal
Asking for a ride	Could you take me to the airport?	Can you drop me off?
Payment	I would like to pay by card.	Got card?
Destination	Excuse me, is this the right bus?	Is this my bus?

4

Typical Mistakes

I go of bus. → I go by bus.
Where I leave the train? → Where do I get off?
Give me a ticket. → Can I have a ticket, please?

5

Culture Note

In many countries, you must queue (wait in line) for the bus.
Tap to pay is very common on city transport now.
Say "Thank you" to the driver when you get off the bus.

6

Practical Task

Plan a trip from your hotel to a museum. Which bus do you need?
Practice asking for a return ticket and checking the platform.

☐buy a single/return ticket?
☐ask for the platform number?
☐tell a taxi driver your address?