Build a Spanish transportation group
Import all 40 words and practise them with Spanish audio and writing on iOS or Android. The complete guide remains useful without the app.
Spanish transportation vocabulary
What Spanish transportation words should a beginner learn first?
Start with the vehicle you can point to: el autobús, el tren, el metro, el taxi, la bicicleta. Keep the article because it helps you build a correct sentence immediately.
Add the places and information around the journey: la parada, la estación, el andén, el horario and el retraso. These words help you read a sign or ask one focused question.
Spanish varies by region. Billete is common for a transport ticket in Spain; boleto and pasaje are widespread in Latin America. Coger un autobús is normal in Spain, while tomar un autobús is the safer general choice across Latin America.
Four patterns for transport Spanish
Use en after ir or viajar for most vehicles: Voy en tren; viajamos en metro. Say a pie for “on foot.”
Learn the boarding pair together: subir al autobús and bajar del autobús.
Use salir for a departure and llegar for an arrival: El tren sale a las ocho y llega a las nueve.
Recognise regional pairs without mixing every option in one sentence: billete/boleto, coche/carro, coger/tomar.
40 essential transportation words in Spanish
Begin with vehicles, then add the transport network, journey information and actions.
| Spanish word or phrase | Meaning | Example in context | Usage note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el autobús | bus | Voy al centro en autobús. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el tren | train | El tren llega a las nueve. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el metro | metro / subway | Tomamos el metro hasta el centro. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el tranvía | tram / streetcar | El tranvía pasa cada diez minutos. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| el taxi | taxi | Pedimos un taxi para la estación. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el coche / el carro | car | Vamos en coche al aeropuerto. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| la bicicleta | bicycle | Voy al trabajo en bicicleta. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la moto | motorcycle | Ella llega en moto. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| el avión | airplane | El avión sale a mediodía. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el barco | boat / ship | Viajamos en barco a la isla. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la parada | stop | La parada de autobús está aquí. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la estación | station | Nos vemos en la estación de tren. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el aeropuerto | airport | El autobús va al aeropuerto. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el puerto | port / harbour | El barco sale del puerto. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la línea | line / route | Toma la línea tres del metro. | Keep this transport collocation together. |
| la vía | track | El tren está en la vía cinco. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el andén | platform | Esperamos en el andén dos. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la terminal | terminal | La terminal de autobuses está cerrada. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la carretera | road / highway | La carretera tiene mucho tráfico. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el carril | lane | Este carril es solo para autobuses. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el billete / el boleto | ticket | Compro un billete de ida y vuelta. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| el pasaje | fare / ticket | ¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje? | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| el abono | travel pass | Tengo un abono mensual de transporte. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| ida y vuelta | round trip / return | Quiero un billete de ida y vuelta. | Keep this transport collocation together. |
| el horario | timetable / schedule | Miro el horario del último tren. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el retraso | delay | El vuelo lleva una hora de retraso. | Keep this transport collocation together. |
| la salida | departure | La salida aparece en la pantalla. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la llegada | arrival | La llegada está prevista para las diez. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el transbordo | transfer / connection | Hay un transbordo en la estación central. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| el asiento | seat | Mi asiento está junto a la ventana. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| ir en | to go by | Voy en tren a Madrid. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| viajar en | to travel by | Prefiero viajar en autobús. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| coger / tomar | to take / catch | Vamos a tomar el metro. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
| subir a | to get on / board | Subimos al autobús por delante. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| bajar de | to get off | Bajo del tren en la próxima estación. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| hacer transbordo | to transfer | Tenemos que hacer transbordo aquí. | Keep this transport collocation together. |
| perder | to miss | No quiero perder el último tren. | Keep this transport collocation together. |
| salir de | to leave / depart from | El autobús sale de la terminal. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| llegar a | to arrive at | El vuelo llega al aeropuerto a tiempo. | Learn the verb together with its preposition. |
| conducir / manejar | to drive | Mi hermana conduce al trabajo. | Regional choice: recognise the common alternatives. |
Learn transport vocabulary by task
A task-based group separates what moves, where you wait, what you read, and what you do.
Vehicles and ways to travel
Name what moves and keep the article with every noun.
el autobús · el tren · el metro · el tranvía · el taxi · el coche / el carro · la bicicleta · la moto · el avión · el barco
Stops, stations and routes
Connect each place to the sign or service you would look for.
la parada · la estación · el aeropuerto · el puerto · la línea · la vía · el andén · la terminal · la carretera · el carril
Tickets and journey information
Group the words you need to read a ticket or departure board.
el billete / el boleto · el pasaje · el abono · ida y vuelta · el horario · el retraso · la salida · la llegada · el transbordo · el asiento
Essential transport actions
Practise the verb together with its normal preposition or object.
ir en · viajar en · coger / tomar · subir a · bajar de · hacer transbordo · perder · salir de · llegar a · conducir / manejar
How should you practise transportation vocabulary?
Name five vehicles with their articles.
Build three route-free sentences with ir en: Voy en metro; vamos en tren; viajan en avión.
Pair one place with one journey word: estación–andén, parada–línea, aeropuerto–salida.
Hola Cards is a Spanish flashcard app from holacards.org for iOS and Android. It is free to download, requires no account, has no ads, and works offline. The interface is available in English, Russian, and Portuguese; cards support translations in 28 languages and 18 practice and game modes. You can import these 40 fixed transport pairs into a custom group and practise them with Spanish audio, writing, pronunciation, and review modes. Hola Cards does not provide live timetables, tickets, maps, or route planning, and it does not correct a new sentence automatically.
Connect transport vocabulary with travel phrases, directions, city places, ir and time expressions.
Spanish travel phrases Spanish directions phrases Places in the city Spanish ir phrases Numbers, dates and time
A five-minute transport routine
- Choose two vehicles, two places and two actions.
- Say every noun with its article.
- Make one sentence with ir en and one with subir a or bajar de.
- Write one regional pair you want to recognise.
- Recall all six items without looking.
Vocabulary and usage references
The A1–A2 transport inventory, movement patterns and public-transport functions were checked against Instituto Cervantes.
- Instituto Cervantes A1–A2 inventory: transport system
- Instituto Cervantes: using public transport
- Instituto Cervantes A1–A2 inventory: movement
FAQ
How do you say transportation in Spanish?
Use el transporte for transportation and los medios de transporte for means or modes of transport.
Should I say billete, boleto or pasaje?
Billete is standard in Spain. Boleto and pasaje are common in many parts of Latin America; the best choice depends on the country and journey.
Do I use por or en with transport?
After ir or viajar, use en for most vehicles: Voy en autobús. Use a pie for on foot.
What is the difference between parada and estación?
A parada is a stop, often for a bus, taxi or metro. An estación is a larger station or terminal for trains, buses or metro services.
How do I say get on and get off?
Use subir a and bajar de: subo al tren; bajo del autobús.
Does Hola Cards show live transport information?
No. It lets you import and practise fixed vocabulary; it does not provide live timetables, tickets, maps or routes.
Copy the 40 transportation words into Hola Cards
Open word groups in Hola Cards, choose paste/import, and paste the block. The app recognises the title and “Spanish - translation” lines.
**Spanish transportation vocabulary: 40 words**
el autobús - bus
el tren - train
el metro - metro / subway
el tranvía - tram / streetcar
el taxi - taxi
el coche / el carro - car
la bicicleta - bicycle
la moto - motorcycle
el avión - airplane
el barco - boat / ship
la parada - stop
la estación - station
el aeropuerto - airport
el puerto - port / harbour
la línea - line / route
la vía - track
el andén - platform
la terminal - terminal
la carretera - road / highway
el carril - lane
el billete / el boleto - ticket
el pasaje - fare / ticket
el abono - travel pass
ida y vuelta - round trip / return
el horario - timetable / schedule
el retraso - delay
la salida - departure
la llegada - arrival
el transbordo - transfer / connection
el asiento - seat
ir en - to go by
viajar en - to travel by
coger / tomar - to take / catch
subir a - to get on / board
bajar de - to get off
hacer transbordo - to transfer
perder - to miss
salir de - to leave / depart from
llegar a - to arrive at
conducir / manejar - to drive
Review transportation vocabulary in Hola Cards
Practise the 40 fixed words with Spanish audio, writing, pronunciation, custom groups, and review modes on iOS and Android.