Ready to travel like a local? In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn the must-know Spanish words for getting around: bus, train, taxi, and plane. We’ll keep it simple, show you real phrases you can use right away, and explain how articles and prepositions work in these common expressions.

The big four: bus, train, taxi, plane

Here are the essential words you’ll see and hear everywhere. Read the Spanish word, say it out loud, and learn the translation. Then try the examples.

Useful places and words

• estación (station)
• parada (bus stop)
• aeropuerto (airport)
• billete / boleto (ticket)
• conductor(a) (driver)

Example you can say:

• ¿Dónde está la parada de autobús? (Where is the bus stop?)
• Un billete para Madrid, por favor. (A ticket to Madrid, please.)

How to say “by bus/train/taxi/plane”

In Spanish, use the preposition “en” to talk about the way you travel: en autobús, en tren, en taxi, en avión.

Voy autobús.

Great! That was the basic pattern. Now, let’s look at articles for these transport words.

tren llega a las diez.

Handy travel phrases you can use today

• Quiero un taxi, por favor. (I want a taxi, please.)
• ¿Dónde está la estación? (Where is the station?)
• ¿Cuánto cuesta el billete? (How much is the ticket?)
• Necesito ir al aeropuerto. (I need to go to the airport.)
• ¿A qué hora sale el autobús? (What time does the bus leave?)

Try building a simple sentence with word order.

Mini conversation: taking a taxi

Put these lines in a natural order. Imagine you’re at the curb asking for a ride to the airport.

Cultural notes: small differences that matter

• autobús vs bus: You’ll hear both. In Spain, “autobús” is standard. “bus” is informal.
• billete (Spain) vs boleto (Latin America): Both mean “ticket.” Use the local word.
• coger vs tomar: In Spain, “coger el autobús” is common. In many Latin American countries, use “tomar el autobús” instead.
• metro: In many cities, you’ll use “el metro” (subway). It follows the same “en + transport” pattern: Voy en metro.

aeropuerto (airport) literally means “air-port” — easy to remember!

Voy en el taxi (to mean “by taxi”). → Voy en taxi. Use en + transport without the article when you mean the method of travel. Add the article only if you mean a specific vehicle: Estoy en el taxi.

Quick practice quiz

Test what you learned. Choose the best answer.

Wrap-up and next steps

You learned the four core transport words — autobús, tren, taxi, avión — plus how to say you travel “by” something using en + transport. You practiced articles (el) and useful phrases for tickets, directions, and taxis.

Keep going:

• Say three sentences with en + transport: “Voy en autobús.” “Voy en tren.” “Voy en avión.”
• Ask for help: “¿Dónde está la estación?” “Necesito ir al aeropuerto.”

You’ve got this. Next time you travel, try one new phrase — your Spanish will move forward with you!