Subway station vocabulary in English: 20 words
In the US, people say subway. In London, people often say the Tube. Carriage is British; car is American. Tap a word to hear it, then the mic to say it and see how it sounded.
20 words: tap one to hear Lin
1
Platformwhere you wait for a train
2
Yellow lineline you stand behind
3
Trainvehicle that runs on tracks
4
Tunnelunderground passage for trains
5
Carriageone part of a train
6
Train doorsdoors on a train
7
Hand strapstrap to hold while standing
8
Priority seatseat for people who need it
9
Passengerperson riding on transport
10
Turnstilegate you pass to enter
11
Transit cardcard used to pay for travel
12
Ticket machinemachine that sells tickets
13
Vending machinemachine that sells drinks or snacks
14
Station signsign with the station name
15
Arrival screenscreen showing arriving trains
16
Subway mapmap of subway lines
17
Exit signsign showing the way out
18
Stairssteps between floors
19
Handrailrail you hold for support
20
Security cameracamera for safety and security
What you'll say at At a subway station
Lin
Which platform is this train on?What platform should I use for this train?
Lin
Please stand behind the yellow line.Do not stand over the yellow line.
Lin
The train doors are closing.The doors will shut now.
Lin
Top up your transit card here.Add money to your travel card here.
Lin
Check the arrival screen for the next train.Look at the screen to see the next train.
Lin
Follow the exit sign to the stairs.Go where the exit sign points, to the stairs.
Practise the whole conversation in a scene
Quick answers
What is the difference between subway and the Tube?
Subway is common in the US. The Tube is the usual name for London’s underground train system.
Do Americans say carriage or car?
Americans usually say car for one part of a train. Carriage is more common in British English.
What is a turnstile at a subway station?
A turnstile is the gate you pass through after you tap a card or ticket.