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Transport
Spain has a large variety of public transport options, much like the UK, including an extensive bus, coach and train network.
Here is some useful vocabulary for describing journeys and modes of transport:
| barato/a | cheap |
| caro/a | dear, expensive |
| lento/a | slow |
| rápido/a | fast |
| cómodo/a | comfortable, convenient |
| incómodo/a | uncomfortable |
| moderno/a | modern |
| práctico/a | practical, convenient |
| ruidoso/a | noisy |
| tranquilo/a | quiet |
| viejo/a | old |
| el aeropuerto | airport |
| la estación | station |
| el vuelo | flight |
| ¿Dónde está... ? | Where is... ? |
| el aparcamiento | car park |
| la autopista | motorway |
| en ferry | by ferry |
| en moto | by motorbike |
| en taxi | by taxi |
| en tren | by train |
| la gasolinera | petrol station |
| el mapa | map |
| la parada de autobuses | bus stop |
| el pasajero | passenger |
| el peaje | toll booth |
| el peatón | pedestrian |
| el retraso | delay |
| el semáforo | traffic lights |
| el viaje | journey |
| el viajero | traveller |
| a caballo | by horse |
| a pie | on foot |
| barato/a |
| cheap |
| caro/a |
| dear, expensive |
| lento/a |
| slow |
| rápido/a |
| fast |
| cómodo/a |
| comfortable, convenient |
| incómodo/a |
| uncomfortable |
| moderno/a |
| modern |
| práctico/a |
| practical, convenient |
| ruidoso/a |
| noisy |
| tranquilo/a |
| quiet |
| viejo/a |
| old |
| el aeropuerto |
| airport |
| la estación |
| station |
| el vuelo |
| flight |
| ¿Dónde está... ? |
| Where is... ? |
| el aparcamiento |
| car park |
| la autopista |
| motorway |
| en ferry |
| by ferry |
| en moto |
| by motorbike |
| en taxi |
| by taxi |
| en tren |
| by train |
| la gasolinera |
| petrol station |
| el mapa |
| map |
| la parada de autobuses |
| bus stop |
| el pasajero |
| passenger |
| el peaje |
| toll booth |
| el peatón |
| pedestrian |
| el retraso |
| delay |
| el semáforo |
| traffic lights |
| el viaje |
| journey |
| el viajero |
| traveller |
| a caballo |
| by horse |
| a pie |
| on foot |
And here are some useful verbs to describe travel:
| bajar | to get off |
| esperar | to wait |
| hacer cola | to queue up |
| llegar (a) | to arrive |
| llevar | to carry |
| mojarse | to get wet |
| pagar | to pay for |
| olvidar | to forget |
| recoger | to pick up |
| salir (de) | to leave |
| subir | to get on |
| viajar | to travel |
| volar | to fly |
| desplazarse | to get around |
| retrasarse | to get delayed |
| llegar tarde | to arrive late |
| bajar |
| to get off |
| esperar |
| to wait |
| hacer cola |
| to queue up |
| llegar (a) |
| to arrive |
| llevar |
| to carry |
| mojarse |
| to get wet |
| pagar |
| to pay for |
| olvidar |
| to forget |
| recoger |
| to pick up |
| salir (de) |
| to leave |
| subir |
| to get on |
| viajar |
| to travel |
| volar |
| to fly |
| desplazarse |
| to get around |
| retrasarse |
| to get delayed |
| llegar tarde |
| to arrive late |
Read these passengers' opinions about different forms of travel. What do they say about the advantages and disadvantages? Write the answers in English.
Question
La bicicleta es un modo de transporte muy saludable, pero es lento y, si llueve, te mojas.
Complete the table in English:
| Transport | Advantage | Disadvantages |
| bicycle |
| Transport | bicycle |
|---|---|
| Advantage | |
| Disadvantages |
| Transport | Advantage | Disadvantages |
| bicycle | healthy | slow/you get wet when it rains |
| Transport | bicycle |
|---|---|
| Advantage | healthy |
| Disadvantages | slow/you get wet when it rains |
Translation:
The bicycle is a very healthy means of transport, but it's slow and, if it rains, you get wet.
Question
El metro es un modo de transporte muy práctico. Los trenes son modernos pero, en cambio, las estaciones son muy viejas.
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| underground |
| Transport | underground |
|---|---|
| Advantages | |
| Disadvantage |
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| underground | convenient/modern | stations are very old |
| Transport | underground |
|---|---|
| Advantages | convenient/modern |
| Disadvantage | stations are very old |
Translation:
The underground is a very convenient means of transport. The trains are modern but, on the other hand, the stations are very old.
Question
No me gusta viajar en autobús. Es lento y bastante incómodo. En cambio, es barato.
| Transport | Advantage | Disadvantages |
| bus |
| Transport | bus |
|---|---|
| Advantage | |
| Disadvantages |
| Transport | Advantage | Disadvantages |
| bus | cheap | slow/uncomfortable |
| Transport | bus |
|---|---|
| Advantage | cheap |
| Disadvantages | slow/uncomfortable |
Translation:
I don't like travelling by bus. It's slow and quite uncomfortable. On the other hand, it's cheap.
Question
El tranvía en esta ciudad es muy práctico. Es cómodo, pero un poco ruidoso.
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| tram |
| Transport | tram |
|---|---|
| Advantages | |
| Disadvantage |
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| tram | convenient/comfortable | noisy |
| Transport | tram |
|---|---|
| Advantages | convenient/comfortable |
| Disadvantage | noisy |
Translation:
The tram in this town is very convenient. It's comfortable but a bit noisy.
Question
Me gusta mucho viajar en el AVE porque es moderno y muy rápido. Lo peor es que también es muy caro.
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| high-speed train |
| Transport | high-speed train |
|---|---|
| Advantages | |
| Disadvantage |
| Transport | Advantages | Disadvantage |
| high-speed train | modern/very fast | very expensive |
| Transport | high-speed train |
|---|---|
| Advantages | modern/very fast |
| Disadvantage | very expensive |
Translation:
I like to travel a lot by high-speed train because it's comfortable and very fast. The worst thing is that it's also very expensive.
