50+ Common Words of the Topic Travel and Transport for the IELTS exam
30 August, 2023Common words for IELTS
azVocab has compiled over 200 common words on the topic of “Travel and Transport” for the IELTS exam. These vocabulary words can be used in all four sections of four skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. azVocab has carefully selected examples that fit specific contexts in IELTS exams. This will help you understand how to use these words in context, increasing the effectiveness of your vocabulary learning.
1. Vocabulary about transport
| communications (n.) – the various methods of sending information between people and places, especially phones, computers, radio, etc. | Its commercial success as a city is partly due to its excellent communications with the major cities of Europe. |
| congestion (n.) – a situation in which there is too much traffic and movement is difficult | The problems of traffic congestion will not disappear in a hurry. |
| fare (n.) – the money that you pay for a journey in a vehicle such as a bus or train | Since 1938, the federal government had strictly regulated airline fares and routes. |
| goods (n.) – things, but not people, that are transported by railway or road | In Otis’s time, warehouses commonly used moving platforms to transport goods between floors. |
| itinerary (n.) – a detailed plan or route of a journey | It can be useful to store a copy of your itinerary in a prominent place in your suitcase so that the airline will know where to find you if your luggage gets lost. |
| a load (phr.) – a lot | One truck involved in the accident was carrying a heavy load of coal. |
| motorist (n.) – a person who drives a car | A passing motorist stopped and gave her a lift to the nearby town. |
| motorway (n.) – a wide road for fast-moving traffic, especially in the UK, Ireland, and some other countries, with a limited number of places at which drivers can enter and leave it | There are some really large billboards along the motorway as you come into town. |
| passenger (n.) – a person who is travelling in a vehicle but is not driving it, flying it, or working on it | The number of train passengers fell to a low of approximately 25 percent in 2000. |
| route (n.) – a particular way or direction between places | In 1978, President Jimmy Carter deregulated the airlines. Airlines could now choose their own routes and fares. |
| the underground (n.) – a railway system in which electric trains travel through tunnels below ground | I’ve ridden on the New York subway, the Paris metro, and the London underground. |
| ticket (n.) – a small piece of paper or card given to someone, usually to show that they have paid for an event, journey, or activity | It is difficult to get tickets at that time of year so we booked ours in advance. |
| timetable (n.) – a detailed plan showing when events or activities will happen | The timetable for our trip to Paris includes visits to Notre-Dame and the Louvre. |
| traffic (n.) – the number of vehicles moving along roads, or the amount of aircraft, trains, or ships moving along a route | The traffic is so bad nowadays that I was leaving the house at 6:30 every morning to get there in time. |
| transport (n.) – the movement of people or goods from one place to another | Thanks to modern transport, people can now joumey a lot more easily than in the past. |
| travel (n.) – the activity of travelling | The two greatest troughs occurred in adventure tourism in 1970 and rail travel in 2000. |
| long-distance (adj.) – travelling a long way, or separated by a long distance | Air travelling is cheaper than other forms of long-distance transport in my country. |
| nearby (adv.) – not far away | We have some great attractions nearby for visitors, as well as a huge sports stadium and fantastic theme parks. |
| board (v.) – to get onto or allow people to get onto a boat, train, or aircraft | Behe credits one man, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, with saving many lives due to his insistence that passengers board lifeboats. |
| commute (v.) – to make the same journey regularly between work and home | Many people commute from the suburbs to their jobs in the city. |
| delay (v.) – to make something happen at a later time than originally planned or expected | In the late 1830s, railroad traffic became heavy enough for freight trains to delay passenger trains. |
| misunderstand (v.) – to think you have understood someone or something when you have not | If you think that these transport problems can be solved by building more roads, you completely misunderstand the nature of the problem. |
| pressurise (v.) – to keep the air pressure in a submarine, plane, etc. at a level that is suitable for breathing | Airplane manufacturers built new airplanes with pressurised and heated cabins. |
| public (adj.) – relating to or involving people in general, rather than being limited to a particular group of people | Most people don’t drive because there are always traffic jams, but the public transport is really well organised. |
| encounter (v.) – to experience something, especially something unpleasant | I think you’ll find your trip down the Amazon quite an adventure. You can expect to encounter some pretty strange insects in the rainforest. |
| float (v.) – to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink | Outriggers have one or more parallel floats attached to a dugout canoe with poles for increased stability in ocean waves. |
2. Vocabulary about travel and tourism
| countryside (n.) – land not in towns, cities, or industrial areas, that is either used for farming or left in its natural condition | Experience a sumptuous countryside, welcome fine food, admire our world-class heritage and the stunning scenery that surrounds our town. |
| destination (n.) – the place where someone is going or where something is being sent or taken | We offer the widest choice of destinations, accommodation and activities throughout the Alps. |
| eco-tourism (n.) – the business of organizing holidays to places of natural beauty in a way that helps local people and does not damage the environment | Nowadays we hear a great deal about the popularity of eco-tourism which I think indicates that people are more aware of the environment and wish to protect it rather than harm it. |
| facilities (n.) – the buildings, equipment, and services provided for a particular purpose | The hotel offers exceptional sporting facilities, including a 50 metre swimming pool. |
| hospitality (n.) – the act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors | The local people showed me great hospitality. |
| identification (n.) – the act of recognizing and naming someone or something | Make sure that you keep sufficient identification with you at all times. It may also help to email a copy of your passport details to yourself in case it is lost or stolen. |
| inhabitant (n.) – a person or animal that lives in a particular place | Today, there are 21 megacities, each containing more than 10 million inhabitants, three-quarters of them in developing nations. |
| journey (n.) – the act of travelling from one place to another, especially in a vehicle | For longer journeys, make sure you take plenty of snacks and drinks, especially if you are travelling with small children. |
| landscape (n.) – a view or picture of the countryside, or the art of making such pictures | One of the world’s last genuine wilderness areas, this breathtaking, ice-covered landscape is more accessible in the summer than you might think. |
| luggage (n.) – the bags, suitcases, etc. that contain your possessions and that you take with you when you are travelling | However, modern-day travel also has its problems: airports can be very crowded and there are often long queues of people waiting to collect their luggage. |
| peak (n.) – the pointed top of a mountain, or the mountain itself | These figures reached a peak in 1982 when over 2 million new machines were sold. |
| tourism (n.) – the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay, or entertainment for people who are on holiday | Tourism has brought a lot of benefits to many countries around the world. |
| tourist (n.) – someone who visits a place for pleasure and interest, usually while on holiday | The arrival of a group of tourists in a small community can mean the end of peace and quiet as they indulge in one long party. |
| travelling (n.) – the activity of making journeys; travel | I think travelling helps to educate you about the world. |
| trip (n.) – a journey in which you go somewhere, usually for a short time, and come back again | If you are going away on a short journey trip of only a few days, then you may be able to limit yourself to hand luggage and save even more time. |
| valley (n.) – an area of low land between hills or mountains, often with a river running through it | Hikers are treated to magnificent views of glacier-covered peaks above and tropical valleys below in their journey over high mountain passes. |
| village (n.) – a group of houses and other buildings that is smaller than a town, usually in the countryside | I live in a quaint little village about 300 kilometres from the nearest big city. |
| adventurous (adj.) – willing to try new or difficult things | Since aeroplanes became a common form of transport, people have become more adventurous in their choice of holiday destinations. |
| breathtaking (adj.) – extremely exciting, beautiful, or surprising | There are beautiful beaches, coastal villages, unspoilt coves and bays, clear turquoise waters, breathtaking scenery, and mountains that appear to rise out of the sea. |
| budget (adj.) – very cheap | Cheap flights are available from budget travel agents. |
| coastal (adj.) – positioned on, or relating to the coast | Whilst droughts are not uncommon in many parts of the country, the coastal region remains humid throughout the year. |
| cosmopolitan (adj.) – containing or having experience of people and things from many different parts of the world | My city is famous for its skyscrapers, statues and fountains. It’s a very exciting and cosmopolitan place to live. |
| diverse (adj.) – including many different types of people or things | This Icelandic wonderland never ceases to amaze — with its diverse scenery, wealth of activities and attractions including whale watching. |
| flexible (adj.) – able to change or be changed easily according to the situation | Try to be flexible with your travel dates and avoid peak holiday times. |
| foreign (adj.) – belonging or connected to a country that is not your own | If your flight is delayed or your luggage is lost, these can be difficult to obtain in an airport or foreign country. |
| local (adj.) – from, existing in, serving, or responsible for a small area, especially of a country | This invasion affects the local people in many ways, disrupting their normal routine and increasing their working hours. |
| luxurious (adj.) – very comfortable and expensive | I get to stay in luxurious hotels and I get on really well with all the other staff. |
| mountainous (adj.) – having a lot of mountains | The most memorable place live ever visited was Bhucan. It’s a really amazing place because it’s in a very remote, mountainous area. |
| peaceful (adj.) – without violence | I like living in the countryside because it’s so peaceful and the air is really fresh, so it’s much nicer than in the city. |
| picturesque (adj.) – (especially of a place) attractive in appearance, especially in an old-fashioned way | My village is 200 metres above sea level and it’s very picturesque up here so we get a lot of visitors. |
| polluted (adj.) – affected by pollution | I suppose the only downside is that the air can get a little polluted at times. |
| popular (adj.) – liked, enjoyed, or supported by many people | Fairmont Island has many features that attract tourists but the most popular of these are the scenery and the people. |
| quaint (adj.) – attractive because of being unusual and especially old-fashioned | She sold the place to me with talk of crashing waves and quaint villages. |
| remote (adj.) – a remote area, house, or village is a long way from any towns or cities | Even in the most remote areas, people have access to some form of transport. |
| scenic (adj.) – having or allowing you to see beautiful natural features | Open sea and salty jagoons stretch out on both sides of the scenic thoroughfare. |
| self-catering (adj.) – (of a holiday) having cooking facilities available so that you can cook meals for yourself rather than having them provided for you | They have special rates and inclusive hotels and self-catering holidays. |
| stunning (adj.) – extremely beautiful or attractive | Experience a sumptuous countryside welcome of fine food, and admire our world-class heritage and the stunning scenery that surrounds our town. |
| terrifying (adj.) – very frightening | Go to Bhutans and you may well find yourself driving for hours along terrifying, winding mountain passes and then climbing to a monastery perched on a cliff that seems to defy all laws of physics. |
| transient (adj.) – lasting for only a short time; temporary | The mountain lies between his residence and the main road and occludes the expectation of transient visits. |
| valuable (adj.) – worth a lot of money | Travelling to the Seychelles was a very valuable experience. |
| accompany (v.) – to go with someone to a social event or to an entertainment | We looked all over the town and eventually found a local guide to accompany us to the nearest village. |
| fluctuate (v.) – to change, especially continuously and between one level or thing and another | The price of holidays can fluctuate a great deal throughout the year so try to be flexible with your travel dates and avoid peak holiday times. |
| migrate (v.) – if people migrate, they travel in large numbers to a new place to live temporarily | In 1849, many Australians migrated to the United States during the gold rush. |
| mitigate (v.) – to make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad | It is unclear how to mitigate the effects of tourism on the island. |
| organize (v.) – to make arrangements for something to happen | Some tours are organized to destinations where wild animals can be observed. |
| seek (v.) – to try to find or get something, especially something that is not a physical object | Tourists increasingly seek more tourist information at the destination and search differently depending on the topic and their connectivity preferences in the different digital channels and locations. |
Here are common words related to the Transport and Travel topic for the IELTS exam. Hopefully, this is a helpful resource for your exam preparation. You can explore more vocabulary in other topics in azVocab’s compilation of common vocabulary in various subjects for the IELTS exam.
