Quick, plain-English explanations of the visa, rail, ferry, road and airport terms you'll run into while planning a trip.
Not sure what a travel term means? Here are plain-English explanations of the words you'll meet most often when planning how to get from A to B.
A dedicated train connecting an airport terminal directly to a city centre, usually faster and more predictable than a road transfer.
The point, physical or procedural, at which travellers pass from one country's jurisdiction into another's, whether by land, sea or air. See land border crossings in Europe.
Bus Rapid Transit: a bus system running in dedicated lanes or corridors with level boarding and pre-paid fares, built to mimic the speed and capacity of a metro at a fraction of the cost. See Rio airport to the city.
A cabin suspended from and pulled by an overhead cable, used to climb mountains or cross valleys where no road or rail line is practical.
A long-distance bus seat that reclines almost flat, the South American equivalent of a lie-flat airline seat; short for cama ("bed") in Spanish and Portuguese.
Hand baggage small enough to bring into the cabin instead of checking into the hold, subject to size and weight limits that vary by airline.
A twin-hulled ferry, generally faster and smoother in choppy water than a traditional single-hulled ship, widely used on short island crossings. See Croatia island hopping.
The nickname for recycled American school buses used as cheap, colourfully repainted local transport across Central America.
A flight sold under one airline's code and marketed as its own service, but actually operated by a partner airline.
A shared overnight compartment with fold-down bunks, cheaper and less private than a sleeper cabin, common on European and North African night trains.
The border control responsible for goods rather than people, checking what travellers are bringing into or out of a country and collecting duty where it is owed.
The cheapest class on many long-distance ferries: an open or covered deck with no assigned seat or cabin, where passengers sleep on mats or in chairs.
A visa created for remote workers to live in a country legally while employed or self-employed elsewhere, typically requiring proof of income. See digital nomad visas explained.
The value or quantity of goods, such as alcohol, tobacco or gifts, that a traveller may bring across a border without paying import duty. See customs allowances explained.
A visa applied for and issued entirely online before travel, usually emailed as a PDF rather than stamped into the passport in advance. See India's e-visa, explained.
The EU's new biometric Entry/Exit System, which records fingerprints and a photo of non-EU travellers at the external Schengen border instead of stamping a passport. See the EU Entry/Exit System.
An Electronic Travel Authorisation: a short online pre-clearance check, usually linked to your passport, required before boarding for countries such as Canada or the UK. See Canada's eTA, explained.
Europe's forthcoming travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors to the Schengen area, applied for online before departure rather than at the border. See ETIAS explained.
The rail pass sold to non-European residents for unlimited or flexible train travel across Europe; the sister product to Interrail. See Eurail pass itineraries.
A ferry traveller without a vehicle, usually paying a lower fare and boarding separately from car and lorry traffic.
A cable-hauled railway of two counterbalanced cars that pass each other on a steep, fixed track, common for climbing hills within cities.
A shared long-distance taxi, typically an older Mercedes saloon, that departs once full on a fixed intercity route, common in Morocco.
An overnight ferry class, common in parts of Southeast Asia and South America, where passengers sling their own or a rented hammock in a shared hold rather than booking a cabin.
Passenger rail built or upgraded for sustained speeds above roughly 250 km/h, such as the TGV, AVE or Shinkansen networks. See high-speed trains in Europe.
The passport and entry-eligibility check travellers pass through on arrival in a country, separate from the customs check for goods.
An official translation of a national driving licence, recognised alongside it in many countries where hire firms or police may not accept the licence alone. See the International Driving Permit guide.
The rail pass sold to European residents for unlimited or flexible train travel across the continent; the sister product to Eurail. See Interrail vs Eurail.
A colourfully customised passenger jeep used as shared local transport in the Philippines, running a fixed route that passengers flag down and hop off anywhere along.
A border crossed overland, by road, rail or on foot, as opposed to arriving by air or sea.
A gap between two connecting flights on the same itinerary, ranging from under an hour to overnight.
The Brazilian term for a fully reclining, near-flat long-distance bus berth, equivalent to cama in Spanish-speaking South America.
The period of lowest demand for a destination, when flights, trains and accommodation are typically cheapest and least crowded.
A shared minibus running a fixed route with informal stops, the backbone of local and intercity transport across the former Soviet Union and the Balkans. See minibuses & marshrutkas.
A shared minibus taxi that forms the backbone of urban and intercity transport across much of East Africa, notably Kenya. See driving in Kenya.
A seasonal wind reversal that brings heavy, sustained rainfall to South and Southeast Asia and parts of Africa for weeks or months, disrupting road, rail and ferry schedules.
Any train that runs overnight between two cities, whether in seats, couchettes or sleeper cabins. See night trains in Europe.
Proof of a return or continuing journey that some border officials or airlines ask for before letting a traveller enter or board, even on a valid visa.
A trip booked into one city and out of another, skipping the cost and time of backtracking to the original arrival point.
Multi-country overland travel, typically by a mix of trains, buses, boats and self-driven vehicles, over a route of weeks or months. See Patagonia overland.
A railway with a toothed centre rail that a matching cog on the train engages, allowing it to climb gradients too steep for ordinary friction rail.
A ticket covering multiple journeys or a period of unlimited train travel, often cheaper than buying point-to-point fares for a busy itinerary. See rail passes explained.
An overnight flight scheduled to land early in the morning, named for the tired look it leaves on passengers' faces.
A "roll-on/roll-off" ferry built so vehicles drive straight on and off through bow or stern doors, rather than being craned aboard.
The 29-country European zone where internal border checks have been abolished, so travellers move between member states without passport control. See the Schengen Area explained.
A booking for a specific seat on a specific train, sometimes compulsory on high-speed or long-distance services even if you already hold a rail pass.
A long-distance bus seat that reclines further than standard but not fully flat, sitting between standard and cama or leito in comfort and price.
A taxi that picks up several unrelated passengers heading the same direction and splits the fare between them, common where buses are infrequent.
A shared taxi or minibus running a fixed route in Israel, often continuing to operate on the Sabbath when buses do not. See Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Japan's high-speed "bullet train" network, prized for speed, frequency and punctuality. See the Japan Rail Pass.
The period just before or after a destination's peak season, often offering a balance of good weather, lower prices and smaller crowds.
A long-distance coach fitted with flat or near-flat berths instead of upright seats, used for overnight journeys especially in China and Vietnam. See coaches in Vietnam.
A train with private or semi-private cabins for overnight travel, combining transport with a night's accommodation. See how sleeper trains work.
A style of travel that favours fewer stops, more time in each place and overland transport over speed and flying. See what is slow travel?.
A pickup truck fitted with two facing benches in the covered bed, used as a shared taxi or informal bus across Thailand and parts of Laos.
Train à Grande Vitesse: France's high-speed rail network, connecting Paris to most major French cities and several neighbouring countries. See France by TGV.
A road, bridge or tunnel that charges a fee to use, collected at a barrier, by camera, or through a prepaid tag.
A visa required in some countries even when you are only changing planes or passing through without a formal entry. See transit visas explained.
A policy covering costs such as medical treatment, cancellation, delay or lost luggage while travelling abroad. See travel insurance explained.
A small three-wheeled motorised taxi, common across South and Southeast Asia, usually hired for short hops and negotiated in advance.
A time-based motorway toll sticker or digital permit bought before driving in countries such as Austria or Switzerland, rather than paying per-kilometre tolls. See vignettes in Europe.
A premium long-distance coach class, common across Southeast Asia, with wider reclining seats, air conditioning and sometimes onboard service.
A visa issued at the airport or land border itself, on payment of a fee, rather than arranged in advance. See visa on arrival: how it works.
A reciprocal youth-mobility visa, usually age-capped, that lets travellers live, travel and take casual work in a partner country for up to a year or two. See working holiday visas explained.
An International Certificate of Vaccination proving yellow-fever immunisation, required for entry to or transit through parts of Africa and South America.
Zona a Traffico Limitato: an Italian restricted-traffic zone in historic city centres where only permitted vehicles may drive, enforced by camera and fined by post.