Trains

Useful vocabulary and phrases

Tickets

singlesoft seat
returnhard seat
first classsoft sleeper
standardhard sleeper
change (trains)dining / restaurant car
platformsnack car
check insight-seeing car
border control‘cattle class’ (colloquial)

Boarding Announcement

The (time) service to (place) is now boarding at platform number …This train will be making scheduled stops at the following stations: ….“The 7.15 service to Manchester is now boarding at platform number 6. This train will be making scheduled stops at the following stations: Glasgow East; Barrow-in-Furness; and Crewe.”

Dialogues

Dialogue 1

“How can I help you?”
“I’d like a (single/return/soft seat/hard seat/soft sleeper/hard sleeper) to…”
“What time would you like to depart?”
“(in the morning/afternoon/evening; around lunchtime)”
“And what is your return date?”
“(day)”
“That’ll be….”

Dialogue 2

“Hi, I’d like a ticket for the next train to…”
“The next train is at (time)”
“That’s fine”
“Single or return?”
“Single”
“First class or standard?”
“Standard please”
“That’ll be…”
“Could you tell me which platform it leaves from?”
“It’ll be leaving from platform …”
“Thanks very much.”

Dialogue 3

“I’d like a ticket for the (time) to …”
“Single or return?”
“Single please”
“That’ll be …”
“Oh, I have a young persons railcard”
“Ok, using the railcard it’s …”
“That’s great.”
“Now, as this train crosses the border you need to check-in an hour in advance, and bring your passport.”
“No problem.”

Dialogue 4

“I’d like a train to…, arriving around lunchtime.”
“Let me have a look. Ok, we have a service that gets in at 12.07, departing from here at 8 o’clock and changing in …”
“That’s fine”
“How many tickets would you be needing?”
“Just the one, thanks”
“And it’s a single ticket?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, that comes to…”
“Thanks very much.”