Schedules, Reservations, and Rentals by Sandra Rosenstiel
So, you've made up your mind where you would like to go. Now you have to decide how to get there and how to travel around once you're there. Understanding schedules, making reservations, buying tickets, managing car rentals, and handling surprises on the road will serve you well as you plan your trip. Let's look at some general vocabulary first:
Vehicles
el avión (plane)
el tren (train)
el metro (metro, subway)
el autobús (bus)
la camioneta (van)
el carro (car)
el tranvía (tram)
el barco (boat)
el ferry (ferry)
Odds and Ends
el horario (schedule)
la reservación (reservation)
el boleto (ticket)
el asiento (seat)
el pasillo (aisle)
la ventanilla (window)
la llegada (arrival)
la salida (departure)
la puerta (gate)
el aeropuerto (airport)
la estación (train station)
la terminal (bus station, ferry terminal)
el andén (train, bus platform)
el vagón (train car)
el cochecama (sleeper car)
a tiempo (on time)
adelantado/a (ahead of schedule)
atrasado (behind schedule)
Verbs
hacer una reservación (make a reservation)
cambiar (change)
cancelar (cancel)
subir (get on, in)
bajar (get off, out)
avisar (notify)
trasbordar (transfer)
alquilar (rent)
entregar, devolver (turn in, return)
It's important to keep in mind that some of this vocabulary may be different from one country to another. For example, a “bus” can be called autobús, camión, colectivo, or gua-gua, depending on the country you're in. You might go to rent a carro and discover that it's called a coche or auto where you are. Most terms are fairly universally understood, though, even if local usage varies, and you'll quickly learn which words are preferred wherever you happen to be.
Most Spanish-speaking countries use a 24-hour clock for official schedules. 12:00 is twelve noon; 24:00 is midnight. 1:00 is one o'clock in the morning. If your train leaves at 14:07, it leaves at 2:07 p.m.
