Blog about English
Articles with means of transport and transport-related expressions.
Use the zero article after by when referring to a means of transport.
Use by bus, by train, by car, by taxi, by plane, by bicycle and by boat when describing how someone travels rather than referring to a particular vehicle.
I usually go to work by bus.
Обычно я езжу на работу на автобусе.
By bus describes the means of transportation, so no article is used.
We traveled by train from Chicago to St. Louis.
Мы ехали поездом из Чикаго в Сент-Луис.
By train describes how we traveled in general.
She went to the airport by car.
Она поехала в аэропорт на машине.
By car names the means of transportation.
They flew by plane to Denver.
Они полетели в Денвер на самолете.
By plane is a zero-article transport expression.
We crossed the lake by boat.
Мы пересекли озеро на лодке.
By boat describes the means of travel rather than a particular boat.
He gets around the city by bicycle.
Он передвигается по городу на велосипеде.
By bicycle identifies the general means of transportation.
The package was sent by air to save time.
Посылку отправили по воздуху, чтобы сэкономить время.
By air is a fixed expression for a method of transportation.
Most of the visitors arrived by train because parking near the stadium was limited.
Большинство посетителей приехали поездом, потому что парковка возле стадиона была ограничена.
By train refers to the general means of travel, not one particular train.
Use a/an or the when referring to a particular vehicle.
Compare "We travelled by train." and "We caught the train at 8:00." The first describes the means of transport, while the second refers to a specific train.
We took a taxi to the airport.
Мы взяли такси до аэропорта.
A taxi introduces one non-specific vehicle.
We caught the taxi that was waiting outside.
Мы сели в такси, которое ждало снаружи.
The identifies a particular taxi using the relative clause.
She took a bus downtown.
Она поехала на автобусе в центр.
A bus refers to one bus without identifying which one.
She took the bus that stops near her office.
Она села на автобус, который останавливается возле ее офиса.
The bus is specific because the relative clause identifies it.
We rented a car for the weekend.
Мы арендовали машину на выходные.
A car introduces one non-specific vehicle.
The car we rented had a flat tire.
У машины, которую мы арендовали, была спущена шина.
The identifies the particular car through the relative clause.
We caught the train at 8:00.
Мы сели на поезд в 8:00.
The train refers to a specific scheduled train.
The plane we were supposed to take was delayed by two hours.
Самолет, на который мы должны были сесть, задержали на два часа.
The plane is specific because the relative clause identifies it.
Use the before a specific bus, train, plane, ship or other vehicle after get on or get off.
Examples include get on the bus, get off the train and board the plane.
Get on the bus at the next stop.
Садись на автобус на следующей остановке.
Get on normally takes the when referring to a particular bus.
We got off the train in Chicago.
Мы вышли из поезда в Чикаго.
The train refers to the specific train we were traveling on.
She got on the plane just before the doors closed.
Она села в самолет незадолго до закрытия дверей.
The plane refers to the particular plane for the flight.
They got off the bus downtown.
Они вышли из автобуса в центре города.
The bus identifies the vehicle they were riding.
We got on the ferry with our luggage.
Мы сели на паром с багажом.
The ferry refers to the specific ferry being boarded.
He got off the subway at Times Square.
Он вышел из метро на Таймс-сквер.
The subway refers to the particular subway system/train being used in context.
Passengers should get on the train as soon as the doors open.
Пассажиры должны сесть в поезд, как только откроются двери.
The identifies the particular train scheduled for departure.
We got off the plane and waited near the baggage claim area.
Мы вышли из самолета и ждали возле зоны выдачи багажа.
The plane refers to the specific aircraft carrying the passengers.
Use in with cars and taxis, and on with buses, trains, planes and ships.
Examples include in the car, in a taxi, on the bus, on the train and on the plane.
I am in the car.
Я в машине.
Use in with a car.
She is waiting in a taxi.
Она ждет в такси.
Use in with a taxi.
He is on the bus.
Он в автобусе.
Use on with buses.
They are on the train to Boston.
Они в поезде до Бостона.
Use on with trains.
We were on the plane for six hours.
Мы были в самолете шесть часов.
Use on with planes.
The captain was on the ship when the storm started.
Капитан был на корабле, когда начался шторм.
Use on with ships.
I left my phone in the taxi.
Я оставил телефон в такси.
In is used because a taxi is treated as an enclosed vehicle.
We met on the train while traveling from New York to Boston.
Мы познакомились в поезде, когда ехали из Нью-Йорка в Бостон.
On is used with the train.
Use on foot when travelling by walking.
English uses the fixed expression on foot rather than by foot.
I usually go to work on foot.
Обычно я хожу на работу пешком.
On foot is the standard fixed expression.
We walked there on foot.
Мы пошли туда пешком.
Use on foot rather than by foot.
She goes to school on foot every day.
Она каждый день ходит в школу пешком.
On foot describes walking as the means of travel.
The hotel is only ten minutes away on foot.
Отель находится всего в десяти минутах пешком.
On foot can describe walking time or distance.
We decided to explore the neighborhood on foot.
Мы решили исследовать район пешком.
On foot describes the method of getting around.
The store is close enough to reach on foot.
До магазина достаточно близко, чтобы дойти пешком.
On foot is used with reach to describe walking.
Since the streets were closed, we traveled on foot for several miles.
Поскольку улицы были перекрыты, мы прошли пешком несколько миль.
On foot contrasts with other means of transportation.
The historic district is best explored on foot because many streets are too narrow for cars.
Исторический район лучше всего исследовать пешком, потому что многие улицы слишком узкие для машин.
On foot identifies walking as the preferred method of travel.
The choice of article depends on whether the vehicle is mentioned as a means of transport or as a specific object.
Compare "She came by bus.", "She took a bus." and "She took the bus that stops outside her house."
She came by bus.
Она приехала на автобусе.
By bus describes the means of transport and takes no article.
She took a bus home.
Она поехала домой на автобусе.
A bus refers to one bus without identifying which one.
She took the bus that stops near her house.
Она села на автобус, который останавливается возле ее дома.
The bus is specific because the relative clause identifies it.
We traveled by train.
Мы ехали поездом.
By train describes the means of transport.
We caught a train at the station.
Мы сели на поезд на станции.
A train introduces one train without identifying it further.
We caught the train at 8:00.
Мы сели на поезд в 8:00.
The train identifies the scheduled train known from the context.
He went by car because the buses were full.
Он поехал на машине, потому что автобусы были переполнены.
By car describes the means of transport.
He took the car that his brother had left at the airport.
Он взял машину, которую его брат оставил в аэропорту.
The car identifies a particular vehicle through the relative clause.
Many transport expressions use a fixed article pattern.
Examples include by air, by sea, by rail, by road, take a taxi, catch a bus, miss the train and board the plane.
The package was shipped by air.
Посылку отправили по воздуху.
By air is a fixed expression with zero article.
They traveled by sea.
Они путешествовали морем.
By sea is a fixed transport expression.
The company sends most packages by rail.
Компания отправляет большинство посылок по железной дороге.
By rail is used without an article.
We traveled by road through Arizona.
Мы путешествовали по дороге через Аризону.
By road is a fixed means-of-transport expression.
I took a taxi to the airport.
Я взял такси до аэропорта.
Take a taxi uses the indefinite article for one taxi.
We caught a bus downtown.
Мы сели на автобус до центра.
Catch a bus introduces one bus.
Hurry up, or we will miss the train.
Поторопись, иначе мы опоздаем на поезд.
The train refers to the particular scheduled train.
Passengers must board the plane before the final announcement.
Пассажиры должны сесть в самолет до последнего объявления.
Board the plane refers to a specific aircraft for the flight.
Do not use an article after by when naming a means of transport.
Incorrect: by the bus, by a train. Correct: by bus, by train. Use an article only when referring to a specific vehicle.
I go to work by bus.
Я езжу на работу на автобусе.
Use zero article after by when naming the means of transportation.
We traveled by train.
Мы ехали поездом.
Do not say by a train when describing the general means of transport.
She went by car.
Она поехала на машине.
By car takes zero article.
She took a car to the airport.
Она поехала на машине в аэропорт.
A car is correct because take refers to one particular vehicle, not the general means of transport.
We went by the bus that stops outside the hotel.
Мы поехали на автобусе, который останавливается возле отеля.
The is possible after by when the noun refers to a specific bus identified by a clause.
He got on the bus at the next stop.
Он сел на автобус на следующей остановке.
Get on normally refers to a specific vehicle and therefore uses the.
We arrived on foot.
Мы пришли пешком.
The fixed expression is on foot, not by foot.
We were in the car, while our friends were on the bus.
Мы были в машине, а наши друзья — в автобусе.
Use in with cars and on with buses.