#67 Making Small Talk with Colleagues｜English Business Phrases
Izumi English Days
#16 Asking How to Transfer at a Station｜Useful English Phrases for Travelers
Izumi
When traveling by train, it is often necessary to transfer within a station in order to reach your destination.
If I can ask questions such as “Where should I go to transfer to the Central Line?”, “Which platform is it?”, or “Which track does it depart from?”, I will be able to move smoothly without getting lost.
In this lesson, I will introduce some essential English expressions for asking how to transfer at a station, along with grammar and word order points to remember.
Contents
Dialogue
Excuse me, how can I transfer to the Central Line?
You need to go down the stairs and follow the signs to Platform 2.
Is it far from here?
No, just a two-minute walk. It’s well signposted.
Great, thank you very much.
You’re welcome. Have a good trip!
1. Asking How to Transfer
When I want to ask “How can I transfer to the Central Line?” at a station, I can use the phrase “How can I transfer to ～?”.
Examples
- How can I transfer to the Central Line?
- How can I transfer to the express train?
The structure “How can I ～?” means “What should I do to ～?”, making it a polite and practical question.
The verb phrase “transfer to” is commonly used in railway and subway contexts and is slightly more formal than “change to”.
2. Understanding Directions in a Station
To reach a platform or exit, it is essential to understand expressions that indicate direction. One basic structure is “Go + direction + noun.”
Examples
- Go down the stairs.
- Go up to the ticket gate.
Another frequently used expression is “Follow the signs to ～.”
Related Expressions
- Follow the signs to Platform 2.
- Follow the signs to the exit.
By remembering these “action + place” patterns, I can easily understand and use essential travel expressions inside stations.
3. Checking Distance or Time
After receiving directions, I may want to confirm how far it is.
Example
- Is it far from here?
Common responses include:
Examples
- No, it’s just a short walk.
- It’s about five minutes on foot.
- It’s not far. Just follow the signs.
4. Reassuring with Signs
The phrase “It’s well signposted.” reassures someone by indicating that signs are clearly displayed and easy to follow.
Example
- It’s well signposted.
The word signpost means “guidepost” or “signboard.” Its past participle signposted is often used as an adjective to mean “clearly marked with signs.”
Related Expressions
- It’s clearly marked.
- There are signs everywhere.
Here, signposted is grammatically a past participle but frequently functions as an adjective, which is a useful point to note.
Summary
Key English Phrases
- How can I transfer to the Central Line?
→ A polite way to ask how to transfer. - Go down the stairs.
→ A basic expression for station movement. - Follow the signs to Platform 2.
→ A standard phrase used when giving directions. - Is it far from here?
→ A useful question to check distance or time. - It’s well signposted.
→ A reassuring phrase indicating clear guidance.
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