Names of means of transport

Names of means of transport are used with the definite article when you are referring to a whole transport system or naming the form of transport

Here is a list of words in this category:

Boat Train Bus

Hovercraft Underground (Br) Subway (Am)

Plane Tube (Br)

Ferry Tram

How long does it take on the train?

She sent a cable to her husband and caught the plane back to New York.

I walked to the tube instead of spending money on a taxi

Note 1. With “underground ”, “ tube ”, “ subway ”, you can use the definite article to refer not only to the form of transport, but also to the location:

I am alone in the underground waiting for a train.

Note 2. “ taxi, car, bicycle, ship ” are not used in this way, because they do not offer a systemic means of transport.

If you say “ Take the car/taxi/ bicycle ” you must be referring to a particular car, taxi, bicycle.

When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute and when it is clear from the context what vehicle you are talking about:

Quick! Get on the train. It’s ready to leave.

Names of means of transport are used with the indefinite article when we mean one of many vehicles which runs on roads:

I saw Jake this morning. He was on a bus which passed me.

All these words can be used after “by” without an article to describe the form of transport used, for example: “ by bus”, “by train”, “by plane”.

I don’t often travel by bus.

You can also use the following words after “by” without an article:

Air Bicycle Road

Bike Cab Taxi

Car Rail

Sea Ship