IELTS Vocabulary: Travel
Here’s a comprehensive IELTS Travel Vocabulary Guide with topic-specific words, collocations, compound words, phrasal verbs, and idioms:
1. Topic-Specific Travel Vocabulary
Transportation:
- Budget airline (n.) – Low-cost carrier
Example: “Ryanair is a popular budget airline in Europe.” - High-speed rail (n.) – Fast train system
Example: “Japan’s Shinkansen is a famous high-speed rail.” - Red-eye flight (n.) – Overnight flight
Example: “I took a red-eye flight to save on hotel costs.” - Ferry terminal (n.) – Port for passenger boats
Example: “We waited at the ferry terminal for our boat to the island.” - Rush hour (n.) – Peak travel time
Example: “Avoid driving during rush hour in Bangkok.”
Accommodation:
- All-inclusive resort (n.) – Hotel with meals/drinks included
Example: “We booked an all-inclusive resort in Cancún.” - Hostel dormitory (n.) – Shared budget accommodation
Example: “I stayed in a hostel dormitory to save money.” - Vacation rental (n.) – Privately rented holiday home
Example: “Airbnb offers great vacation rentals worldwide.” - Bellhop service (n.) – Hotel luggage assistance
Example: “The bellhop service carried our bags to the room.” - Room service (n.) – In-room dining
Example: “We ordered room service after a long flight.”
2. Essential Travel Collocations
| Verb + Noun | Example |
|---|---|
| Book a ticket | “I’ll book a train ticket online.” |
| Catch a flight | “We barely caught our connecting flight.” |
| Miss a train | “Traffic made us miss the last train.” |
| Rent a car | “We rented a car to explore Tuscany.” |
| Check luggage | “You must check large luggage at the gate.” |
| Adjective + Noun | Example |
|---|---|
| Long-haul flight | “The long-haul flight exhausted me.” |
| Packed itinerary | “Our packed itinerary left no free time.” |
| Breathtaking view | “The hotel had a breathtaking view of the ocean.” |
| Tourist hotspot | “Avoid tourist hotspots in peak season.” |
| Hidden gem | “We discovered a hidden gem in the countryside.” |
3. Travel Phrasal Verbs
- Set off – Begin a journey
Example: “We set off at sunrise to avoid traffic.” - Check in – Register at a hotel/airport
Example: “You can check in online 24 hours before your flight.” - Look around – Explore
Example: “We looked around the old town for hours.” - Pick up – Collect (e.g., rental car)
Example: “I’ll pick up the rental car at the airport.” - Hold up – Delay
Example: “Construction work held up our bus for an hour.”
4. Travel Compound Words
- Stopover (n.) – Short break in a journey
Example: “We had a 6-hour stopover in Dubai.” - Takeoff (n.) – When a plane leaves the ground
Example: “The takeoff was delayed due to fog.” - Getaway (n.) – Short vacation
Example: “We planned a weekend getaway to the mountains.” - Guidebook (n.) – Travel information book
Example: “The guidebook recommended authentic local restaurants.” - Backpacker (n.) – Budget traveler
Example: “The hostel was full of backpackers sharing travel tips.”
5. Travel Idioms
- “Hit the road” – Begin traveling
Example: “We hit the road early to beat the traffic.” - “Travel on a shoestring” – Travel very cheaply
Example: “We traveled Southeast Asia on a shoestring budget.” - “Off the beaten track” – Away from tourist areas
Example: “Our guide took us off the beaten track to see real local life.” - “Live out of a suitcase” – Travel frequently
Example: “As a flight attendant, she lives out of a suitcase.” - “Have itchy feet” – Desire to travel
Example: “After 3 months at home, I’ve got itchy feet again.”
6. IELTS Speaking Examples
Part 1:
“I prefer budget airlines for short trips, though long-haul flights can be exhausting. Last year, I missed a train in Paris but it turned into a great opportunity to look around the station area.”
Part 3:
“Mass tourism has made some famous landmarks overcrowded. In my view, promoting off-the-beaten-track destinations could help reduce pressure on tourist hotspots while giving visitors more authentic experiences.”
7. Writing Task 2 Vocabulary Boosters
Problem:
“Overtourism damages local ecosystems and overwhelms infrastructure.”
Solution:
“Implementing sustainable tourism practices, like limiting visitor numbers at fragile sites, could preserve these areas for future generations.”
Advantage:
“Cultural exchange through travel broadens horizons and fosters mutual understanding between nations.”