The key Italian words you won't want to mix up when travelling
Travelling in Italy this summer? Knowing how to use some commonly misunderstood transport-related vocabulary will help you on your way.
If you're planning a trip to Italy and have already mastered the basics of the language - from the difference between buongiorno and ciao to the proper use of prego - there's another thing you might want to consider.
Anyone travelling in Italy will benefit from learning some basic transport-related vocabulary, whether they arrive in aereo, treno, o macchina (by plane, train, or car). But there are also some less obvious travel-related words and phrases that are likely to trip visitors up.
At the very least, you'll feel more confident while travelling in Italy when you know exactly what the difference is between a few of these commonly confused or overlooked words.
Stazione o fermata
This one is simple enough: these two words translate as "station" and "stop", and are used in exactly the same way as in English.
You'll likely board a bus or train at a station, like Roma Termini or Milano Centrale, then get off at a smaller stop along the route - unless you stay on until the capolinea, or end of the line.
How far is the station from here?
When asking for information about your stop, or the route, you'd probably use fermata instead.
Questa fermata è a richiesta?
Is this a request stop?
Quante fermate ci sono?
How many stops are there?
Binario o piattaforma
When asking for information about which train platform you'll need, Italian learners often assume that the translation would be piattaforma. But it's not often used in this way - plus it can refer to part of the railway track itself, which makes things a bit confusing.
The commonly used word here instead is binario.
Da quale binario parte il treno per Roma?
Which platform does the train for Rome depart from?
Convalidare o obliterare
First time visitors to Italy often find out the hard way that you need to convalidare (validate) some types of Italian train tickets before boarding.
This usually applies to tickets for local trains and public transport services, but not those for long distance rail services, like the Frecciarossa. If you're not sure, it's always best to ask.
Devo convalidare questo biglietto?
Do I need to validate this ticket?
You might also come across the term obliterare, which is essentially a more technical and old-fashioned word for the same thing. It dates from the time when all tickets had to be physically inserted into machines which punched a hole in them. (Some tickets can now be validated online.)
Imbarco o partenze
You'll need to check the number of your gate (porta d'imbarco) on the departures board (tabellone delle partenze).
A che ora è previsto l'imbarco del volo?
What time is the flight boarding?
Salire o scendere
These are two words which Italian learners sometimes confuse. Salire means to get on, while scendere means to get off, and these are the terms you'd normally use in the context of using public transport - rather than, say, enter and exit (entrare e uscire).
It might help to remember that scendere more literally means "to come down" and has the same Latin root as the English verb 'to descend'.
Scendo alla prossima fermata
I'm getting off at the next stop
Passaggio o corsa
When it comes to taxis and private cars, you'll need to know the difference between these two words, which are both used to talk about a car journey (percorso in auto) and could both translate as 'ride' in English.
Offrire o dare un passaggio (to offer or give someone a ride), would normally mean you're taking them somewhere as a favour, without expecting any form of payment.
Ha preso un passaggio per l'ospedale con la sua vicina
She got a lift to the hospital with her neighbour
When you get a taxi however, you'll be talking about a corsa, which implies that the ride is paid for and has a fixed start and end point.
Quanto costa la corsa?
How much is the fare?
Corsa has a few meanings, including a journey or trip, as well as a race. You might see it in other travel contexts, such as when taking the metro or train.
Il biglietto singolo permette di effettuare una sola corsa
You can only take one trip with the single ticket
La corsa è diretta o con cambio?
Is the journey direct or with a transfer?
And you may see the similar word corsia (lane) when on the road. For example, c orsia preferenziale indicates a lane reserved for buses and taxis (which anyone else can be fined for using.)
Giorni feriali o giorni festivi
These two phrases might look similar to non-Italian speakers, but you'll need to be sure of the difference, particularly when deciphering public transport timetables.
Giorni feriali are weekdays, and this may or may not include Saturdays, depending on which timetable you're looking at.
Giorni festivi are holidays, including Sundays and official national and religious holidays including Ferragosto, May 1st (Labour Day), and June 2nd (Republic Day).
The term feriali often confuses people, especially if they've seen the many signs stating ' chiuso per ferie ' (closed for holidays) in shop windows throughout August. Both words come from the Latin 'feria,' which simply means 'day'.
On giorni festivi, most public transport services run on reduced or modified schedules, so it's always a good idea to check.
See Also
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local Italy
5 hours ago
- Local Italy
Moving to Italy: Work visas explained and key steps for retirement
What work visas can you apply for to move to Italy in 2025? If you're planning to move to Italy as a non-EU national, applying for a visa is the very first thing you'll have to deal with in your preparations. But obtaining an Italian visto can be challenging, especially if you're looking to work in the country. Italy is known for its labour market protectionism, with the majority of work visas issued under a stringent quota-based system – the so-called decreto flussi (flows decree). But while getting an Italian work visa is generally a complex and lengthy process, that doesn't mean they're impossible to get. We rounded up the main visa options available to non-EU citizens in 2025 and their requirements. Italy's warm climate, lower cost of living and relaxed pace of life all make it appealing to foreign retirees, as do financial incentives such as a special flat tax rate for pensioners. But what exactly do you need to do to retire to Italy? The bureaucratic procedures involved in the relocation process range from straightforward to challenging depending on your circumstances, particularly whether you're an EU or non-EU national. But while non-EU retirees can generally expect to face more obstacles than their EU counterparts, both groups still have to complete a number of steps before they can secure full residency in Italy. What you can and cannot do as a non-resident in Italy Foreigners in Italy are considered Italian residents for tax purposes if they spend at least 183 days out of the year in the country – anyone not in this position is considered a visitor. If you enjoy coming to Italy on short visits, you may want to keep things just as they are. But if you own property in Italy and spend a significant amount of time here, you may be wondering whether it's worth taking the plunge and becoming a resident. To help with your decision, here's a breakdown of the major things that you can and can't do as a non-resident foreigner in Italy. Questions The Local's Reader Questions section covers questions asked by our members and is a treasure trove of useful info on all kinds of practical matters. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, head here to leave us your questions.
Local Italy
3 days ago
- Local Italy
La Bella Vita: Common Italian translation fails and alternative places to visit in 2025
La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in 'My Account' or following the instructions in the newsletter box below. Italy is one of the world's favourite summer holiday destinations and, though it's a diverse country with countless sights to see, most visitors seem to flock to the same few hotspots – from 'art cities' such as Florence, Venice and Rome to picturesque regions like the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre. These destinations draw millions of visitors every summer, with large tourist crowds known to regularly overwhelm popular attractions and museums during peak travel period. If you're looking for a more relaxed, less claustrophobic Italian travel experience this summer, there are countless options - but it's not always easy to narrow them down. To help you head off the beaten path, we handpicked some of the best lesser-known places to visit around Italy. Though these aren't all completely unknown, they're the sort of destinations where we believe you can enjoy an authentic Italian experience. As all language learners will know, Italian contains a lot of words that are either the same or very similar to English but have subtly different (or even completely opposite) meanings. Some of these 'false friends' are amusing, but others can be cruel, and you might end up in hot water if you get the meanings mixed up. To help you avoid trouble or embarrassment, we put together some of the most frequently mistranslated words. Italians are known to take their food very seriously, with foreign adaptations of ingredients or methods used in traditional Italian recipes often sparking cries of outrage around the country. This strong sense of pride extends to food production, with Italian farmers and winemakers fiercely defending their products via a stringent labelling system. But food and drink labels can be more than a little confusing to the average non-Italian shopper. If you find it hard to remember what the difference is between DOP, DOC, IGT or DOCG, here's a helpful explanation – and a look at whether this is always a mark of superior quality.
Local Italy
6 days ago
- Local Italy
Italy vows crackdown on airlines flouting new rules on ID checks
New rules removing ID checks for passengers flying on domestic or Schengen-area flights were introduced last week as part of plans to speed up boarding procedures and reduce waiting times at Italian airports. The new policy ended the requirement for people flying across Italy, or from Italy to another Schengen-area country, to show their passports or ID cards at the boarding gate. The border-free Schengen area includes all EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus, as well as the four members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. ID checks remained in place for all flights headed to non-Schengen countries, including the US, Canada and the UK. Though Italy's civil aviation authority (ENAC) said the new rules were 'effective immediately', passengers at multiple Italian airports have reportedly continued to face ID checks before boarding domestic or Schengen flights this week. Reports of non-compliance at Italian airports have been met with anger by ENAC, with the authority vowing to crack down on airlines and boarding operators flouting the rules. 'This is an ENAC directive; companies don't get to decide what to do,' the authority's president, Pierluigi Di Palma, told Il Corriere della Sera. Di Palma said that ENAC would conduct 'inspections' at airports around the country to ensure that carriers and boarding staff abide by the new rules. "Those who fail to comply will be punished for disregarding the authority's orders,' he added, without specifying the exact nature of the sanctions. ENAC's decision to remove ID checks on domestic and Schengen flights has drawn harsh criticism from Italian consumer groups in recent days. Codacons said it was 'completely astonished' by the new rules, voicing concerns that they may 'allow passengers to use other people's boarding passes or board a plane while concealing their true identity." Another Italian consumer group, Assoutenti, also expressed doubts over the new ID policy, citing 'an international context marked by growing concerns over security and the management of migration flows'. 'It is essential to ensure that the new practices do not compromise citizens' safety,' it added. Despite criticism from consumer associations, Di Palma has defended the new rules, stressing that they will in no way affect airport security. Air travel is a 'hyper-secure system' relying on 'safety 'filters', both visible and invisible,' he said. ENAC's chief also noted that 'nothing will change in terms of security checks', with passengers still required to go through the existing screening procedures to enter the airport's boarding area.
