Travel v Trip v Journey

What's the difference between trip, travel and journey?


We often use travel as a verb:
  • He travels a lot for work and so he likes to relax when he has the chance.
  • I love travelling. I'd love to visit India next year.
  • He's going to travel round the world during his gap year.
Travel can also be used as a noun:
  • They say that travel broadens the mind but I don't necessarily agree.
  • He is going to write a book about his travels around Africa.
  • Air travel is getting more and more stressful.
But while we can talk about someone's travels (all the journeys they make), we can't talk about a travel:
  • A travel by train is relaxing.  😡 
  • Travelling by train is relaxing.  😍 
  • Train journeys are relaxing.  😍 
Souirce: Esther Tuttle on Unsplash

A journey is one single piece of travel. It is the time you have spent in the form of transport. You make journeys when you travel from one place to another:
  • How long does your journey to work take?
  • The journey from Madrid to Barcelona only takes three hours now.
  • I had a horrible journey - the bus took forever and it was full of noisy passengers. I'll take the train next time.
  • A: How was your journey/flight? B: Awful. That's the last time I fly with BA.
Journey can be used as a verb but is uncommon so I won't even give an example.

A trip usually involves more than one single journey. We make journeys  but we go on trips/holidays:
  • A: How was your trip to Rome? (not just the time spent in the plane but also your time in Rome.) B: Great. It's an amazing city. But I didn't have enough time to see everything.
  • We went on a day trip to Zaragoza. We left at 6.30 in the morning and returned before midnight the same day. I was exhausted.
  • Mr. Wright won't be in the office until Thursday. He's away on a business trip.
  • The round-trip (there and back) ticket only cost me 100 Euros - cheaper than last year!
Trip tends to be shorter than a holiday and not necessarily for fun!


The temptation is to use travel when translating viaje. As you can see from the above examples, it is usually not the correct option.

I hope that puts an end to all the confusion!

Do you like train journeys? Why/why not?

What is the longest journey you have taken?

How long is your journey to work in the morning? How do you get there?

What has been your worst journey? Why was it so bad?

Have you been on any trips recently? Where to?

Do you travel much? Do you like travelling or would you like to travel more?


Comments

Mercedes Pastor said…
Well, I answer some of the questions.
* I like train journeys because while you are travelling you can see all kind of things outside and I think that travell by train is more confortable than other means of transport.
* The longest journey I've taken was to Canarias, in 1992.

I don't know what do you want. I think tomorrow you'll say something about this.

It's easier for me to write but I think my mistakes are much than in class.
Mercedes Pastor said…
Where is my comment?. I am writting some of the answer about your questions and I can't find my comments in your blog. I think I'm stupid, am not?
Well, tomorrow I'll resolve this problem.
Have a nice day.
Carol said…
Hi Graham. I´m Carol. I´ve read it. I´ll see you tomorrow.
Carol said…
Hi Graham. I´m Carol. I don´t know if I´m doing ok sending this message because it´s the first time that I write in a blog, so...I´ve read it!
Graham said…
Hi Mercedes and Carol,

You have taken the first step - great! Don't worry that you don't see what you have written immediately. You can't see them until I publish them. I have complete control :-)

When I reply to you, I'll try to highlight your mistakes in CAPITAL LETTERS!
Graham said…
Well, I'LL answer some of the questions.

I don't know WHAT YOU WANT. (see Indirect Questions/Statements)

I think you'll say something about this TOMORROW. (expressions of time are usually at the end of a sentence)

I think that I make more mistakes than I do in class.

I am WRITING SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO your questions.... I think I'M BEING stupid, AREN'T I? (see question tags)

It's the first time that I HAVE WRITTEN in a blog.


OK See you girls tomorrow!
Anonymous said…
Graham, I read the post. You taught us the difference betwen the three words a few weeks ago.

Montse
Marta said…
I hope to travel widely in the UK. But we have to plan day trips because we can only travel on sundays. Tha journey must be short: at most two hours.
But I will plan a big trip for my holidays: first stop: Scotland.
Graham said…
You are right Montse. But me teaching something doesn't necessarily mean that you are able to use it well.

Try answering some of the questions in the post if you have time.
Graham said…
Marta: you will probably end up knowing more places in the UK than I do. :-)
Anonymous said…
I love travelling but my only train journey was many years ago when my husband and I did a trip to the URSS (it was in 1989). We had to take a train to pass from the URSS to Poland. It was a bit uncomfortable because the train was quite old. I have done the most of the trips by car, plane or even by bus.
My journey to work takes me about an hour in the morning. I usually take the underground in Rivasvaciamadrid which is located to 19 km from Madrid. Sometimes the journey is boring but I usually read a book or listen to English.
My last trip has been in the last Christmas when I went to Asturias and I stayed there for three days.
Lately I’m travelling more than I used I would like to travel much more. There are so many places to see!

Montse
Graham said…
Montse: I must have explained the differences well :-)

... when my husband and I WENT ON A TRIP to the USSR

MOST OF MY TRIPS have been by car, plane...

... which is LOCATED 19km from Madrid.

My last trip WAS LAST Christmas when I went to Asturias...

LATELY I'VE BEEN TRAVELLING more than I USED TO BUT I would like to travel EVEN more. (I'm not sure if this is what you mean)
Unknown said…
-I quite like train journeys because they are shorter than car ones. I also like them because there is usually a bar where you can have a coffe and some sweets.
-The longest journey I have taken was ten years ago when I went by plane from Madrid to Chicago. It took us around twelve hours.
-I go to work by car and the offices are in San Sebastian de los Reyes, so, not beeing to much traffic, my journey to work is around half an hour long.
-My worst journey was about five years ago when I went from Madrid to Andorra by car. It was a very long journey and we spent a lot of money in the roads.
-My last trip was this last summer. I went to Benidorm and then to Seville. It was three weeks long.
-I travel every morning from home to the office and I like driving while I listen to music. I would like to travel more abroad but not inside Spain. It is of course more expensive.
Graham said…
Hello Alejandro,

-I quite like train journeys because they are shorter than car ones. I also like them because there is usually a bar where you can have a coffee and some sweets / something sweet. (sweets are more caramelos)

-The longest journey I have taken was ten years ago when I went by plane from Madrid to Chicago. It took us around twelve hours.

-I go to work by car and the offices are in San Sebastian de los Reyes, so, when there's not too much traffic, my journey to work is around half an hour long.

-My worst journey was about five years ago when I went from Madrid to Andorra by car. It was a very long journey and we spent a lot of money on the roads.

-My last trip was this last summer. I went to Benidorm and then to Seville. It was three weeks long.

-I travel every morning from home to the office and I like driving while I listen to music. I would like to travel more abroad but not inside Spain. It is, of course, more expensive.