Travel plans in German, covering essential vocabulary for booking tickets, packing, and preparing for a trip.
Planning a trip involves many key steps, from choosing a destination to packing your bags. This guide covers essential German vocabulary to help you confidently talk about your travel plans.
Destinations
Talking about where you're going is the first step in any travel plan. Here are some common types of destinations and how to describe them in German:
| German Destination | English Destination | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| die Stadt, die Städte | city, cities | Ich reise in die Stadt Berlin. | I'm traveling to the city of Berlin. |
| das Dorf, die Dörfer | village, villages | Wir bleiben in einem kleinen Dorf. | We're staying in a small village. |
| der Strand, die Strände | beach, beaches | Am Strand kann man gut entspannen. | You can relax well at the beach. |
| die Berge (pl.) | mountains | In den Bergen ist es kühler. | It's cooler in the mountains. |
| die Insel, die Inseln | island, islands | Wir fliegen auf eine Insel. | We're flying to an island. |
Wir fliegen auf eine ___ . (We are flying to an island.)
What is the German word for 'island'?
Insel
'Insel' is the German word for 'island.'
Transportation
Once you know where you're going, you need to figure out how to get there. Here’s some essential transportation vocabulary for German travel:
| German Noun | English Noun | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Zug, die Züge | train, trains | Der Zug nach München fährt um 8 Uhr. | The train to Munich leaves at 8 a.m. |
| der Flug, die Flüge | flight, flights | Mein Flug ist verspätet. | My flight is delayed. |
| der Bus, die Busse | bus, buses | Der Bus hält am Hauptbahnhof. | The bus stops at the main station. |
| das Taxi, die Taxis | taxi, taxis | Wir nehmen ein Taxi zum Hotel. | We're taking a taxi to the hotel. |
| die Straßenbahn, -en | tram, trams | Die Straßenbahn ist sehr bequem. | The tram is very comfortable. |
Accommodation
Booking a place to stay is a crucial part of travel planning. Here are some common types of accommodation and related vocabulary in German:
| German Noun | English Noun | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| das Hotel, -s | hotel, hotels | Wir haben ein Zimmer im Hotel gebucht. | We booked a room in the hotel. |
| die Jugendherberge, -n | youth hostel, hostels | In der Jugendherberge gibt es Gemeinschaftsräume. | The youth hostel has common rooms. |
| die Ferienwohnung, -en | holiday apartment | Die Ferienwohnung ist gut ausgestattet. | The holiday apartment is well equipped. |
| das Hostel, -s | hostel, hostels | Das Hostel ist sehr günstig. | The hostel is very affordable. |
| das Zimmer | room | Ist das Zimmer schon frei? | Is the room available yet? |
Packing
Getting your luggage ready is the final step before leaving. Here’s some useful German vocabulary for packing and travel essentials:
| German Noun | English Noun | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Koffer, - | suitcase, suitcases | Ich packe meinen Koffer. | I'm packing my suitcase. |
| der Rucksack, Rucksäcke | backpack, backpacks | Ich nehme einen Rucksack mit. | I'm taking a backpack. |
| die Reisetasche, -n | travel bag, bags | Meine Reisetasche ist klein. | My travel bag is small. |
| der Pass, Pässe | passport, passports | Hast du deinen Pass dabei? | Do you have your passport with you? |
| die Bordkarte, -n | boarding pass, passes | Zeig bitte deine Bordkarte. | Please show your boarding pass. |
Travel Verbs
Talking about travel plans also means knowing the right verbs. Here are some common German verbs used when discussing travel:
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| reisen | to travel | Ich reise nächste Woche nach Italien. | I'm traveling to Italy next week. |
| buchen | to book | Wir haben die Tickets online gebucht. | We booked the tickets online. |
| packen | to pack | Ich muss noch meinen Koffer packen. | I still have to pack my suitcase. |
| abfahren | to depart | Der Zug fährt um 10 Uhr ab. | The train departs at 10 a.m. |
| ankommen | to arrive | Wir kommen spät abends an. | We're arriving late in the evening. |
By mastering this vocabulary, you'll be well-prepared to talk about every aspect of your travel plans in German. Safe travels!
(Der Zug ___) abfahren (to depart)
Choose the correct German verb for 'to depart'.
fährt ab
'fährt ab' is the correct third-person singular form including the separable prefix 'ab' from 'abfahren.'
Flashcards (1 of 25)
- English Destination: city, cities
- English Example: I'm traveling to the city of Berlin.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
