Typical Dialogues - The Train Station

AUDIO TYPICALDIALOGUES

THE TRAIN STATION

Here’s a typical dialogue with lots of useful vocabulary and expressions to use when you’re in a train station. In this scene Mrs Jones is trying to buy a ticket. She’s having a few problems.

Mrs Jones: Oh hi, I’d like a ticket to Wolverhampton, please. Ticket vendor: Single or return? Mrs Jones: Oh, a single, please. Erm… wait a minute, I think I’m coming back tomorrow. Can I get a return ticket? Ticket vendor: Yes, but it’s the same price. Mrs Jones: Oh, OK then, I’ll have a single to Wolverhampton, please. I’m quite excited actually because I haven’t been on a train in Britain for 15 years. I’ve been living in France. Ticket vendor: Oh, you’ll find that things have changed a bit since then. That’ll be forty two pounds and eighty pence, please. Mrs Jones: FORTY TWO POUNDS! That’s a bit expensive, isn’t it? Ticket vendor: Standard price, madam. How are you paying? Cash or credit card? Mrs Jones: VISA, please. Here’s my card. (thirty seconds later) Ticket vendor: Here you are. Just sign here please. Mrs Jones: Erm… when’s the next train for Wolverhampton, please. Ticket vendor: The next one will be leaving at… oh, sorry, you’ve just missed it. And it looks like the next one is cancelled. Mrs Jones: Cancelled? Ticket vendor: Yes, that’s right. “Technical reasons” it says here. Mrs Jones: What does that mean? Ticket vendor: Well, it usually means there’s been an accident… Or it could mean they’ve just cancelled the train to save money. Mrs Jones: What do you mean, to save money? Ticket vendor: It’s all about making the train service more efficient - well, that’s the theory. In practice it just means there are less trains, and they’re more crowded. Mrs Jones: Well, when is the next train? Ticket vendor: The next train is at 16:47. Mrs Jones: But it’s only eleven o’clock. Ticket vendor: There’s a lovely café in the hall. Mrs Jones: Is the train direct? Ticket vendor: No, you have to change at Barking, then again at Petersborough, and then once more at Sheffield. It gets in at midnight. Mrs Jones: Midnight! I’m only going to Wolverhampton. Which platform does it go from? Ticket vendor: I’m sorry, but you’ll have to ask one of the “platform information officers”. You’ll find them in the station hall - they’ve got yellow jackets on. Mrs Jones: This is ridiculous. On second thoughts I think I’ll rent a car. Ticket vendor: Good idea madam. Here are some information leaflets on the nearest car rental firm. Personally I would recommend AVIS - they’ve got a great range of… (fades out)

G L O S S A R Y

a single n a ticket that just takes you to your destination and not back again a return n a ticket that just takes you to your destination and back to the original place erm/er exp this is the sound that people make while they are thinking what to say a pound n the money in England. One pound is about 1.4 euros pence n

one pound has 100 pennies. These pennies are also known as pence the standard price n the normal price cash or credit card? exp would you like to pay with cash (paper money) or credit card? here you are exp this is what people say when they give you something to sign vb to put your name on a formal document to miss vb if you “miss” a train, you do not catch it crowded adj with many people a platform n in a train station this is an area next to the track where you wait for the train to come on second thoughts exp people say this when they decide to do something differently to the original plan or idea to rent vb to pay money to use something for a limited period of time a car rental firm n a company or business where you can pay money to use a car for a limited period of time