public transportation
The American English term for what the British call 'public transport' — the network of buses, trains, subways, and other shared transit options available to anyone who buys a ticket.
Seen in the wild
One thing I’ll infinitely miss about living in Germany are the town squares that European towns have. Cafes every other building. Gelato shops everywhere. Walking and public transportation are basically all you need…
Today's ocposting: I don't think this is an issue because the pokemon world is largely very walkable and with various kinds of public transportation but I think Lucerne would be a very anxious driver. Just hunched ove…
Is there any major US city where you can take Public transportation to good hiking?
I read somewhere something like "a developed country is where public transportation is used by the well-to-do".
Your state has public transportation. Here, no car, no travel.
Definitions
The American English term for what the British call 'public transport' — the network of buses, trains, subways, and other shared transit options available to anyone who buys a ticket. In US usage, 'public transportation' is the standard phrase you'd see on signs, in policy discussions, and in everyday conversation when talking about getting around without a personal car. Whether you love it, hate it, or depend on it daily, it's the backbone of urban mobility for millions.
She sold her car last year and relies entirely on public transportation to get to work and back.
Comments
(US) Public transport.
“One thing I’ll infinitely miss about living in Germany are the town squares that European towns have. Cafes every other building. Gelato shops everywhere. Walking and public transportation are basically all you need. Donor shops. Endless donor shops.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Today's ocposting: I don't think this is an issue because the pokemon world is largely very walkable and with various kinds of public transportation but I think Lucerne would be a very anxious driver. Just hunched over the wheel with a death grip on it”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Is there any major US city where you can take Public transportation to good hiking?”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I read somewhere something like "a developed country is where public transportation is used by the well-to-do".”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Your state has public transportation. Here, no car, no travel.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Semantically related
- public transport73%
(UK, AU, NZ) Any form of transport that can be used by a member of public (who usually pays a fare); as opposed to private ownership of e.g. cars.
- transit72%
(Canadian, American) Any form of transport that can be used by a member of public (who usually pays a fare), as opposed to private ownership of e.g. cars; short form of public transit or mass transit.
- transit70%
The conveyance of people or goods from one place to another, especially on a public transportation system; the vehicles used for such conveyance.
- protransit68%
American urban policy slang for someone who strongly supports expanding and funding public transportation systems — buses, light rail, subway networks, and the infrastructure that connects them. Protransit advocates argue for reduced car dependency, better city planning, and investment in mass transit as a climate and equity issue. The term appears frequently in urbanism communities, city council debates, and Reddit threads about why your city's public transit is bad.
- protransit66%
(US) In favour of public transport.