Travel English Made Simple – Listen and Learn Podcast (A1-A2)
Improve your travel English with real conversations. Learn how to ask for directions, order food, and buy tickets. Ideal for A1–A2 students.
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Learn Travel English (A1-A2 Podcast)
Do you want to feel confident when you travel?
Do you get nervous at the airport or in a hotel?
Don’t worry – you are not alone.
In our latest podcast episode, we talk about travel English for beginners.
Anna and Mike share real stories, common mistakes, and simple tips that really work.
This is not a boring grammar lesson. It’s a friendly chat between two people who love to travel – and they know how hard it can be when you don’t speak the language well.
What will you learn?
✅ Airport phrases – like “Where is the check‑in?” and “Is the flight on time?”
✅ Hotel check‑in conversation – how to say “I have a reservation” correctly
✅ Asking for directions in English – no more getting lost!
✅ Ordering food and drinks – order coffee or a sandwich without stress
✅ Buying bus or train tickets – simple words like “A return ticket, please”
✅ Common travel questions – “What time does the train leave?” and more
Mike tells a funny story about saying “sand witch” instead of “sandwich” – and we break down the mistakes so you don’t make them.
We also play a word game to make learning fun and automatic.
Why this podcast is perfect for you
- The English is simple and clear (A1–A2 level)
- You hear real conversations – not robotic textbook English
- You get practical tips you can use right now
- You learn from mistakes – so you can avoid them
- It’s short and entertaining – only about 15 minutes
Even if you have never spoken English before, this episode will give you the confidence to try.
Remember: you don’t need perfect grammar – you just need to start speaking.
Travel English Vocabulary (A1–A2 Level)
Airport /ˈeə.pɔːt/ — noun → a place where planes take off and land.Check-in /ˈtʃek.ɪn/ — noun → the place where you show your ticket and get your boarding pass.
Reservation /ˌrez.əˈveɪ.ʃən/ — noun → a booking for a hotel room or a table.
Gate /ɡeɪt/ — noun → the door where you go to get on the plane.
Flight /flaɪt/ — noun → a journey on an aeroplane.
Ticket /ˈtɪk.ɪt/ — noun → a piece of paper or card that shows you have paid for a journey.
Directions /daɪˈrek.ʃənz/ — noun plural → instructions on how to get to a place.
Museum /mjuːˈziː.əm/ — noun → a building where you can see historical or artistic objects.
Map /mæp/ — noun → a drawing of a place that shows roads and buildings.
Phrase /freɪz/ — noun → a group of words that have a special meaning.
Useful English Phrases
Where is the check‑in? → use this to ask for the check‑in desk at the airport.I have a reservation. → say this at the hotel reception to tell them you booked a room.
How can I go to the museum? → ask for the way to a place (but remember the correct word order is “How can I go…”).
Can I have a coffee, please? → order a drink politely.
A return ticket, please. → ask for a ticket that takes you somewhere and back.
Excuse me, where is the museum? → a polite way to ask for directions.
Is the flight on time? → ask if the plane will leave at the scheduled time.
Where is the gate? → ask for the gate number at the airport.
Sorry, can you repeat that, please? → use this when you don’t understand something.
What time does the train leave? → ask for the departure time of a train.
English Quiz – Test Your Vocabulary
Practice English Writing – Discussion Questions
1. Think about your last trip or a trip you want to take. What travel English phrases would you need most? Why?2. Mike said “make mistakes” is important. Do you agree? Why or why not?
👉 Try to answer these questions in the comments below the page! This is very important for practicing and remembering what you learned.
Podcast Transcript – Travel English
Anna: Good to see you again. I’m Anna.
Mike: And I’m Mike. This is the Easy English Podcast Show.
Anna: Alright, we’ve got a good topic. Travel English for beginners. If you’re planning, like, a trip… this one’s for you.
Mike: Um, yeah. We’ll cover airport phrases, hotel stuff, asking for directions… all that simple English.
Anna: Right. Yeah, I remember my first trip with terrible English… oh, it was a disaster.
Mike: Tell me about it. But we‘ll try to fix it.
Funny Travel English Mistakes
Anna: By the way, Mike, you once told me you had a… uh… funny moment with travel English. What happened?
Mike: Oh, yeah. So I was in London, trying to order food. It was raining outside – my shoes were wet, I was miserable. And I wanted a sandwich. But I was nervous, and I said… um… “Can I have a sand… witch?” The waiter just stared at me.
Anna: A sand witch? Like a witch from the beach?
Mike: Exactly! So now I always remember: it’s sand-wich, not sand witch. Simple English, you know?
Anna: Totally. Ordering food and drinks can be scary, but that’s a good one to laugh about.
How I Learned Travel English Alone
Anna: So, Mike, you keep saying you learned travel English all on your own. How’d you actually do it?
Mike: Well… um… honestly, I just used the internet. No teacher, no textbook, I never lived in an English-speaking country. I had… uh… some motivation, you know? I really wanted to travel. So I, like, searched “Travel English for beginners” and found this podcast — no, not ours, another one. It was simple English, super easy. So I started with airport phrases for tourists. I remember I practiced “Where is the check-in?” but I kept saying… uh… “Where is check-in?” without “the”.
Anna: Right, that’s a common one. You need the article. So it’s “Where is the check-in?” Try saying this…
Mike: Where is the check-in?
Anna: Good. That’s better.
Mike: Then I moved to hotel check-in conversation. I’d stand in my kitchen — no, wait, my living room — pretending to check in. I said “I have reservation for Mike.” And I thought it was fine.
Anna: Almost. You missed the article again. It should be “I have a reservation for Mike.” Come on, say it with me.
Mike: I have a reservation for Mike.
Anna: Nice. See, even a tiny word changes everything.
Mike: Yeah. Uh… then asking for directions in English. I wanted to find the museum, so I said “How I can go to the museum?” The person… she looked at me like I had two heads.
Anna: Ah, word order. In questions, the verb comes before the subject. It’s “How can I go to the museum?” You try now.
Mike: How can I go to the museum?
Anna: Nailed it.
Mike: So after those mistakes, I kept going. Sightseeing vocabulary — like “ticket”, “guide”, “map”. Ordering food and drinks — I can now order coffee without breaking into a sweat. Buying bus or train tickets — I just say “A return ticket, please.” And common travel questions like “What time does the train leave?” It’s all on my phone. I just needed internet and… the desire to not look stupid abroad.
Anna: That’s really cool. No teacher, just… practice. It’s all about doing it.
Mike: Exactly. So if I can do it, anyone can. Simple English, a bit of patience, and you’re ready.
Five Quick Travel Tips
Anna: Okay, so Mike, you gave us a great story about learning on your own. But… uh… for our listeners, what would you say are some quick, simple travel English tips they can use right now?
Mike: Mmm, let me see. Alright, first tip – learn three airport phrases for tourists before you fly. Like, “Where is the check-in?”, “Is the flight on time?”, and “Where is the gate?” That’s it. Just three. You don’t need twenty.
Anna: Good. And practice them out loud. Say it with your mouth, not just in your head. I know it feels weird, but it helps.
Mike: Totally. Uh, second tip – for hotel check-in conversation, keep it super simple. You walk up, you smile, you say “I have a reservation.” If they say something fast, just say… “Sorry, can you repeat that, please?” That’s your magic phrase. Don’t freeze.
Anna: Love it. And, uh, what about asking for directions in English? People often panic there.
Mike: Yeah, don’t. My tip – learn “Excuse me, where is…?” and then add your place. “Excuse me, where is the museum?” That’s it. Also, learn left, right, straight, and… uh… “next to”. “It’s next to the bank.” Four words, huge help.
Anna: Right. And for ordering food and drinks, I always tell people – learn “Can I have…?” Don’t try “I would like to purchase a beverage.” Just “Can I have a coffee, please?” Everyone gets it.
Mike: Exactly. Another one – for buying bus or train tickets, the phrase “A return ticket to…” or “A single ticket to…” is enough. Don’t make it a conversation. Just the ticket name and the place. Works every time.
Anna: And one final tip from me – listen, you don’t need perfect grammar for travel. If you say “Where toilet?” people will point. It’s not correct, but you’ll survive. I mean, we’re teaching simple English, but don’t let fear stop you from trying.
Mike: Yeah, honestly? Just try. Even if you mess up, you’ll probably never see those people again. So… go for it.
Anna: That’s the spirit.
Fixing Common Travel Errors
Mike: So, uh, speaking of messing up… I made some real mistakes earlier, didn’t I?
Anna: You did. But that’s the point, right? Let’s quickly look at what happened. First, the sand… witch. Lots of people do that. But it’s a good reminder – take your time with new words. Now, the other mistakes were all about little missing words. You said “I have reservation for Mike.”
Mike: Right. I forgot “a”. “I have a reservation.” It’s so small, but without it, you sound… off.
Anna: Yeah. And then “Where is check-in?” Same thing – missing “the”. “Where is the check-in?” Those articles matter.
Mike: And the big one… word order. “How I can go” instead of “How can I go.” That one still gets me sometimes.
Anna: You’re not alone. Now, there are two more super common mistakes travellers make. The first one – people often say “arrive to the hotel.” That’s wrong. It’s “arrive at the hotel.” We arrive at a place, not to.
Mike: Uh-huh. And the second one? I hear people say “I want buy a ticket.” They skip “to”. It should be “I want to buy a ticket.” That little “to” changes everything.
Anna: Exactly. So to sum up – watch your articles, check your word order in questions, remember “arrive at”, and don’t skip “to” after “want”. These are simple English fixes, but they make you sound way more natural.
Mike: And if you mess up… well, you heard my story. You’ll laugh about it later.
Anna: Absolutely. Okay, enough about mistakes – let’s lighten the mood. Ready for a quick game?
Travel Word Game Challenge
Anna: Okay, so I was thinking… let’s play a quick word game. I say a travel word, and you, Mike – and you, listener – say the first English word that comes to your mind. No pressure. Ready?
Mike: Okay, hit me.
Anna: Airport.
Mike: Uh… plane. Or… check-in. Yeah, check-in.
Anna: Nice. Listener, what did you think? Okay, next one. Hotel.
Mike: Reservation. Definitely reservation. That hotel check-in conversation is all about that word.
Anna: Good one. Now… sightseeing.
Mike: Camera! Or… map. Sightseeing vocabulary always has map, right?
Anna: Totally. Alright, let’s switch it up. I’ll start a phrase, you finish it. These are all common travel questions. Ready? “Can I have a…?”
Mike: Coffee, please! Easy.
Anna: “Where is the…?”
Mike: Train station. Or museum. Depends on my mood.
Anna: “How much is a…?”
Mike: Ticket to the city centre. That’s buying bus or train tickets, done.
Anna: Perfect. You see? This is a simple English game you can play anywhere. When you’re waiting at the gate, just look around and name things. Ask yourself questions. It makes asking for directions in English or ordering food and drinks feel more automatic.
Mike: Yeah, and it’s actually fun. I still do this in my head sometimes.
Anna: Same here.
Three Things to Remember
Anna: So, um… we covered a lot today. If you’re just joining us, we talked about learning travel English without a teacher, without a textbook, just using what’s around you. Mike shared his story, we fixed some mistakes, we played a game. But what should you actually remember? Mike, you go first.
Mike: Okay, so… first thing – you really don’t need a classroom. I mean, I learned airport phrases for tourists, hotel check-in conversation, all that stuff, just with my phone and some curiosity. The internet is full of free simple English resources. You just need to want to learn. That’s it.
Anna: Yeah, motivation beats expensive courses. Second takeaway – keep it short. Don’t try to learn fifty phrases. Learn five. “Where is the…?”, “Can I have…?”, “A return ticket, please.” These few will help you more than ten pages of a textbook. If you learn the basics of ordering food and drink, buying bus or train tickets, and asking for directions in English, you’ll be able to get by in most situations.
Mike: Totally. And third… uh… this one’s important. Make mistakes. Seriously. I said “sand witch” in public and I survived. The goal isn’t perfect English, it’s confidence. If you speak, even with errors, people will help you. If you stay silent, nothing happens.
Anna: Exactly. So three things: Use free tools and your own motivation, focus on a few key travel phrases and don’t be scared to sound silly. That’s how you learn. You now have what you need.
Goodbye and Next Steps
Mike: Alright, I think that’s our episode. Thanks for listening, really. Means a lot.
Anna: Yeah, appreciate you giving us your time. Oh, and hey – if you liked this, maybe click subscribe? No pressure. And if you know someone who’s travelling soon, send them this episode.
Mike: Next time, we might talk about something else useful. Food, maybe. I’m always thinking about food.
Anna: Typical. Anyway, take care, okay?
Mike: Have a good one. Bye for now.
Anna: See ya.
Mike: Oh, wait… one more thing. If you’re at the airport and forget the word “gate”, just… uh… follow someone with a suitcase. Works every time.
Anna: That’s terrible advice!
Mike: Maybe. But it’s free.
Anna: Unbelievable. Okay, now it’s really bye.