A to Z List of Transport in English | Every Vehicle You Need to Know

Learn the names of vehicles with this A-to-Z list of transport in English. There are many different modes of transport—some travel on land, some in the air, and some on water. Learning these names can be incredibly useful, especially when traveling or discussing how to get from place to place.

Below, you’ll find an extensive list of transport in English, complete with definitions. Whether you’re teaching or learning this vocabulary, we’ve got you covered!

A to Z List of Transport

Transport That Starts with A

• Ambulance – A vehicle used for medical emergencies.
• Airplane – A powered aircraft used for long-distance travel.
• Aircraft Carrier – A large warship designed to carry and launch aircraft.
• Airship – A large, lighter-than-air craft, like a blimp or zeppelin.
• All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) – A small off-road vehicle with four wheels.
• Amphibious Vehicle – A vehicle that can travel on both land and water.
• Automobile – Another term for a car.
• Airboat – A flat-bottomed boat powered by a large fan, used in shallow waters.
• Airport Shuttle – A bus or van that transports passengers to and from airports.
• Articulated Bus – A long bus with a flexible joint in the middle, often used in busy cities.
• Airliner – A large commercial passenger aircraft.
• Air Taxi – A small aircraft used for short-distance private flights.
• Air Ambulance – A helicopter or plane equipped for medical emergencies.

Transport That Starts with B

• Barge – A flat-bottomed boat used for transporting goods on rivers and canals.
• Bicycle – A two-wheeled human-powered vehicle.
• Bike – Another word for a bicycle or motorcycle.
• Biplane – An aircraft with two sets of wings stacked above each other.
• Bus – A large motor vehicle that carries passengers, often in cities or on long-distance routes.
• Bullet Train – A high-speed train commonly used in Japan and other countries.
• Box Truck – A truck with a large, enclosed cargo area, often used for deliveries.
• Blimp – A small airship that stays afloat using lighter-than-air gas.
• Buggy – A small vehicle, often used for off-road driving (e.g., dune buggy, horse-drawn buggy).
• Bobsled – A long, narrow sled used for racing on ice tracks.
• Beach Buggy – A lightweight off-road vehicle designed for driving on sand.

Transport That Starts with C

• Car – A four-wheeled motor vehicle used for personal transport.
• Cargo Ship – A large ship used for transporting goods across seas.
• Convertible – A car with a roof that can be folded or removed.
• Coach – A long-distance bus designed for comfortable travel.
• Cruise Ship – A large passenger ship designed for leisure travel.
• Container Ship – A cargo ship that carries goods in shipping containers.
• Cable Car – A transport system where cabins or gondolas are pulled by a cable, often found in mountainous areas or cities.
• Caravan – A vehicle towed behind a car, used for camping or travel.
• Canoe – A narrow, lightweight boat powered by paddling.
• Cart – A simple wheeled vehicle, often pulled by a horse or manually.
• Chopper – Slang for a helicopter or a type of custom motorcycle.
• Cab (Taxi Cab) – Another word for a taxi, used for passenger transport.
• Cargo Plane – A plane designed to transport goods rather than passengers.

Transport That Starts with D

• Dump Truck – A large truck used for transporting loose materials like sand or gravel.
• Drone – An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for delivery, surveillance, or photography.
• Dirt Bike – A lightweight motorcycle designed for off-road riding.
• Double-Decker Bus – A bus with two levels, commonly used in cities like London.
• Dune Buggy – A lightweight vehicle designed for driving on sand dunes and rough terrain.
• Dredge – A boat equipped to remove sediment from riverbeds and harbors.
• Dragster – A high-speed racing car built for drag racing.

Transport That Starts with E

• Electric Car – A car powered by electricity instead of gasoline or diesel.
• Electric Bike (E-Bike) – A bicycle with an electric motor to assist with pedaling.
• Electric Scooter (E-Scooter) – A small two-wheeled vehicle powered by electricity.
• Emergency Vehicle – Any vehicle used for emergency response, such as ambulances or fire trucks.
• Estate Car (Station Wagon) – A car with an extended rear cargo area, common in some countries.
• Earthmover – A large industrial vehicle used in construction and mining to move large amounts of soil or debris.
• Elevator – A vertical transport system used to move people or goods between floors in a building.
• Eighteen-Wheeler – A large truck with 18 wheels, commonly used for long-haul freight transport.

Transport That Starts with F

• Ferry – A boat or ship that transports people and vehicles across bodies of water.
• Fire Truck (or Fire Engine) – A specialized vehicle used by firefighters to transport equipment and respond to emergencies.
• Forklift – A small industrial vehicle used for lifting and moving heavy loads in warehouses.
• Freight Train – A train used to transport goods rather than passengers.
• Fuel Truck – A tanker truck designed to transport fuel such as gasoline or diesel.
• Flatbed Truck – A truck with an open trailer used for carrying large or oversized loads.
• Fishing Boat – A boat designed for catching fish, ranging from small rowboats to large commercial trawlers.
• Formula 1 Car – A high-speed race car used in Formula 1 competitions.
• Freight Ship – A large cargo ship designed to carry goods across oceans.
• Frigate – A medium-sized warship used for naval defense.
• Funicular Railway – A railway system that uses cables to transport passengers up and down steep slopes.
• Four-by-Four (4×4) – A vehicle with a four-wheel-drive system, designed to provide better traction on rough, uneven, or off-road terrain.

Transport That Starts with G

• Garbage Truck – A truck designed for collecting and transporting waste.
• Golf Cart – A small electric or gas-powered vehicle used on golf courses and in some gated communities.
• Gondola (Boat) – A narrow, flat-bottomed boat used in Venice, Italy, steered with a single oar.
• Gondola (Lift) – An enclosed cable car used in mountainous areas for transport and tourism.
• Glider – A lightweight aircraft that flies without an engine, relying on air currents.
• Go-Kart – A small open-wheel vehicle used for racing or recreational driving.
• Gunboat – A small, fast warship equipped with cannons or guns.
• Gyroplane (Gyrocopter) – A small rotary-wing aircraft that uses a free-spinning rotor for lift.
• Ground Support Vehicle – Any vehicle used at airports for servicing airplanes.

Transport That Starts with H

• Helicopter – A type of aircraft with rotating blades that allow it to take off and land vertically.
• Hovercraft – A vehicle that moves over land or water on a cushion of air.
• Hot Air Balloon – A balloon filled with heated air that allows it to float and be steered by the wind.
• High-Speed Train – A train designed for rapid long-distance travel.
• Horse-Drawn Carriage – A vehicle pulled by horses, often used for historical or tourist attractions.
• Handcar – A small railway vehicle powered by manual pumping, used for track maintenance.
• Harvester (Combine Harvester) – A large agricultural machine used for harvesting crops.
• Hearse – A vehicle used for transporting coffins during funerals.
• Hydroplane – A high-speed boat designed to skim the surface of the water.
• Handcart – A small cart pushed or pulled by hand, often used for moving goods.

Transport That Starts with I

• Icebreaker Ship – A specialized ship designed to navigate and break through ice-covered waters.
• Ice Skate – A form of personal transport on ice using boots with attached blades.
• Ice Sledge – A sled designed for travel over ice, often pulled by animals or humans.
• Ice Yacht – A boat with runners designed for sailing on ice.

Transport That Starts with J

• Jet – A fast aircraft powered by jet engines, commonly used for commercial and military flights.
• Jet Ski – A small personal watercraft used for recreational riding on water.
• Jumbo Jet – A large commercial airplane capable of carrying many passengers.
• Jeep – A rugged off-road vehicle originally designed for military use, now popular for civilian driving.
• Jump Jet – A jet aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
• Jeepney – A brightly colored, modified jeep used as a form of public transportation in the Philippines.

Transport That Starts with K

• Kayak – A small, narrow boat powered by paddling, often used for recreation or sport.
• Ketch – A two-masted sailing boat commonly used for long-distance travel.
• Kiteboard – A board used in kiteboarding, where a rider is pulled across the water by a large kite.

Transport That Starts with L

• Limousine – A long luxury car, often used for special events and VIP transport.
• Locomotive – The engine of a train that pulls railway cars along tracks.
• Lorry – A British term for a large truck used to transport goods.
• Lift (British for Elevator) – A vertical transport system used in buildings.
• Lifeboat – A small emergency boat used for rescue missions, often carried on larger ships.

Transport That Starts with M

• Motorcycle – A two-wheeled motorized vehicle used for personal transport.
• Metro – An underground or urban railway system used for public transportation.
• Minivan – A medium-sized van designed for transporting families or small groups.
• Monorail – A train that runs on a single track, often used in urban or amusement park transport.
• Mountain Bike – A bicycle designed for off-road cycling on rough terrain.
• Moped – A lightweight, low-powered motorcycle with a small engine.
• Motorboat – A small boat powered by an engine.
• Microlight – A small, lightweight aircraft used for sport and recreational flying.
• Maglev Train – A high-speed train that uses magnetic levitation instead of wheels.
• Motorhome (RV) – A self-contained recreational vehicle designed for travel and living.
• Milk Float – A small electric vehicle used for delivering milk in some countries.

Transport That Starts with N

• Narrowboat – A long, narrow canal boat used in the UK for leisure and transport.

Transport That Starts with O

• Oil Tanker – A large vessel designed to transport crude oil.
• Ocean Liner – A large passenger ship designed for long-distance sea travel.

Transport That Starts with P

• Police Car – A law enforcement vehicle used for patrol and emergency response.
• Pedicab – A three-wheeled bicycle taxi used in some cities.
• Pickup Truck – A vehicle with an open cargo area used for carrying goods.
• Pontoon Boat – A flat-deck boat supported by pontoons, often used for leisure.
• Paddle Steamer – A steamboat that moves using large paddle wheels.
• Penny-Farthing – A historic bicycle with a large front wheel and a small rear wheel.
• Patrol Boat – A small naval or coast guard vessel used for security and law enforcement on the water.

Transport That Starts with Q

• Quad Bike (All-Terrain Vehicle – ATV) – A four-wheeled vehicle designed for off-road use.

Transport That Starts with R

• Race Car – A high-speed car designed for racing competitions.
• Railcar – A self-propelled railway vehicle used for passenger or freight transport.
• Rickshaw – A three-wheeled vehicle, either manually pulled or motorized, used for transporting passengers.
• Roadster – A two-seater sports car with an open top.
• Recreational Vehicle (RV) – A motorized vehicle equipped for living, commonly used for travel.
• Rocket – A space vehicle designed for high-speed travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
• Rowboat – A small boat powered by rowing with oars.
• Rib Boat (Rigid Inflatable Boat) – A lightweight, high-speed boat with inflatable sides and a rigid hull.
• Refrigerated Truck – A truck with a cooling system used for transporting perishable goods.

Transport That Starts with S

• Subway – An underground train system used for urban public transportation.
• School Bus – A bus specifically designed to transport students to and from school.
• Scooter – A two-wheeled vehicle, either motorized or foot-powered.
• Sports Car – A high-performance car designed for speed and agility.
• Sailboat – A boat powered by sails and wind.
• Snowmobile – A motorized vehicle designed for traveling on snow and ice.
• Speedboat – A small, fast motorboat designed for recreation or racing.
• Steam Train – A train powered by a steam engine, historically used before diesel and electric trains.
• Seaplane – An aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water.
• Sidecar Motorcycle – A motorcycle with an attached passenger compartment on one side.
• Space Shuttle – A spacecraft used for human spaceflight missions.
• Superyacht – A large luxury yacht designed for private travel and leisure.
• Skateboard – A flat board with wheels, used for transportation and sport.
• Station Wagon – A car with an extended cargo area, also called an estate car.
• Semi-Truck (18-Wheeler) – A large truck used for transporting cargo long distances.
• Streetcar (Tram) – A rail vehicle that runs on tracks along city streets.
• Steamship – A large ship powered by steam engines.
• SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) – A larger car designed for both city and off-road driving.
• Submarine – An underwater vessel used for military, exploration, or research purposes.

Transport That Starts with T

• Taxi – A car used for transporting passengers for a fare.
• Train – A series of connected vehicles that run on tracks to transport passengers or cargo.
• Tram – A rail vehicle that runs on city streets, also known as a streetcar.
• Truck – A large motor vehicle used for transporting goods.
• Tank (Military Vehicle) – A heavily armored combat vehicle used in warfare.
• Tow Truck – A truck designed for towing broken-down or illegally parked vehicles.
• Tractor – A powerful vehicle used in farming for plowing and towing machinery.
• Tugboat – A small but powerful boat used to guide large ships in harbors.
• Tour Bus – A bus used for sightseeing or long-distance travel.
• Three-Wheeler – A small vehicle with three wheels, often used in developing countries for transport.

Transport That Starts with U

• Unicycle – A one-wheeled vehicle ridden by balancing and pedaling.
• UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) – A drone or aircraft that operates without a pilot onboard.

Transport That Starts with V

• Van – A medium-sized motor vehicle used for transporting goods or passengers.
• Vehicle – A general term for any means of transport, including cars, trucks, and bicycles.
• Vespa – A famous brand of scooters, commonly used in cities.

Transport That Starts with W

• Wheelchair – A mobility aid with wheels used by individuals with disabilities.
• Wagon – A four-wheeled vehicle used for transporting goods or passengers, historically pulled by horses.
• Warship – A military vessel designed for naval warfare.
• Water Taxi – A small boat used to transport passengers across bodies of water, like a taxi on land.
• Winnebago (Motorhome) – A brand of recreational vehicle (RV) used for camping and travel.

Transport That Starts with X

• X-plane – An experimental aircraft designed to test new aviation technologies.
• X-ray Inspection Vehicle – A specialized vehicle used at security checkpoints to scan cargo and luggage.

Transport That Starts with Y

• Yacht – A luxury boat used for leisure and long-distance travel.
• Yellow Cab – A common name for traditional taxi services, especially in New York City.

Transport That Starts with Z

• Zeppelin – A large airship used for passenger travel and observation in the early 20th century.
• Zamboni – A machine used to resurface ice rinks, technically a vehicle.

Transportation Teaching Resources

If you are teaching transportation vocabulary in English, check out these related resources that you can use in your lessons:

Transportation Worksheets
Transportation Lesson Plan
Transportation Vocabulary Game
Transportation PowerPoint
Transportation PPT Game