Is it ride in or on a train?

Ride In or On: Boarding Vehicles

When boarding a mode of transportation, it is common practice to use the prepositions “in” or “on” to indicate the location of the passengers. The usage of these prepositions depends on the type of vehicle and its construction.

On a Vehicle

For vehicles that have an open or exposed interior, where passengers are not enclosed within the vehicle itself, the preposition “on” is generally used. This includes vehicles such as trains, buses, planes, and boats.

Think of it this way: if passengers can stand upright without being enclosed by a roof or walls, they are considered to be “on top of” the conveyance, rather than inside it. For example, when boarding a train, passengers step “on” the train, as they are not entering a fully enclosed compartment.

In a Vehicle

In contrast, vehicles that have an enclosed or covered interior, where passengers are contained within a specific space, typically require the use of the preposition “in.” Examples of such vehicles include cars, taxis, and airplanes.

In these cases, passengers enter the vehicle’s cabin or interior, where they are surrounded by the vehicle’s structure. They are not exposed to the outside environment and are considered to be “inside” the vehicle. For instance, passengers board a car by getting “in” the car, as they are entering the vehicle’s enclosed space.

Exceptions

There are exceptions to these general rules in certain instances. For example, when referring to the specific location of a passenger on a train, the preposition “in” may be used to indicate a particular compartment or seating area. Additionally, when passengers are boarding a plane, they may use the preposition “on” to indicate that they are boarding the aircraft itself, rather than entering the cabin.

Conclusion

The choice between “on” and “in” when boarding a vehicle depends on whether the interior is open or enclosed. If passengers are exposed to the outside environment and can stand upright, they are generally considered to be “on” the vehicle. Conversely, if passengers are within an enclosed space, they are considered to be “in” the vehicle.