The difference between 'transfer' and 'transit' in the context of airports and train stations

Question

There appears to be a fine shade of meaning between the words 'transfer' and 'transit' in the domain of airports and train stations, possibly sea ports as well.

Consider this typical usage fragment...

I'm flying from Colombia to Munich with transfer in Atlanta. The transit time is 3h and 58m. The flight is on Sunday and Atlanta, indeed, is the airport with the heaviest passenger transit in the world...

Also, sometimes you also see text referring to 'transfer fees', but never 'transit fees'. But alternatively, countries issue 'transit visas', but never 'transfer visas'.

Question: what are the differences between 'transit' and 'transfer' in the overall domain of travel.

Note: The question here is prompted by an effort in Travel to introduce precision into these words as site tags. In addition to authoritative English usage answers, pedantic and/or didactic answers that clarify these terms are also welcomed.

Answer 1

According to several sources found by googling "transit vs transfer";

• Transit means people on the same flight/plane/airline. For example when a plane lands to refuel.

• Transfer means people switching flight/plane airline.

A transit would be cheaper because you, the passenger, don't really need to do anything at the airport like checking out and in.

Extrapolating logically, I would explain them as halfway switch and endpoint switch, respectively. Transit visa and transit flight are two entirely different things. A flight means the flight is still 'in progress', but momentarilly paused. This means you're not actually "in the country", but on the flight. If you transfer between flights, one flight ended and another one starts... but your JOURNEY has not ended, it is just paused, i.e. in transit. But because you're not on either flight at the moment, you're in the country, and thus you need a visa.

Not needing a visa also ties in to absence of a (flight) transit fee, I suppose.

Answer 2

In the context of travel ...

A "transfer" is essentially moving from one item to another item. So it would apply equally to going from a hotel to an airport, as well as going from one airplane to another airplane.

The term "transit" applies more to staying temporarily before continuing on to your next destination. You would "transit" an airport if you fly from A, stop for a while, then continue another flight to B. You "transit" a subway station when you stop to change from train C to train D.

Answer 3

my answer as follows

connecting and transiting in my prospective are the same, nowadays with the new types of airplanes no need to land for refueling as long as airplanes fly non stop for 14 hrs

example a pax traveling AMMAN AF PARIS AF NEW YORK WITH A CONNECTION OF ONE HOUR IN PARIS HENCE THE PAX IS TRANSITING/CONNECTING ONLINE IN PARIS STAYING AT THE TRANSIT HALL FURTHER , UPON CHECK IN THE LUGGAGE ARE CHECKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO FINAL DESTINATION

I THINK TRANSITING TERM WAS APPLIED IN THE PAST PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF MODERN AIRPLANES

IATA, MUST and IMPERATIVE TO REDEFINE THE TERM CLEARLY

EVENTUALLY = SAME DAY = TRANSIT , TRANSFER , CONNECTING ARE SAME 100%