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I just noticed, in Prague Metro train, that on the info display it says:

Florenc - change to line C

In Prague, we just have three subway lines - A, B and C. But I always thought the correct word for switching transport vehicle is transfer, not change. But I'd also be surprised to find an error in public transport info sign.

Is change also valid word in this context? If so, are there cases where one is more valid than another?

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  • I don't see anything wrong with it. British transport networks also use the term.
    – Mick
    Nov 15, 2016 at 13:27
  • Both change and transfer are used in the U.S. Here, transfer generally used to be used for the slip of paper that bus drivers gave you that let you ride on a second bus without paying a second fare. So it's possible that they have different meanings in public transit jargon.
    – Peter Shor
    Nov 15, 2016 at 13:28
  • I've seen it the first time, so I asked a question. Judging from your comments it's curious that I didn't come accross it earlier.
    – Tomáš Zato - Reinstate Monica
    Nov 15, 2016 at 13:44

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In the context of public transportation, transfer usually refers to conveyance to a departure point or between two other services. For example airport transfer services convey you to the airport, and a transfer ticket in London allows you to use the metro services to travel between railway stations in order to continue a rail journey. The act of simply switching between two different services in the same station is usually just called a change. Clearly this is not a hard and fast rule but I would say that Prague Metro have used the most appropriate term.

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