 Confusing words in English. Difference between travel, trip, and journey from espressoenglish.net. The word trip as a noun means the act of going to another place often for a short time and returning. For example, we took a five-day trip to Italy. I'm going on a business trip soon. Use the verbs take and go on with the word trip. Also, a round-trip ticket is when you go and return and a one-way ticket is when you only go. The word travel is usually a verb. It means going to another place in general. For example, I really like to travel. He travels frequently for work. My sister is currently traveling through South America. One common error students make is saying how was your travel? This is not correct. The correct sentence is how was your trip? Another example is I'm planning a travel to the US. The correct sentence would be I'm planning to travel to the US or I'm planning a trip to the US. The word journey means one part of the travel process often a long distance. For example, the journey takes 12 hours by car. He made the 200 mile journey by bike. The word journey can also be used in a metaphorical way to talk about progress in life. For example, my uncle is an alcoholic, but he's beginning the journey of recovery. She has overcome many problems on her spiritual journey. Thanks for watching English Tips from espressoenglish.net. If you liked this video, please share it.