transit
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transit
Traveling through a place or country without staying there for a longer period. You only make a short stop or continue on directly.
Wir sind nur auf der Durchreise und bleiben lediglich eine Nacht in diesem Hotel.
We're only in transit and are staying just one night at this hotel.
'Durchreise' (transit) is made up of the preposition 'durch' (through) and the noun 'Reise' (journey/trip). So it literally describes a journey that leads through a place.
Unsere Fahrt nach Italien unterbrachen wir für eine Nacht in der Schweiz.
We interrupted our drive to Italy for one night in Switzerland.
The noun 'die Durchreise' (transit) is closely related to the separable verb 'durchreisen' (to travel through). Both describe passing through a place without a long stay.
Wir wollen heute noch die ganze Schweiz durchreisen.
We want to travel through all of Switzerland today.
This noun is almost always used with the preposition 'auf' (on). The fixed expression is 'auf der Durchreise sein' (to be in transit / passing through).
Wir sind nur auf der Durchreise und bleiben nicht lange.
We're only in transit and won't stay long.
stay / residence
'Aufenthalt' and 'Durchreise' are clear opposites when it comes to travel. With an 'Aufenthalt' (stay), you remain in a place for a certain period of time. With a 'Durchreise' (transit), the place is only part of the route; you drive or travel on and do not stay long. The words can be confused because in both cases you may be in a place. What matters is the intention: if you stay there, it is an 'Aufenthalt'. If you are only passing through and will soon continue on, it is 'Durchreise'.
Mein Bruder ist morgen nur auf der Durchreise und bleibt nicht über Nacht.
My brother is only passing through tomorrow and is not staying overnight.
Für den Aufenthalt in Hamburg haben wir ein kleines Hotel gebucht.
We booked a small hotel for our stay in Hamburg.