transit
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transit
The transport of people or goods through a country without them being officially imported or exported there. It usually refers to international goods or passenger traffic.
Die LKW befinden sich im Transit auf dem Weg von Spanien nach Polen.
The trucks are in transit on their way from Spain to Poland.
The word 'Transit' (transit) belongs to technical and official language. It is often found in the fields of logistics, politics, law, and international trade.
Die neuen Gesetze sollen den Transit von Waren durch die EU vereinfachen.
The new laws are intended to simplify the transit of goods through the EU.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Transit' (transit) from the context. If it is about trucks, goods, or airports, transport is meant. In texts about astronomy (sun, planets), it refers to the passage of a celestial body. In a historical context with 'DDR' (GDR) or 'West-Berlin' (West Berlin), it means traffic through the former GDR.
Der Zoll kontrolliert alle Waren im Transit.
Customs checks all goods in transit.
To express the state of being transported, the fixed expression 'im Transit sein' (to be in transit) or 'sich im Transit befinden' (to be in transit) is used. The preposition here is always 'in' with the dative.
Mein Paket befindet sich gerade im Transit zwischen Frankfurt und Hamburg.
My package is currently in transit between Frankfurt and Hamburg.
This meaning has an important historical dimension in Germany. 'Transitverkehr' (transit traffic) was the only land connection between the Federal Republic and West Berlin, which ran through the territory of the GDR and was subject to strict controls.
Meine Großeltern sind oft die Transitstrecke gefahren, um Verwandte in West-Berlin zu besuchen.
My grandparents often drove along the transit route to visit relatives in West Berlin.
transport
'der Transport' and 'der Transit' both have to do with transporting people or goods. 'Transport' is the general word: something or someone is taken from one place to another. 'Transit' is more specific. It is about people or goods passing through a country or region without that being their actual destination. Learners may confuse the words because in both cases something is on the move. If only the act of transporting is important, you say 'Transport'. If the route through an intermediate country in international traffic is important, 'Transit' fits.
Der Transit durch Österreich ist für viele Lastwagen auf dem Weg nach Italien wichtig.
Transit through Austria is important for many trucks on their way to Italy.
Der Transport der Möbel in die neue Wohnung dauert den ganzen Vormittag.
Transporting the furniture to the new apartment takes the whole morning.