The BUS 35 or Bus 35?

[englishhobby]

Is it correct to use the definite article in the following sentence?

We thought that it would be good to take the bus 23. (or (no article) Bus 23?)

 

[FreeToyInside]

This might vary among people. The most natural to me is:

'... to take the 23 bus.'

Or if it's clear that I'm talking about the bus, I would simply say:

'... to take line 23.'
'... to take the 23.'
'... to take the number 23.'


(not a teacher, just a language lover)

 

[englishhobby]

Thank you, FreeToyinside.)

 

[CarloSsS]

would it be all right to use "the" before "line 23"? '... to take THE line 23.'

 

[englishhobby]

I think not - it's like Room 23 (in a hotel), Unit 5 (in a coursebook), Box 4 (in a theatre).

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we tend to refer to bus routes by the number of the front of the bus and use either "a" or "the" depending on context:

I'm going to get a 26 as far as the town centre then catch a 49 the rest of the way.
I came home on the 50.
My friend travels to work on the [number] 76 bus.

For the tube (London Underground), we almost always use the definite article:

Take the Picadilly line then change onto the Victoria line.
I'm going to go three stops on the Jubilee line before changing onto the Circle line.

 

[englishhobby]

And how would you tell a foreigner that he/she should take a bus (not a tram, for example) with the number 23 (in one short sentence)?
As you wrote, I can say "Take

the [number] 76 bus". And can I say "Take Bus 23?"​

 

[bhaisahab]

And how would you tell a foreigner that he/she should take a bus (not a tram, for example) with the number 23 (in one short sentence)?
As you wrote, I can say "Take

the [number] 76 bus". And can I say "Take Bus 23?"​

I'd probably say something like "You could go by bus, the number 76 runs every half hour".

 

[englishhobby]

Thanks.)

 

[emsr2d2]

"Take bus 23" sounds very unnatural.

Take/Catch a bus, the number 23 goes your way".

 

[konungursvia]

We don't need a definite article when the nomenclature is already definitive.