Train terminates / is terminating

[Dominik92]

Hello all.

One sentence surprised me this week.

The train terminates at Skalka.

The thing which surprised me here is that the train normally terminates at Depo Hostivar but due to reconstruction of the station - destination had to be changed. As it is something temporary(for one/two weeks) I would expect using present continuous tense - The train is terminating at Skalka.

I am asking you as it has sometimes happened here in the Czech Republic that I saw something strange written in means of transport and later realized it wasn't good English.


What's your opinion on this please? Thank you very much

 

[Dominik92]

The present simple is the shortest and simplest way of making this transport announcement - in England or on Metro line A in Prague.

I see you have already been to Prague.

Is it the same use of present simple which is used in newspapers ( Murray wins Wimbledon, Federer loses the final...etc. ) or is it more likely present simple for schedules (The train leaves the platform at six, Bus to school goes at nine) ?

 

[Tdol]

I would expect using present continuous tense - The train is terminating at Skalka.

I am asking you as it has sometimes happened here in the Czech Republic that I saw something strange written in means of transport and later realized it wasn't good English.

You could use the present continuous, but signs are like headlines and follow their own rules. In an announcement of a one-off change of destination, where the people travelling would see their expectations not met, I would use the present continuous, but if it's a sign for a couple of weeks, the present simple works fine for me.

 

[emsr2d2]

Usually, my train terminates at Victoria but, this week, it's terminating at Clapham Junction.

Like Tdol, I would use the present simple for the habitual action/fact and the present continuous for a short-term change.