flag stop

[/flæɡ stɑːp/]
nounpl: flag stops
parada opcional de trem/ônibus
1. A railway or bus stop where vehicles only stop if passengers wish to board or alight, rather than stopping automatically at every station
The train only stopped at the flag stop because a passenger had requested to get off there.
O trem só parou na parada opcional porque um passageiro havia solicitado descer lá.
2. A stop marked by a flag or sign where travelers can signal a passing vehicle to stop
She waited at the flag stop and waved her arm to signal the bus driver.
Ela esperou na parada e fez um sinal para o motorista do ônibus parar.
Flag stops are common in both US and Brazilian rail and bus systems, particularly in rural or suburban areas where stopping at every location would be inefficient. In Brazil, this system is standard for many intercity buses and some train lines. The term reflects a practical transportation solution that has been in use since the early 20th century.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
request stopconditional stopwhistle stopon-demand stop
Antonyms / Antônimos
mandatory stopregular stopscheduled stop

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
parada opcional
Standard translation used across Brazil
São Paulo
parada de trem sob demanda
More formal usage in urban rail contexts
Portugal
paragem a pedido
Portuguese European term for request stop

Related Words

train stationbus stoprailwaytransit systempassengerconductor

Related Idioms & Phrases

flag down a vehicle
wave someone down
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