# ticket to ride

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ticket-to-ride
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something that enables one to do something which would otherwise not be possible.

## Examples

- This degree is my ticket to ride for a better career.
- A good credit score is your ticket to ride for a home loan.
- This internship is my ticket to ride into the fashion industry.
- She believes that learning a second language will be her ticket to ride to a job in another country.
- Winning the local talent competition was his ticket to ride, giving him the chance to record his first album in a professional studio.
- The new government grant acts as a ticket to ride for small businesses that want to expand into international markets.
- For many young athletes, a standout performance at the national championship serves as their golden ticket to ride toward a professional contract.

## Origin

The term originates from the use of paper or cardboard vouchers to regulate access to various modes of public transportation. It entered general usage as a metaphor for the necessary permission or means required to embark on a journey or gain entry to a restricted space.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.