Sochi transport workers to greet visitors in English

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By 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, public transport drivers in Sochi will declare the names of bus stops equally in Russian and English .

For now, special devices for communications with passengers in two languages - Russian and English, functions as an experiment on board bus No. 1- the most popular bus route in the city which runs through Sochi centre, a source from the transport and communications department of the Sochi administration told Itar-Tass.

On the other hand, language experts have faced rather serious issues about translation. It turned out that the names of many bus stops the city residents are used to, differ from their official names. There were several curious incidents such as translating the Behemoth Trade Center as "behemoth shopping" and renaming Sochi sanatoriums into SPA centers, according to Irina Bogacheva, Deputy chief of the city transport department.

After the names of all public transport stops in Sochi are translated into English the English language sound track will be established in all buses in the city.

Sochi taxi drivers will be sent to short-term English language courses. The Sochi administration believes that taxi drivers will merely have to welcome a passenger in English, know English translation of city streets, most frequented city areas and sports centers where the Olympic competitions will be held.