Thread: Прибыть and приехать?

I don't understand the difference between these two words. Both are translated into English as "arrive". Can anyone explain?

First of all, "прибыл" is more formal and is used almost exclusively in official contexts. Then, "приехать" means "to arrive on/by some transport" (especially some land transport). You can look up "ехать" to see what I mean. "Прибыть" can be used regardless of how someone arrived.
There are also such verbs as "прийти" (arrive by walking), "приплыть" (arrive by water), "прилететь" (arrive by air or through space), etc.

Originally Posted by Johanna

I don't understand the difference between these two words. Both are translated into English as "arrive". Can anyone explain?

For sure... Both "Прибыть" and "Приехать" mean exactly the same...But "Прибыть" is rather an official and bookish word...
You can say " Я приехал в Америку" or "Я прибыл в Америку" -The latter isn't used very often in spoken Russian... The same stuff with the nouns "Приезд/Прибытие...

They aren't exactly the same.

приехать really means "come (by transport)"

Прибыть means "arrive" In some situations they might be interchangeable, but not always.

Originally Posted by Johanna

I don't understand the difference between these two words. Both are translated into English as "arrive". Can anyone explain?

To give you an example, the only time I hear or see прибыть or its derivatives is on train schedules: прибытие (arrival).

Thanks everyone! I think I understand this now.
Someone from here was helping me with translating a sentence and they translated it like this;

Originally Posted by [url

http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20748[/url]]Please make sure that you arrive no later than ten thirty ====>
Постарайтесь прибыть не позже, чем в десять тридцать.

So priexat' would only have been truly applicable if the person was going to arrive by car, train, bicycle, plane etc (transport)? Plus the English sentence does indeed sound a little bit formal, so it makes sense to use the more formal Russian word.