staging post
noun [ C ] UK uk/ˈsteɪ.dʒɪŋ ˌpəʊst/ us/ˈsteɪ.dʒɪŋ ˌpoʊst/
（长途旅行的）中途站
a place where stops are regularly made on long journeys
Hong Kong is often used as a staging post on flights from Melbourne to London. 香港常被用作从墨尔本飞往伦敦的中转站。
figurative For people who have spent a long time in a mental hospital, a hostel acts as an important staging post (= a place to stay temporarily) between the hospital and a home of their own. 对于在精神病院中呆了很长时间的人来说，招待所是从出院到找到他们自己的居所期间重要的中转站。