SUMMARYThe transfer function mode) (TFM) and convection‐dispersion equation (CDE) were compared for predicting Cl−transport through a calcareous pelosol during steady, nearsaturated water flow. Large, undisturbed soil cores were used at constant irrigation intensities(q0)between 0.3 and 3 cm h−1, with a step‐change in Cl−concentration. The assumption of a lognormal distribution of travel times–characterized by the mean (μ) and variance (σ2)–permitted the flux‐averaged breakthrough curves (BTCs) to be modelled very accurately by the TFM. The BTCs could be modelled equally well by the CDE when both the mean pore water velocity (v) and dispersion coefficient(D)were optimized simultaneously by the method of least squares, but not when v was put equal toq0/v, whereVwas the mean volumetric water content.The best estimate of v was consistently>q0/v, which suggested that not all the pore water was effective in chloride transport. An operationally defined transport volume (θst) was calculated from the mean () or median (τm) travel times derived from the TFM. Chloride exclusion was not solely responsible for θst() being