Catching the right bus in German

1. 1
   Bus/bʊs/

   busnoun

   A large vehicle that carries many passengers.
2. 2
   Haltestelle/ˈhaltəʃtɛlə/

   bus stopnoun

   A place where passengers get on and off.
3. 3
   Richtung/ˈʁɪçtʊŋ/

   directionnoun

   The side something leads or moves toward.
4. 4

   einsteigenget on

5. 5

   umsteigento change trains

6. 6

   Fahrkarteticket

7. 7

   Abfahrtdeparture

8. 8

   Anzeigetafeldisplay board

9. 9

   gültigvalid

10. 10

    pünktlichon time

The sentences3 of 10

1. Fährt dieser Bus in die Innenstadt?

   Does this bus go downtown?

2. Ist das die richtige Haltestelle für die Innenstadt?

   Is this the right stop for downtown?

3. Welcher Bus fährt von hier in Richtung Innenstadt?

   Which bus from here goes toward downtown?

Pronunciation

• Haltestelle/ˈhaltəʃtɛlə/

  The st in "-stelle" starts with an sh sound, like the sh in "shoe".

• Richtung/ˈʁɪçtʊŋ/

  The ch after i is the front sound /ç/, not the hard back one.

Good to know

Fahrkarte entwerten

In many cities you have to validate your ticket before your first ride, using a small machine on the bus or at the stop. A valid but unvalidated ticket often doesn't count during a check.

Einstieg vorne

On some buses you board at the front by the driver and show your ticket there, on others you can board at any door. It depends on the city and the bus line.

Pünktlichkeit

Buses and trains in Germany mostly run on a fixed schedule, posted on the display board or at the stop. Small delays still happen, especially during rush hour.

Questions

How do you ask if a bus goes downtown in German?

You can say "Fährt dieser Bus in die Innenstadt?", using Bus for the vehicle and Innenstadt for downtown.

What's the German word for a bus stop?

It's Haltestelle, the place where passengers get on and off.