Catching the right bus in Italian

1. 1
   fermata/ferˈmata/

   stopnoun

   A point where public transport stops.
2. 2
   capolinea/kapoˈlinea/

   terminusnoun

   The stop where a line ends.
3. 3
   direzione/diretˈtsjone/

   directionnoun

   The way something is heading.
4. 4

   coincidenzaconnection

5. 5

   obliteratriceticket validator

6. 6

   prossimonext

7. 7

   salireto get on

8. 8

   scendereto get off

9. 9

   autistadriver

10. 10

    sbagliatowrong

The sentences3 of 10

1. Scusi, questa è la fermata per il centro?

   Excuse me, is this the stop for downtown?

2. Questo autobus arriva fino al capolinea in centro?

   Does this bus go all the way to the terminus downtown?

3. Mi scusi, va in direzione del centro?

   Excuse me, is this headed downtown?

Pronunciation

• capolinea/kapoˈlinea/

  The stress falls on li, as in linea: capo-LI-nea.

Good to know

obliteratrice

On Italian buses you have to stamp your ticket with the obliteratrice as soon as you board, or it isn't valid. An inspector can fine you if it isn't stamped.

biglietto

Tickets are usually bought before boarding, at a newsstand, a bar or a machine, not always on the bus. In some cities you can also buy one through an app or by text message.

fermata a richiesta

Many buses don't stop automatically at every stop: you have to signal the driver with your hand to get them to stop.

Questions

how do you ask if a bus is going downtown in Italian

You can say "Mi scusi, va in direzione del centro?" or "Questa è la fermata per il centro?"

what does obliteratrice mean

It's the machine that stamps your ticket to validate it before you ride.

how do you say get on and get off in Italian

Salire means to get on and scendere means to get off.