der Bus
Bus
Public transportLearn German transport vocabulary for buses, trains, trams, tickets, stations, directions, and everyday travel. Practise the German phrases you need to buy a ticket, ask when your train leaves, understand announcements, and get around confidently in Germany.
These are the essential German words for talking about journeys, public transport, and travel plans. Learn each noun with its article: der, die, or das.
| German | English | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| der Verkehr | Traffic / transport | Der Verkehr ist heute stark. — Traffic is heavy today. |
| das Verkehrsmittel | Means of transport | Der Bus ist ein Verkehrsmittel. — The bus is a means of transport. |
| die Reise | Journey / trip | Die Reise ist lang. — The journey is long. |
| die Fahrt | Ride / journey | Die Fahrt dauert eine Stunde. — The journey takes one hour. |
| der Weg | Way / route | Ist das der richtige Weg? — Is this the right way? |
| die Haltestelle | Stop | Wo ist die Haltestelle? — Where is the stop? |
| der Fahrplan | Timetable | Ich sehe im Fahrplan nach. — I'll check the timetable. |
| die Verspätung | Delay | Der Zug hat Verspätung. — The train is delayed. |
| die Abfahrt | Departure | Die Abfahrt ist um neun Uhr. — Departure is at nine. |
| die Ankunft | Arrival | Die Ankunft ist um elf Uhr. — Arrival is at eleven. |
| der Fahrgast | Passenger | Die Fahrgäste warten. — The passengers are waiting. |
| das Ziel | Destination / goal | Berlin ist mein Ziel. — Berlin is my destination. |
Important distinction: die Fahrt usually refers to a ride or journey, while die Reise often means a trip or journey more broadly. Both are useful in everyday German.
Recognise the main forms of public and private transport in German. Search the vocabulary cards in either German or English.
Bus
Public transportTrain
RailUnderground / metro
Urban railTram / streetcar
Urban transportUrban and suburban rail
RailTaxi
RoadBicycle
CyclingCar
RoadOn foot
WalkingAirplane
Air travelShip
WaterCoach / long-distance bus
Long-distanceUseful sentence: Ich fahre mit dem Bus zur Arbeit. — I travel to work by bus.
Understanding station vocabulary makes it easier to buy the right ticket, locate your platform, and follow travel information.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Fahrkarte | Ticket |
| das Ticket | Ticket |
| der Fahrschein | Ticket / travel pass |
| die einfache Fahrt | Single journey |
| die Hin- und Rückfahrt | Return journey |
| der Fahrpreis | Fare |
| die Monatskarte | Monthly pass |
| der Automat | Machine |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Bahnhof | Train station |
| der Hauptbahnhof | Main station |
| der Bahnsteig | Platform |
| das Gleis | Track / platform number |
| der Eingang | Entrance |
| der Ausgang | Exit |
| der Umstieg | Transfer / change |
| der Anschluss | Connection |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Abfahrt | Departure |
| die Ankunft | Arrival |
| pünktlich | On time |
| verspätet | Delayed / late |
| die Durchsage | Announcement |
| die Störung | Disruption |
| der Ersatzverkehr | Replacement transport |
| die Verbindung | Connection / route |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Sitzplatz | Seat |
| die Reservierung | Reservation |
| das Gepäck | Luggage |
| der Koffer | Suitcase |
| der Ausgang | Exit |
| der Notausgang | Emergency exit |
| der Kontrolleur / die Kontrolleurin | Ticket inspector |
| der Sitz | Seat |
German travel tip: Gleis 5 means track/platform 5. Station displays may show the track number and departure time, so look for Abfahrt and Gleis.
Ask where a bus stop is, understand directions, and explain where you need to go. These expressions are useful in cities, stations, and unfamiliar neighbourhoods.
Straight ahead
Gehen Sie geradeaus. — Go straight ahead.
Left
Biegen Sie links ab. — Turn left.
Right
Biegen Sie rechts ab. — Turn right.
Nearby
Ist der Bahnhof in der Nähe? — Is the station nearby?
Opposite / across from
Die Haltestelle ist gegenüber. — The stop is opposite.
Far
Ist es weit? — Is it far?
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| neben | Next to | neben dem Bahnhof — next to the station |
| vor | In front of | vor dem Hotel — in front of the hotel |
| hinter | Behind | hinter der Haltestelle — behind the stop |
| zwischen | Between | zwischen dem Bahnhof und dem Park — between the station and the park |
| bis zu | As far as / up to | bis zur Haltestelle — as far as the stop |
| in Richtung | In the direction of | in Richtung Zentrum — towards the city centre |
| das Stadtzentrum | City centre | Ich möchte ins Stadtzentrum. — I want to go to the city centre. |
Ask politely: Entschuldigung, wie komme ich zum Bahnhof? — Excuse me, how do I get to the train station?
Practise these ready-to-use expressions for tickets, schedules, directions, and common travel problems. Use the copy button to save individual phrases.
Read each dialogue aloud. Notice how the vocabulary appears in natural questions and answers, rather than as isolated words.
Speaking challenge: Replace the city, transport type, platform, and time in these dialogues with your own examples. Practise both roles.
These essential sentence patterns help you describe how you travel, where you are going, and what you need to do on a journey.
Use mit when saying which transport you use. It takes the dative case.
mit dem Bus — by bus
mit dem Zug — by train
mit der U-Bahn — by metro
mit dem Fahrrad — by bicycle
Example: Ich fahre mit dem Zug. — I travel by train.
Ich fahre nach Berlin.
I am travelling to Berlin.
Ich gehe zum Bahnhof.
I am going to the station.
Ich fahre in die Stadt.
I am going into town.
The correct preposition depends on the destination and the type of place.
Ich fahre mit dem Bus.
I travel by bus.
Ich gehe zu Fuß.
I walk / go on foot.
Der Zug fährt um acht Uhr.
The train leaves at eight.
Fahren is used for travelling by vehicle and for vehicles departing. Gehen is used for walking or going.
Wo ist die Haltestelle?
Where is the stop?
Wann fährt der Bus?
When does the bus leave?
Wie komme ich zum Bahnhof?
How do I get to the station?
In a question beginning with a question word, the conjugated verb usually comes second.
| German pattern | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ich fahre mit … | Ich fahre mit der U-Bahn. | I travel by metro. |
| Ich möchte nach … | Ich möchte nach Berlin. | I would like to go to Berlin. |
| Wo ist …? | Wo ist der Bahnhof? | Where is the station? |
| Wann fährt …? | Wann fährt der nächste Bus? | When does the next bus leave? |
| Wie lange dauert …? | Wie lange dauert die Fahrt? | How long does the journey take? |
| Muss ich …? | Muss ich umsteigen? | Do I have to change? |
| Ich suche … | Ich suche den Bahnsteig. | I am looking for the platform. |
Think of the English meaning before revealing the answer. Learn nouns with their articles and practise the expressions aloud.
Think of the English meaning, then reveal the answer.
Tip: Cover the translation and test yourself again tomorrow.
Answer all ten questions and submit the quiz to receive your score and feedback.
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