Buying a Train Ticket – Chinese Language Guide with Vocabulary and Phrases

In this post I will discuss useful phrases and vocabulary for catching long distance trains. I will step through a sample dialogue and follow that up with vocabulary lists and useful phrases.

Types of train in Chinese

The general word for a vehicle is 车chē (chē), this  can be used for all types of vehicles, however specific names for trains are:

• High Speed Trains: 高gāo速sù列liè车chē (gāosù lièchē)
• Subway: 地dì铁tiě (dìtiě)
• Long Distance Train: 长cháng途tú列liè车chē (chángtú lièchē)

Long Distance and High Speed Trains in China

Catching in a long distance or high speed train in a country like China is not as straight forward as taking the subway and is more similar to catching a plane whereby you should pre-book your ticket, arrive early and will need to wait in a waiting area prior to boarding.

There are four classes of seats on Chinese long distance trains:

• Hard Seat: 硬yìng座zuò (yìngzuò)
• Soft Seat: 软ruǎn座zuò (ruǎnzuò)
• Hard Sleeper: 硬yìng卧wò (yìngwò)
• Soft Sleeper: 软ruǎn卧wò (ruǎnwò)

For sleepers there are three bunks:

• 下xià铺pù (xià pù) the lower bunk
• 中zhōng铺pù (zhōng pù) middle bunk
• 上shàng铺pù (shàng pù) upper bunk

Sample Dialogue

This is a sample dialogue between a customer wanting to buy a train ticket and the sales (or customer service) staff at the sales counter:

<customer>
Hello, I’d like a ticket from Beijing to Shanghai.
你nǐ好hǎo，, 我wǒ要yào买mǎi一yī张zhāng从cóng北Běi京jīng到dào上Shàng海hǎi的de票piào
nǐ hǎo, wǒ yào mǎi yī zhāng cóng běijīng dào shànghǎi de piào

<ticketing staff>
Do you want a sleeper or seat?
你nǐ要yào卧wò铺pù还hái是shi坐zuò票piào？?
nǐ yào wò pù hái shì zuò piào

I would like a soft sleeper
我wǒ想xiǎng一yī张zhāng软ruǎn卧wò的de票piào
wǒ xiǎng yī zhāng ruǎnwò de piào

When did you want to depart?
你nǐ想xiǎng什shén么me时shí间jiān去qù??
nǐ xiǎng shénme shíjiān qù?

piàoTomorrow at 10am
明míng天tiān十shí点diǎn早zǎo上shang
míngtiān shí diǎn zǎoshang

There is a train at 8:30 and one at 10:15.
有yǒu一yī趟tàng火huǒ车chē是shì99::3300，,还hái有yǒu一yī趟tàng火huǒ车chē是shì1100：:1155..
yǒuyī tàng huǒchē shì 9:30, hái yǒuyī tàng huǒchē shì 10:15.

I will take the train which departs at 8:30
我wǒ要yào乘chéng八bā点diǎn半bàn钟zhōng开kāi的de火huǒ车chē
wǒ yào chéng bā diǎn zhōng kāi de huǒ chē

That is $150
那nà是shì一yī百bǎi五wǔ十shí元yuán
nà shì yībǎi wǔshí yuán

<makes payment>
Thank you
谢xiè谢xie
xièxiè

This is your ticket
这zhè是shì你nǐ的de票piào与yǔ零líng钱qián
zhè shì nǐ de piào

Thank you
谢xiè谢xie
xièxiè

Dialogue Explanation

In this section I will walk through the dialogue sentence by sentence:

我wǒ	要yào	买mǎi	一yī张zhāng	从cóng
wǒ	yào	mǎi	yī zhāng	cóng
I	want	(to buy)	one (unit of)	from

北Běi京jīng	到dào	上Shàng海hǎi	的de	票piào
běijīng	dào	shànghǎi	de	piào
Bejing	to	Shanghai	(possession)	ticket

While in English you might say “I want (to buy) a ticket from Beijing to Shanghai”, in Chinese the sentence order isn’t quite the same as in this case the “from Beijing to Shanghai” describes the type of ticket, it is not just any ticket, but a “Beijing to Shanghai” ticket. You could not change the order, that is you couldn’t say 我wǒ要yào买mǎi一yī张zhāng票piào从cóng北Běi京jīng到dào上Shàng海hǎi。.

A second point here is the use of 到 between Shanghai and Beijing. 到dào can be used to describe “to” or to “arrive”, so in this case it’s the train that goes from Beijing to, that is arrives at, Shanghai. Just like in English if you said the names in reverse you would be buying a ticket in the other direction from Shanghai to Beijing, which in this case isn’t what is being asked for.

你nǐ	要yào	卧wò铺pù	还hái是shi	坐zuò	票piào
nǐ	yào	wòpù	háishì	zuò	piào
You	want	bed	or	seat	ticket

This is very simple structure, as is common in Chinese which is a reasonably concise and to the point language. The customer service person (the ticket seller), could have said “would you like 你nǐ要yào (nǐ yào), which is literally “you want” and is again very direct.

我wǒ	想xiǎng	买mǎi	一yī张zhāng	软ruǎn卧wò	的de	票piào
wǒ	xiǎng	mǎi	yī zhāng	ruǎnwò	de	piào
I	want	(to) buy	one unit (of)	sleeper	<posession>	ticket

This is a very complete sentence, the customer could have simply answered with “soft sleeper” 软ruǎn卧wò (ruǎnwò), however typically Chinese is a highly contextual language whereby if the other person understands the context, sentences are less verbose, being direct and to the point. I have used this sentence primarily to give the full sentence structure.

你nǐ	想xiǎng	什shén么me时shí间jiān	去qù
nǐ	xiǎng	shénme shíjiān	qù
You	want	what time	go

Here the service staff ask the customer what time they want to go. You might think you could use 什么时候 (shénme shíhòu), however this is not correct. Generally 时shí候hou (shénme) means a point in time, while 时shí间jiān (shíjiān) refers to a period of time, however 时shí间jiān also refers to clock time, so in this instance as the customer is being asked what time on the clock they want to depart, 时间 is more appropriate.

明míng天tiān	十shí点diǎn	早zǎo上shang
míngtiān	shí diǎn	zǎoshang
Tomorrow	10 o’clock	morning (am)

This sentence is quite simple, it is really the equivalent of “tomorrow (at) 10am” or “tomorrow (at) 10 o’clock in the morning”.

有yǒu	一yī趟tàng	火huǒ车chē	是shì	八bā点diǎn半bàn
yǒu	yī tàng	huǒchē	shì	bā diǎn bàn
There is	one (trip)	train	is	8:30

一yī趟tàng	火huǒ车chē	是shì	十shí点diǎn一yī刻kè
yī tàng	huǒchē	shì	shí diǎn yī kè
one (trip)	train	is	10:15

This is a long sentence which could be condensed. Here 一yī趟tàng (yī tàng) means one trip, where 趟tàng is a classifier (measure word) for trips. With regards to the pronunciation of time, here we have two times

• 9:30 could be written in Chinese as 八bā点diǎn半bàn, where 九jiǔ is the number nine (see my post on numbers), 点diǎn is the equivalent of “o’clock” in English and 办bàn means half, meaning that 八bā点diǎn半bàn means literally 8 o’lock and a half.
• 10:15 which can be written in Chinese as 十shí点diǎn一yī刻kè, where 十 is the number ten and 一yī刻kè means “one quarter”. This is the same in English where we say “a quarter past ten.

我wǒ	要yào	乘chéng	九jiǔ点diǎn半bàn	开kāi	的de	火huǒ车chē
wǒ	yào	chéng	jiǔ diǎn bàn	kāi	de	huǒ chē
I	want	ride	9:30	leave / departs	<possession>	train

This sentence is very simple and follows the common 我wǒ要yào or “I want” format. Firstly note the use of 乘chéng, which means to ride, as they are saying the want to ride (to take) a specific train.

Next notice the use of 的de to describe which train. If the customer was stating that they want to take the train as opposed to a bus, they could just say “I want (to) ride the bus” 我wǒ要yào乘chéng火huǒ车chē (wǒ yào chéng huǒchē). In this dialogue however we know the customer is planning on taking the train, instead what needs to be communicated is which train. What the customer wants is the 9:30 train, or more specifically the train which departs (开kāi) at the 9:30, the 9:30 departing train 99::3300开kāi的de火huǒ车chē. It is for this reason we use 的de to attribute the time to the train. One way of thinking about 的 in this sentence is to imagine using brackets, the customer is saying “I want to ride the (9:30 departing) train”. I talk more about 的 in my post on how to use de in Chinese.

那nà	是shì	一yī百bǎi五wǔ十shí元yuán
nà	shì	yībǎi wǔshí yuán
that	is	one hundred and fifty yuan

Here the customer service person simply states the price. 元 is the measure of currency in China. You can learn more about making payment by credit card in my post here and also about counting in Chinese in my post on how to count in Chinese.

谢xiè谢xie

xièxiè

thank you

谢xiè谢xie is the word for “thank you” in Chinese, which you should be familiar with. You can learn some additional basic Chinese vocabulary in my post on the top 25 Chinese phrases for tourists.

这zhè	是shì	你nǐ的de	票piào	与yǔ	零líng钱qián
zhè	shì	nǐ de	piào	yǔ	língqián
this	is	your	ticket	and	change

This sentence follows the same structure as you would use in English. A point to note here is the use of 与yǔ i(yǔ) instead of 和hé (hé). The speaker could have used 和hé and instead said 票piào和hé零líng钱qián, however 和hé is a little more informal.

谢xiè谢xie

xièxiè

thank you

Vocabulary for Long Distance Trains

English	Chinese	Pronunciations (Pinyin)
(train) line	线xiàn	xiàn
subway map	地dì铁tiě路lù线xiàn图tú	dìtiě lùxiàn tú
passenger	乘chéng客kè	chéngkè
Topup	充chōng值zhí	chōngzhí
prepaid card	充chōng值zhí卡kǎ	chōngzhí kǎ
public transport card	公gōng交jiāo卡kǎ	gōngjiāo kǎ
expiration	期qī限xiàn	qíxiàn
get on the bus / get in the card	上shàng车chē	shàng chē
get off the bus / get out the car	下xià车chē	xià chē
to take a train or bus	搭dā	dā
public toilet	公gōng共gòng厕cè所suǒ	gōnggòng cèsuǒ
Ticket Gate	剪jiǎn票piào口kǒu	jiǎnpiào kǒu
Ticket Gate	检jiǎn票piào口kǒu	jiǎnpiào kǒu
Ticket Gate	票piào闸zhá门mén	piào zhámén
Ticket Clerk	检jiǎn票piào员yuán	jiǎnpiào yuán
Automatic Ticket Gate	自zì动dòng剪jiǎn票piào口kǒu	zìdòng jiǎnpiào kǒu
Red Line	红hóng线xiàn	hóngxiàn
Yellow Line	黄huáng线xiàn	huáng xiàn
Orange Line	橙chéng线xiàn	chéng xiàn
Green Line	绿lǜ线xiàn	lǜ xiàn
Black Line	黑hēi线xiàn	hēi xiàn
White Line	白bái线xiàn	bái xiàn
Blue Line	蓝lán线xiàn	lán xiàn
train door	车chē门mén	chēmén
door	门mén	mén
express service	快kuài车chē	kuàichē
timetable	时shí刻kè表biǎo	shíkè biǎo
ticket office	售shòu票piào亭tíng	shòupiào tíng
platform	月yuè台tái	yuè tái
waiting room	候hòu车chē室shì	hòuchē shì
lost and found	失shī物wù招zhāo领lǐng处chù	shīwù zhāolǐng chù
imformation desk	询xún问wèn台tái	xúnwèn tái
hall	车chē站zhàn大dà厅tīng	chēzhàn dàtīng
terminal	终zhōng点diǎn站zhàn	zhōngdiǎn zhàn
replacement ticket	補bǔ票piào	bǔpiào
southbound	南nán向xiàng	nán xiàng
northbound	北běi向xiàng	běixiàng
eastbound	东dōng向xiàng	dōng xiàng
westbound	西xī向xiàng	xīxiàng
high speed train	高gāo铁tiě	gāotiě
high speed train	高gāo速sù列liè车chē	gāosù lièchē
destination	目mù的dì地dì	mùdì de
stopping	停tíng靠kào站zhàn	tíngkào zhàn
carriage	车chē厢xiāng	chēxiāng
tram	电diàn车chē	diànchē
express	快kuài车chē	kuàichē
booking office	售shòu票piào处chù	shòupiào chù
timetable	列liè车chē时shí刻kè表biǎo	lièchē shíkè biǎo
train / platform sign	列liè车chē指zhǐ示shì牌pái	lièchē zhǐshì pái
express train	快kuài车chē	kuàichē
local train	慢màn车chē	mànchē
soft / cushion seats	软ruǎn座zuò	ruǎn zuò
ordinary seats	硬yìng座zuò	yìngzuò
soft sleeper (a soft bunk)	软ruǎn卧wò	ruǎnwò
hard sleeper (a hard bunk)	硬yìng卧wò	yìngwò
pay the excess train fare	补bǔ票piào	bǔpiào
wairting room	候hòu车chē室shì	hòuchē shì
platform-ticket	月yuè台tái票piào	yuè tái piào
dining car	餐cān车chē	cānchē
carriage	车chē厢xiāng	chēxiāng
luggage storage office	行xíng李li寄jì存cún处chù	xínglǐ jìcún chù
passport	护hù照zhào	hùzhào
middle berth (sleeper)	中zhōng铺pù	zhōng pù
upper berth (sleeper)	上shàng铺pù	shàng pù
lower berth (sleeper)	下xià铺pù	xià pù
hard sleeper	硬yìng卧wò	yìngwò
soft sleeper	软ruǎn卧wò	ruǎnwò
hard seat	硬yìng座zuò	yìngzuò
soft seat	软ruǎn座zuò	ruǎn zuò

Useful Chinese Phrases for Long Distance Trains

English	Chinese	Pronunciations (Pinyin)
How often do the trains run?	火huǒ车chē多duō久jiǔ开kāi一yī班bān？?	huǒchē duōjiǔ kāi yī bān?
Which line should I take to the airport?	到dào飞fēi机jī场chǎng要yào搭dā哪nǎ条tiáo线xiàn？?	dào fēijī chǎng yào dā nǎ tiáo xiàn?
Let me take a look at the subway map	让ràng我wǒ看kàn一yī下xià地dì铁tiě路lù线xiàn图tú	ràng wǒ kàn yīxià dìtiě lùxiàn tú
Don’t obstruct the path of the people alighting from the train	别bié挡dǎng住zhù乘chéng客kè下xià车chē的de路lù	bié dǎngzhù chéngkè xià chē de lù
Wait behind the the line	等děng在zài候hòu车chē线xiàn的de后hòu面miàn	děng zài hòuchē xiàn de hòumiàn
Stand behind the yellow line	站zhàn在zài黄huáng线xiàn的de后hòu面miàn	zhàn zài huáng xiàn de hòumiàn
Where should we get off?	我wǒ们men应yīng该gāi哪nǎ里lǐ下xià车chē??	wǒmen yīnggāi nǎlǐ xià chē?
Please don’t lean against the doors	请qǐng勿wù倚yǐ靠kào车chē门mén	qǐng wù yǐkào chēmén
Watch your step	小xiǎo心xīn台tái阶jiē	xiǎoxīn táijiē
Watch your hands	小xiǎo心xīn夹jiā手shǒu	xiǎoxīn jiā shǒu
What do you want, cushion seat, ordinary seat, cushion berth, ordinary berth?	您nín要yào软ruǎn座zuò硬yìng座zuò还hái是shi软ruǎn卧wò硬yìng卧wò？?	nín yào ruǎn zuò yìngzuò háishì ruǎnwò yìngwò?
I would like a hard sleeper	我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一yī张zhāng硬yìng卧wò的de票piào	Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhāng yìngwò de piào
I would like a soft sleeper	我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一yī张zhāng软ruǎn卧wò的de票piào	wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhāng ruǎnwò de piào
I would like a hard seat	我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一yī张zhāng硬yìng座zuò的de票piào	wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhāng yìngzuò de piào
I would like a soft seat	我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一yī张zhāng软ruǎn座zuò的de票piào	wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhāng ruǎn zuò de piào
If possible I’d like a soft sleeper	如rú果guǒ可kě以yǐ的de话huà我wǒ想xiǎng要yào软ruǎn卧wò	rúguǒ kěyǐ dehuà wǒ xiǎng yào ruǎnwò
I’d like a soft sleeper from Beijing to Shanghai.	我wǒ要yào一yī张zhāng从cóng北Běi京jīng到dào上Shàng海hǎi的de软ruǎn卧wò	wǒ yào yī zhāng cóng běijīng dào shànghǎi de ruǎnwò
Can I get to the airpot from this stop?	我wǒ从cóng这zhè站zhàn下xià车chē能néng走zǒu到dào飞fēi机jī场chǎng吗ma？?	wǒ cóng zhè zhàn xià chē néng zǒu dào fēijī chǎng ma?
Watch your step.	小xiǎo心xīn台tái阶jiē	xiǎoxīn táijiē
Watch your hands.	小xiǎo心xīn夹jiā手shǒu	xiǎoxīn jiā shǒu
Don’t lean on the door	请qǐng勿wù倚yǐ靠kào车chē门mén	qǐng wù yǐkào chēmén