Welcome! This short lesson helps you speak clearly when you're on buses and trains. Try to say each phrase out loud — listen, repeat, then use them when you travel.
Level A2: Practice helpful, polite phrases for public transport — asking where to buy tickets, whether to tap an IC card, asking for a seat, and telling the driver where to let you off. This CEFR-aligned pack focuses on ready-to-use lines you can say on a bus or at a station.
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Understand and use polite phrases for getting on/off and asking about tickets.
Ask and respond to common transit questions (where to buy tickets, frequency, direct routes).
Gain confidence saying these lines aloud in real travel situations.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
___で降ります。
___ de orimasu.
I need to get off at ___.
Meaning: I need to get off at ___.
When to use: Put a station or bus stop name in the blank to tell someone where you will get off.
Tip: Beginners sometimes say に降ります instead of で降ります; use で for the place you leave a vehicle.
渋谷で降ります。
Shibuya de orimasu.
I'll get off at Shibuya.
次の駅で降ります。
Tsugi no eki de orimasu.
I'll get off at the next station.
次の停留所で降ろしてください。
Tsugi no teiryūjo de oroshite kudasai.
Please let me off at the next stop.
Meaning: Please let me off at the next stop.
When to use: Say this to a bus driver when you want to get off at the very next stop.
Tip: Don't use this with trains — it's mainly for asking bus drivers.
すみません、次の停留所で降ろしてください。
Sumimasen, tsugi no teiryūjo de oroshite kudasai.
Excuse me, please let me off at the next stop.
次の停留所で降ろしてください。急いでいます。
Tsugi no teiryūjo de oroshite kudasai. Isoide imasu.
Please let me off at the next stop. I'm in a hurry.
バスの中で切符を買えますか？
Basu no naka de kippu o kaemasu ka?
Can I buy a ticket on the bus?
Meaning: Can I buy a ticket on the bus?
When to use: Use this to check if tickets can be purchased after you board.
すみません、バスの中で切符を買えますか？
Sumimasen, basu no naka de kippu o kaemasu ka?
Excuse me, can I buy a ticket on the bus?
夜行バスで切符を買えますか？
Yako basu de kippu o kaemasu ka?
Can I buy a ticket on the overnight bus?
乗る時と降りる時にタッチが必要ですか？
Noru toki to oriru toki ni tacchi ga hitsuyō desu ka?
Do I have to tap in and out?
Meaning: Do I have to tap in and out?
When to use: Ask this when you are not sure how to use an IC card on a route.
Tip: Sometimes learners forget to ask separately about both boarding and leaving — say both 乗る時と降りる時 to be clear.
乗る時と降りる時にタッチが必要ですか？
Noru toki to oriru toki ni tacchi ga hitsuyō desu ka?
Do I have to tap in and out?
この路線は乗る時と降りる時にタッチが必要ですか？
Kono rosen wa noru toki to oriru toki ni tacchi ga hitsuyō desu ka?
On this line, do you need to tap when boarding and leaving?
ここ、空いていますか。
Koko, aite imasu ka.
Is this seat taken?
Meaning: Is this seat taken? / Is this seat available?
When to use: Point to a seat and ask politely if you can sit there.
ここ、空いていますか。
Koko, aite imasu ka.
Is this seat available?
窓側の席、空いていますか？
Mado-gawa no seki, aite imasu ka?
Is the window seat available?
乗り過ごしてしまいました。
Norisugoshite shimaimashita.
I missed my stop.
Meaning: I missed my stop.
When to use: Use this to explain you passed your intended stop and need help.
すみません、乗り過ごしてしまいました。
Sumimasen, norisugoshite shimaimashita.
Excuse me, I missed my stop.
降りる駅を乗り過ごしてしまいました。戻れますか？
Oriru eki o norisugoshite shimaimashita. Modoremasu ka?
I missed the station I should get off at. Can I go back?
券売機が使えません。
Kenbaiki ga tsukaemasen.
The ticket machine isn't working.
Meaning: The ticket machine isn't working.
When to use: Say this at a station or bus stop to report a broken ticket machine.
すみません、券売機が使えません。
Sumimasen, kenbaiki ga tsukaemasen.
Excuse me, the ticket machine isn't working.
券売機が故障しています。誰か対応できますか？
Kenbaiki ga koshō shite imasu. Dareka taiō dekimasu ka?
The ticket machine is broken. Can someone help?
切符はどこで買えますか。
Kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka.
Where can I buy a ticket?
Meaning: Where can I buy a ticket?
When to use: Use this to ask staff where to purchase a ticket for your journey.
切符はどこで買えますか。
Kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka.
Where can I buy a ticket?
この駅で切符はどこで買えますか？
Kono eki de kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka?
Where can I buy a ticket at this station?
___は何分おきに来ますか。
___ wa nan-pun oki ni kimasu ka.
How often does the ___ come?
Meaning: How often does the ___ come?
When to use: Put 'バス' or '電車' in the blank to ask about service frequency.
バスは何分おきに来ますか。
Basu wa nan-pun oki ni kimasu ka?
How often does the bus come?
この路線は何分おきに来ますか？
Kono rosen wa nan-pun oki ni kimasu ka?
How often does this line come?
___で___まで直通で行けますか。
___ de ___ made chokutsū de ikemasu ka.
Is there a direct ___ to ___?
Meaning: Is there a direct ___ to ___?
When to use: Ask if a vehicle (bus/train) goes directly to your destination without transfers.
このバスで東京まで直通で行けますか。
Kono basu de Tōkyō made chokutsū de ikemasu ka?
Does this bus go directly to Tokyo?
電車で空港まで直通で行けますか？
Densha de kūkō made chokutsū de ikemasu ka?
Is there a direct train to the airport?
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
On a bus
What does Anna ask the driver to do at the end?
Anna
すみません、ここ、空いていますか。
Sumimasen, koko, aite imasu ka.
Excuse me, is this seat available?
David
はい、どうぞ
Hai, dōzo.
Yes, go ahead.
Anna
バスの中で切符を買えますか？
Basu no naka de kippu o kaemasu ka?
Can I buy a ticket on the bus?
David
いいえ、ICカードで乗る時と降りる時にタッチしてください。
Iie, IC kādo de noru toki to oriru toki ni tacchi shite kudasai.
No — please use your IC card and tap when boarding and leaving.
Anna
分かりました。すみません、次の停留所で降ろしてください。
Wakarimashita. Sumimasen, tsugi no teiryūjo de oroshite kudasai.
Understood. Excuse me, please let me off at the next stop.
David
わかりました。次で止めます。
Wakarimashita. Tsugi de tomemasu.
Got it. I'll stop at the next one.
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
How do you say: 'I'll get off at Shinjuku.'?
Which phrase means 'Can I buy a ticket on the bus?'
Which sentence would you use to ask 'Is this seat available?'
Which phrase says 'I missed my stop.'?
I was looking at my wallet on the train and I accidentally missed my stop.
電車の中で財布を見ていて、つい___。
Densha no naka de saifu o mite ite, tsui ___ .
Before boarding a bus, you might tell the driver 'Please let me off at the next stop.'
バスに乗る前に運転手に『___』と言います。
Basu ni noru mae ni unten-shu ni '___' to iimasu.
Because the ticket machine is broken, I asked the station staff 'Where can I buy a ticket?'
駅の券売機が故障しているので、駅員に『___』と聞きました。
Eki no kenbaiki ga koshō shite iru node, ekiin ni '___' to kikimashita.
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
Say this phrase out loud:
___で降ります。
___ de orimasu.
I need to get off at ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
次の停留所で降ろしてください。
Tsugi no teiryūjo de oroshite kudasai.
Please let me off at the next stop.
Say this phrase out loud:
バスの中で切符を買えますか？
Basu no naka de kippu o kaemasu ka?
Can I buy a ticket on the bus?
Say this phrase out loud:
乗る時と降りる時にタッチが必要ですか？
Noru toki to oriru toki ni tacchi ga hitsuyō desu ka?
