New here? This is lesson 99 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.
High-speed rail in Simplified Chinese
Yi-Jun is planning a weekend in Tainan and buys two high-speed rail seats. At the station, Maya checks the platform number once, twice, and a third time.
Learn to ask for a ticket, choose a seat, check the train time, and find the platform. Then handle a wrong-car mistake calmly.
By the end of this lesson
Ask for a high-speed rail ticket, choose a seat, ask about the train time and platform, and explain that you boarded the wrong car.
- 我要买一张到台南的高铁票I'd like a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
- 单程还是来回？One way or round trip?
- 要对号座还是自由座？Reserved or non-reserved seat?
- 几点的车？What time is the train?
- 在几号月台上车？Which platform do I board at?
- 我坐错车厢了I'm in the wrong car.
Scene — tickets for Tainan
At Taipei Main Station, Yi-Jun arranges the Tainan weekend tickets for both of them. Maya follows along at the counter and asks the clerk about the train.
On the way to the platform, she checks its number repeatedly. After boarding, a car-number mix-up gives them one small travel problem to solve.
Learn — rail tickets and platforms
These six lines take you from asking for a high-speed rail ticket to noticing a wrong car. Listen for which question belongs at the counter and which belongs at the station.
张 is the measure word used for a ticket. The 一 in 一张 changes tone before 张.
我要买一张到台南的高铁票
I'd like a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
When to use it: Use this to ask for a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
张 is the measure word used for flat items such as tickets.
Say it: 一 changes to a falling tone before first-tone 张.
单程还是来回？
One way or round trip?
When to use it: Use this to ask whether someone wants a one-way or round-trip ticket.
还是 joins alternatives in a choice question.
要对号座还是自由座？
Reserved or non-reserved seat?
When to use it: Use this to ask which type of seat someone wants.
几点的车？
What time is the train?
When to use it: Ask this when you want to know the train's departure time.
在几号月台上车？
Which platform do I board at?
When to use it: Ask this to find the platform for boarding.
我坐错车厢了
I'm in the wrong car.
When to use it: Say this when you realize you boarded the wrong train car.
了 marks the new situation after boarding the wrong car.
Say it: 了 is a light, neutral-tone ending here.
Story — a station mix-up
Listen as Yi-Jun and Maya arrange tickets for their Tainan weekend. At Taipei Main Station, Maya checks the platform number three times, then boards the wrong car.
Yi-Jun早安，玛雅！我们要去台南了。Good morning, Maya! We're going to Tainan.
Maya我要买一张到台南的高铁票。I'd like a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.- Ticket clerk单程还是来回？One way or round trip?
- Maya来回，谢谢。Round trip, thanks.
- Yi-Jun我也要一张，麻烦一起买。I'd like one too; please buy them together.
- Ticket clerk要对号座还是自由座？Reserved or non-reserved seat?
- Yi-Jun两张对号座，谢谢。Two reserved seats, thanks.
- Maya几点的车？What time is the train?
- Ticket clerk早上九点。Nine in the morning.
- Yi-Jun月台在那边。The platform is over there.
- Maya请问，在几号月台上车？May I ask, which platform do we board at?
- Station staff三号月台，请往前走。Platform three. Please go straight ahead.
- Maya请再说一次。Please say it one more time.
- Station staff三号月台。Platform three.
- Maya checks the platform number three times before they board.
- Maya我坐错车厢了。I'm in the wrong car.
- Yi-Jun先下车，再找对的车厢。Let's get off first, then find the right car.
Practice — get on the right train
Work through nine short exercises: understand the ticket questions, rebuild useful lines, and choose what to say at the station. The English cues help you focus on the meaning.
0 of 9 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我要买一张到台南的高铁票
Build the line
Build the line
One way or round trip?
？
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
What time is the train?
____的车？
What do you say?
What do you say?
Ask the ticket clerk whether the seats are reserved or non-reserved.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Pick the reply
Yi-Jun says:
Pick the reply
你是不是坐错车厢了？
Are you in the wrong car?
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
Begin a polite question to a station staff member with “May I ask?”
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Please say it again.
请____一次
Match the pairs
Simplified Chinese
单程还是来回？Drop the English here要对号座还是自由座？Drop the English here几点的车？Drop the English here在几号月台上车？Drop the English hereEnglish
Say it — your station questions
Take Maya's part at the ticket counter and station. Ask for a ticket, check the train time and platform, then tell Yi-Jun what went wrong after boarding.
- Maya speaks to the ticket clerk.
- Maya (you)Ask for a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
Ask for a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
我要买一张到台南的高铁票
I'd like a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Simplified Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我要买一张到台南的高铁票 | I'd like a high-speed rail ticket to Tainan. | |
| 单程还是来回？ | One way or round trip? | |
| 要对号座还是自由座？ | Reserved or non-reserved seat? | |
| 几点的车？ | What time is the train? | |
| 在几号月台上车？ | Which platform do I board at? | |
| 我坐错车厢了 | I'm in the wrong car. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's ticket and platform lines are in Yak Cards with more useful phrases for getting around.
Review the ticket questions and platform line before your next trip.
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