How to Ask When a Bus or Train Arrives in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to ask what time a bus or train arrives in Mandarin, using 几点 and 到. Practice a short dialogue and avoid common mistakes.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you travel in Chinese-speaking areas, knowing how to ask about arrival times is essential. This lesson teaches you to ask 'What time does it arrive?' for buses and trains. You will learn the key pattern 几点到? (jǐ diǎn dào?) and how to specify the transport. You will also practice a short dialogue and learn to avoid a common error. By the end, you can confidently ask for arrival times and understand simple answers.
By the end, you can…
- ask what time a bus or train arrives using 几点到?
- specify the type of transport in my question.
- understand a simple answer giving an arrival time.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
几点到？
What time does it arrive?
jǐ diǎn dào?
General question when the transport is already clear from context. 到 (dào) means 'arrive'. Use with a rising intonation.
火车几点到？
What time does the train arrive?
huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào?
Ask about a train's arrival time. 火车 (huǒchē) means train.
公共汽车几点到？
What time does the bus arrive?
gōnggòng qìchē jǐ diǎn dào?
Ask about a public bus. 公共汽车 (gōnggòng qìchē) is the standard term; in northern China, 公交车 (gōngjiāochē) is more common in everyday speech.
八点到。
It arrives at eight o'clock.
bā diǎn dào.
A simple answer. Replace 八 (bā) with any number to state a different hour.
还有十分钟。
Ten more minutes.
hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng.
Useful for remaining time: it means the transport will arrive in ten minutes. 还有 (hái yǒu) literally means 'still have'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [Transport] + 几点 + 到？ (jǐ diǎn dào?). 几点 means 'what time', and 到 means 'arrive'. For example, 火车几点到？ (huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào?) means 'What time does the train arrive?' You can replace 火车 with 公共汽车 (gōnggòng qìchē, bus) or 地铁 (dìtiě, subway). If the transport is obvious, just say 几点到？ (jǐ diǎn dào?). To answer, say the time plus 到, like 八点到 (bā diǎn dào, arrives at eight).
When to use it
Use this pattern when you are at a station or stop and want to know the arrival time. It works for buses, trains, and subways. For example, at a train station you can ask 火车几点到？ (huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào?). If you are waiting for a bus, ask 公共汽车几点到？ (gōnggòng qìchē jǐ diǎn dào?). You can also ask about remaining time: 还有几分钟？ (hái yǒu jǐ fēnzhōng?) means 'How many more minutes?' This is useful when you already know it is coming soon.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，火车几点到？
Excuse me, what time does the train arrive?qǐngwèn, huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào?八点到。
It arrives at eight o'clock.bā diǎn dào.现在几点？
What time is it now?xiànzài jǐ diǎn?现在七点五十。还有十分钟。
It's 7:50 now. Ten more minutes.xiànzài qī diǎn wǔshí. hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng.A little context goes a long way
In Chinese-speaking regions, it is common to ask staff at stations for arrival times. Politeness is shown by starting with 请问 (qǐngwèn, excuse me). When answering, people often give the exact hour, like 八点 (eight o'clock), or say 还有 + duration (e.g., 还有十分钟) to mean 'in ten more minutes'. Note that 公共汽车 is the standard term, but in northern China you may hear 公交车 more often in everyday speech. Both are understood.
One thing to watch for
Learners often say 几点来？ (jǐ diǎn lái?) to ask when a bus or train arrives, but 来 means 'come' and is typically used for people or general coming, not for scheduled transport arrival.
Try this instead: Use 到 (dào, arrive) for transport. For example, say 火车几点到？ (huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào?) instead of 火车几点来？. 到 specifically means 'arrive at a destination', which is correct for buses and trains.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What time does the bus arrive?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
公共汽车几点到？
This uses the pattern [Transport] + 几点 + 到？. 公共汽车 means bus. You could also say 公交车几点到？ in northern China; both are correct.
2What does 还有十分钟 mean?
Show a sample answer
It means 'ten more minutes' or 'in ten minutes'.
还有 (hái yǒu) means 'still have' or 'there are still', and 十分钟 (shí fēnzhōng) means 'ten minutes'. It indicates the remaining time until arrival.
3Translate into Chinese: 'The train arrives at 9 o'clock.'
Show a sample answer
火车九点到。
This follows the pattern [Transport] + [Time] + 到. 九点 means 9 o'clock. You could also say 火车九点钟到; both are acceptable.
To ask when a bus or train arrives, use [Transport] + 几点 + 到？. Answer with [Time] + 到, or say 还有 + duration for remaining time. Remember to use 到, not 来.
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