How to Ask When the Next Bus or Train Leaves in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to ask what time the next bus or train departs in Mandarin Chinese, and understand simple schedule responses. Focus on departure time, not arrival time.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you travel in Chinese-speaking areas, one of the most useful questions you can ask is when the next bus or train leaves. In Mandarin Chinese, this question uses a clear time pattern. You will learn to ask 下一班车几点走？ (Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn zǒu?) and understand answers like 八点半 (bā diǎn bàn, 8:30) or 还有十分钟 (hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng, ten more minutes). This lesson focuses only on departure time, not arrival time, so you can get the information you need at a station or bus stop.
By the end, you can…
- ask what time the next bus or train leaves in Mandarin Chinese.
- understand simple schedule responses about departure time.
- tell the difference between asking about departure time and arrival time.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
下一班车几点走？
What time does the next bus/train leave?
Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn zǒu?
General question for the next bus or train. 车 (chē) can mean bus, train, or other vehicle.
下一班公交车几点开？
What time does the next bus leave?
Xià yì bān gōngjiāo chē jǐ diǎn kāi?
Specifically about a public bus. 公交车 (gōngjiāo chē) means city bus.
下一班火车几点出发？
What time does the next train depart?
Xià yì bān huǒchē jǐ diǎn chūfā?
Specifically about a train. 火车 (huǒchē) means train; 出发 (chūfā) means depart.
八点半。
8:30.
Bā diǎn bàn.
A simple time answer. 半 (bàn) means half past.
还有十分钟。
Ten more minutes.
Hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng.
Means the bus or train will leave after ten minutes. 还有 (hái yǒu) literally means 'there are still'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask about departure time, use 下一班 + vehicle + 几点 + 走/开/出发？ For example: 下一班车几点走？ (Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn zǒu?) means 'What time does the next bus/train leave?' You can replace 车 with 公交车 (gōngjiāo chē, bus) or 火车 (huǒchē, train). The verb 走 (zǒu) is common for buses; 开 (kāi) also works for buses; 出发 (chūfā) is common for trains. The question word 几点 (jǐ diǎn) means 'what time'.
When to use it
Use these questions at a bus stop, train station, or ticket counter when you need to know the departure time of the next vehicle. For example, if you are at a bus stop, ask 下一班公交车几点开？ (Xià yì bān gōngjiāo chē jǐ diǎn kāi?). If you are at a train station, ask 下一班火车几点出发？ (Xià yì bān huǒchē jǐ diǎn chūfā?). To ask about arrival time instead, use 到 (dào) or 到达 (dàodá): 下一班车几点到？ (Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn dào?) means 'What time does the next bus/train arrive?' This lesson focuses on departure, so use 走, 开, or 出发.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，下一班公交车几点开？
Excuse me, what time does the next bus leave?Qǐngwèn, xià yì bān gōngjiāo chē jǐ diǎn kāi?八点半。
8:30.Bā diǎn bàn.现在几点？
What time is it now?Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?现在八点二十，还有十分钟。
It's 8:20 now, ten more minutes.Xiànzài bā diǎn èrshí, hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng.A little context goes a long way
In mainland China, bus and train schedules are usually announced in 24-hour time, but in conversation people often use 12-hour time with 上午 (shàngwǔ, morning), 下午 (xiàwǔ, afternoon), or 晚上 (wǎnshang, evening) if needed. For example, 下午三点 (xiàwǔ sān diǎn) means 3 p.m. When asking strangers, start with 请问 (qǐngwèn, excuse me) to be polite. At train stations, 出发 (chūfā) is more formal; at bus stops, 走 (zǒu) or 开 (kāi) is common.
One thing to watch for
Using 到 (dào) when you mean departure: 下一班车几点到？
Try this instead: 到 (dào) asks about arrival time, not departure. For departure, use 走 (zǒu), 开 (kāi), or 出发 (chūfā). For example, ask 下一班车几点走？ (Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn zǒu?) to mean 'What time does the next bus/train leave?' If you want arrival time, then 到 is correct: 下一班车几点到？ (Xià yì bān chē jǐ diǎn dào?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What time does the next bus leave?' in Mandarin Chinese?
Show a sample answer
下一班公交车几点开？
This uses 下一班 (next one), 公交车 (bus), 几点 (what time), and 开 (leave/depart). You can also say 下一班公交车几点走？ with 走, which is also correct.
2What does 还有十分钟 mean?
Show a sample answer
Ten more minutes.
还有 (hái yǒu) literally means 'there are still' and 十分钟 (shí fēnzhōng) means 'ten minutes'. It tells you the bus or train will leave after ten minutes. In other contexts, it could mean ten minutes remain for something else, but here it refers to departure time.
3If someone answers 八点半, what time does the bus leave?
Show a sample answer
8:30.
八 (bā) means 8, 点 (diǎn) means o'clock, and 半 (bàn) means half past. So 八点半 is 8:30. If it were 八点十五, it would be 8:15.
To ask about departure time, use 下一班车几点走？ or replace 车 with 公交车 or 火车. Remember: 走, 开, and 出发 are for leaving; 到 is for arriving.
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