How to Ask When a Bus or Train Arrives in German
Learn to ask "Wann kommt der Bus an?" and "Wann kommt er an?", tell arrival from departure, and talk about how long a journey takes in everyday German.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
Asking about departure time gets you to the station, but asking about arrival time tells you when you actually get there. In German, arrival and departure are two different verbs, so mixing them up can send you to the wrong platform or make you wait for a train that has already left. This lesson teaches you the key question for arrival, the verb ankommen and its separable prefix an-, the difference between Abfahrt and Ankunft, and how to ask how long a trip takes. All examples use standard contemporary German, with regional notes where they matter.
By the end, you can…
- ask what time a bus, train, or flight arrives in German.
- tell the difference between departure (Abfahrt) and arrival (Ankunft) and use the right verb for each.
- ask how long a journey takes and understand a simple answer in hours and minutes.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Wann kommt der Bus an?
When does the bus arrive?
van komt dair boos AN
The most common way to ask about arrival. The prefix an- is stressed and goes to the end of the sentence.
Wann kommt der Zug an?
When does the train arrive?
van komt dair tsook AN
Same pattern with der Zug (train). Use it at a station or when checking a timetable.
Wann kommt er an?
When does it arrive?
van komt air AN
Once the bus or train is clear from context, replace the noun with er. German uses er for der Bus and der Zug.
Wann ist die Ankunft?
When is the arrival?
van ist dee AN-koonft
A noun-based alternative. Useful when reading signs or asking about a specific service.
Wie lange dauert die Fahrt?
How long does the journey take?
vee LANG-uh DOW-ert dee FART
Use this to ask about duration. Antwort: Sie dauert zwei Stunden. (It takes two hours.)
Der Zug kommt um 14:30 Uhr an.
The train arrives at 2:30 p.m.
dair tsook komt oom FEER-tsayn OO-er DRY-sik OO-er AN
German often uses the 24-hour clock in timetables. In speech, 14:30 is usually said as vierzehn Uhr dreißig; halb drei means 2:30, not 3:30.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb ankommen (to arrive) is separable: the prefix an- splits off and moves to the end of the main clause. So "Wann kommt der Bus an?" literally builds as "When comes the bus at?" The same happens in statements: "Der Bus kommt um acht Uhr an." If you use a modal verb, the infinitive stays together: "Der Bus soll um acht Uhr ankommen." For departure, use abfahren: "Wann fährt der Zug ab?" Do not use kommen alone for a scheduled arrival; "Wann kommt der Zug?" sounds like you are asking when the train will show up, not when it is scheduled to arrive.
When to use it
Use ankommen for buses, trains, planes, and people arriving at a destination. Use ankommen in a question when you are already at the station or checking a timetable. Use die Ankunft (arrival) on signs and announcements: "Ankunft: 14:30." For departure, use die Abfahrt and abfahren: "Wann ist die Abfahrt?" and "Wann fährt der Zug ab?" If you want to ask how long the trip takes, use dauern: "Wie lange dauert die Fahrt?" The answer often uses Stunden (hours) and Minuten (minutes): "Sie dauert eine Stunde und zwanzig Minuten."
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, wann kommt der Bus nach Mainz an?
Excuse me, when does the bus to Mainz arrive?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, van komt dair boos nakh MYNTS ANDer Bus kommt um 15:10 Uhr an.
The bus arrives at 3:10 p.m.dair boos komt oom FOONF-tsayn OO-er TSEYN OO-er ANDanke. Und wie lange dauert die Fahrt?
Thanks. And how long does the journey take?DAN-kuh. oont vee LANG-uh DOW-ert dee FARTDie Fahrt dauert etwa vierzig Minuten.
The journey takes about forty minutes.dee FART DOW-ert ET-va FEER-tsikh mih-NOO-tenA little context goes a long way
German timetables and announcements usually use the 24-hour clock, so 15:10 means 3:10 p.m. In everyday speech, many speakers still say halb vier for 3:30, which literally means "half four" and can confuse learners. In Austria and parts of southern Germany, you may also hear Viertel nach drei (quarter past three) and Viertel vor vier (quarter to four); regional forms vary, so check the display or ask again if you are unsure.
One thing to watch for
Using "Wann kommt der Zug?" to ask about the scheduled arrival time.
Try this instead: Use the separable verb ankommen: "Wann kommt der Zug an?" If you mean departure, use abfahren: "Wann fährt der Zug ab?" The prefix changes the meaning, so keep an- or ab- at the end of the sentence.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask "When does the train arrive?" in German?
Show a sample answer
Wann kommt der Zug an?
This uses ankommen with the separable prefix an- at the end. "Wann kommt der Zug?" is understandable but less precise for a scheduled arrival.
2What is the difference between die Abfahrt and die Ankunft?
Show a sample answer
die Abfahrt means departure; die Ankunft means arrival.
Abfahrt pairs with abfahren (to depart), Ankunft pairs with ankommen (to arrive). Both appear on station signs and timetables.
3How do you ask "How long does the journey take?" in German?
Show a sample answer
Wie lange dauert die Fahrt?
dauern means to last or take time. You can also ask "Wie lange dauert es?" if the journey is already clear from context.
For arrival, use ankommen and put the stressed prefix an- at the end: "Wann kommt der Bus an?" Keep Ankunft (arrival) separate from Abfahrt (departure), and use dauern to ask how long the trip takes.
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