How to Ask a German Bus or Tram Driver to Tell You When to Get Off
Learn the German phrase for asking the driver to tell you when to get off, how to say your stop, and how to understand the driver's confirmation.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
On buses and trams in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, you often need to ask the driver to let you know when your stop is coming. This lesson teaches you one core polite question, how to name your stop, and how to understand the short confirmation the driver gives you. You will practise the exact wording, the polite form with Sie, and a few useful alternatives for when the driver is busy or the announcement is unclear.
By the end, you can…
- ask a bus or tram driver politely to tell me when to get off.
- name my stop or destination in a short German sentence.
- understand a simple confirmation such as 'Ja, mache ich' or 'Ich sage Ihnen Bescheid'.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?
Can you please tell me when I have to get off?
KÖN-nen zee meer BIT-tuh ZAH-gen, van ikh OWS-shty-gen moos
The main polite question. Use it with the driver when you board. 'Aussteigen' means to get off a bus, tram or train.
Ich muss am Hauptbahnhof aussteigen.
I have to get off at the main station.
ikh moos am HOWPT-bahn-hof OWS-shty-gen
Replace 'am Hauptbahnhof' with your stop. 'Am' is used with most station and square names.
Können Sie mir Bescheid sagen?
Can you let me know?
KÖN-nen zee meer buh-SHYT ZAH-gen
A shorter, very common request. 'Bescheid sagen' means to let someone know or inform them.
Ist das weit von hier?
Is that far from here?
ist das VYT fon heer
Useful if you are not sure how long the journey takes and want to judge when to get ready.
Vielen Dank, das ist sehr nett.
Many thanks, that is very kind.
FEE-len DANK, das ist zair net
A natural way to thank the driver after they agree to help.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The key pattern is 'Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ...?' — literally 'Can you tell me please when ...?'. It is polite because it uses 'Sie', the formal 'you', and 'bitte'. You can complete it with a clause: 'Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?' (Can you please tell me when I have to get off?) or 'Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann die nächste Haltestelle kommt?' (Can you please tell me when the next stop comes?). In the second part, the verb usually goes to the end: 'wann ich aussteigen muss', not 'wann ich muss aussteigen'.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you get on a bus, tram or regional train and the stops are not announced clearly, or when you are not sure where your stop is. Ask the driver as you board, not while the vehicle is moving, if possible. A short version is fine: 'Können Sie mir Bescheid sagen? Ich muss am Marktplatz aussteigen.' If the driver answers 'Ja, klar' or 'Mache ich', that means yes, they will tell you. If you hear 'Die nächste Haltestelle ist ...', that is the announcement for the stop coming up.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?
Excuse me, can you please tell me when I have to get off?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, KÖN-nen zee meer BIT-tuh ZAH-gen, van ikh OWS-shty-gen moosJa, klar. Wo müssen Sie denn hin?
Yes, of course. Where do you need to go?yah, klahr. voh MÜE-sen zee den hinIch muss am Hauptbahnhof aussteigen.
I have to get off at the main station.ikh moos am HOWPT-bahn-hof OWS-shty-genAlles klar, ich sage Ihnen Bescheid.
All right, I'll let you know.AL-les klahr, ikh ZAH-guh EE-nen buh-SHYTA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, drivers are usually addressed with the formal 'Sie' and a short 'Entschuldigung' before the question. 'Bescheid sagen' is neutral and common; 'Ich sage Ihnen Bescheid' is a standard polite promise. In Austria you may also hear 'Ich sag Ihnen das dann'; in Switzerland, 'Ich säge Ihne Bscheid' in Swiss German. Announcements and driver confirmations are often short, so listen for the name of your stop rather than a full sentence.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Du' with the driver, as in 'Kannst du mir sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?'
Try this instead: With strangers such as bus or tram drivers, use the formal 'Sie': 'Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?' Use 'du' only with friends, family or people your age who have offered it.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask the driver politely to tell you when you have to get off?
Show a sample answer
Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?
This uses the polite 'Sie' form, 'bitte', and the correct clause order with the verb 'muss' at the end. 'Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen ...' is also correct and slightly more tentative.
2You need to get off at the main station. Complete: 'Ich muss am ... aussteigen.'
Show a sample answer
Ich muss am Hauptbahnhof aussteigen.
'Am Hauptbahnhof' means 'at the main station'. You can replace it with other stops, for example 'am Marktplatz' or 'an der Universität'.
3The driver says 'Ja, ich sage Ihnen Bescheid.' What does that mean?
Show a sample answer
Yes, I will let you know.
'Bescheid sagen' means to inform or let someone know. The driver is confirming that they will tell you when your stop is coming.
Learn one polite question — 'Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wann ich aussteigen muss?' — add your stop with 'Ich muss am ... aussteigen', and listen for 'Ich sage Ihnen Bescheid' as the driver's confirmation.
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