How to Ask "What's the Next Stop?" in Japanese for Buses and Trains
Learn the beginner Japanese question 次の駅は何ですか (tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka) and its bus version, plus how to catch and confirm stop names while riding trains and buses in Japan.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you ride a train or bus in Japan, announcements are usually made in Japanese first, and you may not catch the name of the coming stop. The single most useful question you can learn is how to ask what the next stop is. In this lesson you will learn the core question for trains, the matching question for buses, how to ask someone to repeat a stop name, and how to confirm that a stop is your stop. You do not need to understand every announcement; you only need a few fixed patterns and the ability to recognize the word that means "next." All examples are written in natural Japanese script with Hepburn romanization so you can read along and say them aloud.
By the end, you can…
- ask what the next stop is on a train or bus in Japanese.
- ask someone to repeat a stop name and confirm whether a stop is mine.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
次の駅は何ですか。
What is the next station?
tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka
Use on trains and subways. 駅 (eki) means station, so this question is for rail travel, not buses.
次の停留所は何ですか。
What is the next stop? (for buses)
tsugi no teiryūjo wa nan desu ka
Use on buses. 停留所 (teiryūjo) is the word for a bus stop; it is more precise than 駅 on a bus.
次は何ですか。
What is next?
tsugi wa nan desu ka
A short, natural version. The meaning is clear from context when you are clearly on a train or bus.
もう一度お願いします。
One more time, please.
mō ichido onegaishimasu
Use this when you did not catch the stop name. It is polite and works in any situation.
ここですか。
Is it here?
koko desu ka
Use to confirm that the current stop is the one you want. Point at the map or say your stop name before it if needed.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 次 (tsugi, next) + の (no, a linking particle) + the place word + は何ですか (wa nan desu ka, is what?). On a train, say 次の駅は何ですか (tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka). On a bus, replace 駅 with 停留所: 次の停留所は何ですか (tsugi no teiryūjo wa nan desu ka). If you want to name your own stop, put it first: 新宿は次ですか (Shinjuku wa tsugi desu ka, is Shinjuku next?). The particle は (wa) marks the topic, and か (ka) at the end makes it a question.
When to use it
Ask 次の駅は何ですか when you are on a train and want to know the upcoming station. On a bus, use 次の停留所は何ですか, because buses stop at 停留所, not 駅. If the reply comes too fast, say もう一度お願いします (mō ichido onegaishimasu) and listen for the place name only. When you think your stop has arrived, ask ここですか (koko desu ka) or say your stop name plus ですか, for example 東京駅ですか (Tōkyō-eki desu ka, is this Tokyo Station?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、次の駅は何ですか。
Excuse me, what is the next station?sumimasen, tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka次は新宿です。
The next one is Shinjuku.tsugi wa Shinjuku desuもう一度お願いします。
One more time, please.mō ichido onegaishimasu新宿です。
It is Shinjuku.Shinjuku desuA little context goes a long way
In Japan, station and bus stop announcements are usually given in Japanese first, then in English at major stations, so the Japanese version is worth learning even if you speak English. Staff and passengers are generally helpful, but keep questions short and polite. Adding すみません (sumimasen, excuse me) before a question is standard when addressing a stranger, and it is perfectly fine to ask a conductor or driver rather than another passenger.
One thing to watch for
Using 駅 (eki) for a bus stop, as in 次の駅は何ですか on a bus.
Try this instead: On a bus, say 次の停留所は何ですか (tsugi no teiryūjo wa nan desu ka). 駅 means a train or subway station; a bus stop is 停留所 (teiryūjo). If you are unsure, the short form 次は何ですか (tsugi wa nan desu ka) is safe on both.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are on a train and want to know the coming station. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
次の駅は何ですか。 (tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka)
This uses 駅 (station) with the pattern 次の〜は何ですか. On a bus, the same pattern with 停留所 (teiryūjo) is also correct.
2The announcement was too fast. How do you ask for it again politely?
Show a sample answer
もう一度お願いします。 (mō ichido onegaishimasu)
This is a polite fixed phrase for asking someone to repeat something. すみません、もう一度お願いします is also fine and equally polite.
3You think your stop has arrived and want to confirm. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
ここですか。 (koko desu ka)
This asks "Is it here?" and works when you point at a map or the window. Saying your stop name plus ですか, such as 東京駅ですか, is another valid way to confirm.
Learn 次の駅は何ですか for trains and 次の停留所は何ですか for buses, and keep もう一度お願いします ready for when the announcement goes by too quickly.
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