Today's words · 🚆 At the train station
All aboard: 10 German words for the train station
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Anyone who takes German trains learns this fast: you need to understand the announcements as much as you need a ticket.
You're standing under the departures board at the main station when an announcement crackles out and everyone suddenly rushes to another platform. What just happened, and why are you the only one still standing there?
Today's ten words are the ones you see and hear at every station. With them you can read the board, follow delay announcements and ask for help when you miss your connection. 🚆
📋 The ten words at a glance
- der Bahnhof — railway station, train station
- der Zug — train
- das Gleis — track, platform (number)
- der Bahnsteig — platform
- der Fahrplan — timetable, schedule
- die Verspätung — delay
- der Anschluss — connection (onward train etc.); hook-up
- die Ankunft — arrival
- die Abfahrt — departure
- die Durchsage — announcement (over a loudspeaker)
🧠 Words, examples and memory tricks
der Bahnhof
[BAHN-hohf]railway station, train station(Pl. die Bahnhöfe)
📌 Der Zug fährt um zehn Uhr vom Bahnhof ab.
→ The train leaves the station at ten o'clock.
💡 Bahn (railway) + Hof (yard) = the yard where the trains gather 🏰
Bonus Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof. = It's all Greek to me.
der Zug
[TSOOK]train(Pl. die Züge)
📌 Der Zug nach Hamburg fährt um 9 Uhr ab.
→ The train to Hamburg leaves at 9 o'clock.
💡 It comes from ziehen (to pull) — the engine tugs the carriages 🚂
Bonus to go by train = mit dem Zug fahren
⚠ The plural has an umlaut: die Züge
das Gleis
[GLICE]track, platform (number)(Pl. die Gleise)
📌 Der Zug fährt heute von Gleis 7.
→ Today the train leaves from platform 7.
💡 Sounds like glides — the track the train glides along 🛤️
Bonus A word you'll hear in announcements: Gleiswechsel = change of platform
der Bahnsteig
[BAHN-shtike]platform(Pl. die Bahnsteige · Swiss: der Perron)
📌 Der Zug nach München fährt heute von Bahnsteig 5 ab.
→ The train to Munich leaves from platform 5 today.
💡 Bahn + steigen (to climb) = where you climb onto the train 🧍
Bonus einsteigen = get on · aussteigen = get off · umsteigen = change trains
⚠ Announcements and boards usually give the Gleis number, not the Bahnsteig.
der Fahrplan
[FAHR-plahn]timetable, schedule(Pl. die Fahrpläne)
📌 Laut Fahrplan kommt der Bus um 8:10 Uhr.
→ According to the timetable, the bus comes at 8:10.
💡 fahren (to travel) + Plan = the travel plan, aka the timetable 🗓️
Bonus laut Fahrplan = according to the timetable
die Verspätung
[fair-SHPAY-toong]delay(Pl. die Verspätungen)
📌 Der Zug hat zwanzig Minuten Verspätung.
→ The train is twenty minutes late.
💡 spät (late) is hiding inside ⏰ Possibly the most-heard word at any German station.
⚠ It goes with haben: Der Zug hat zehn Minuten Verspätung.
der Anschluss
[AHN-shlooss]connection (onward train etc.); hook-up(Pl. die Anschlüsse)
📌 Wegen der Verspätung habe ich meinen Anschluss verpasst.
→ Because of the delay I missed my connection.
💡 From anschließen (to connect) — the train that links up with yours 🔗
Bonus den Anschluss verpassen = to miss your connection
die Ankunft
[AHN-koonft]arrival(Pl. die Ankünfte)
📌 Bitte rufen Sie mich nach Ihrer Ankunft an.
→ Please call me after you arrive.
💡 An old noun from ankommen (to arrive) 🏁 Same pattern as Zukunft (future).
Bonus to arrive = ankommen: Wann kommt der Zug an?
die Abfahrt
[AP-fahrt]departure(Pl. die Abfahrten)
📌 Die Abfahrt ist um 8:15 Uhr.
→ Departure is at 8:15.
💡 ab (off) + Fahrt (journey) = heading off 🚉
⚠ The verb abfahren is separable: Der Zug fährt um acht ab.
die Durchsage
[DOORKH-zah-guh]announcement (over a loudspeaker)(Pl. die Durchsagen)
📌 Hast du die Durchsage verstanden?
→ Did you understand the announcement?
💡 durch (through) + sagen (to say) = saying it through a loudspeaker 📢
Bonus A classic on the S-Bahn: Zurückbleiben, bitte! = Stand back, please (doors closing).
🇩🇪 A spoonful of German culture
Most German stations have no ticket barriers. Instead, inspectors check tickets on the train, so make sure you have a valid one before you get on. In some regions, paper tickets have to be stamped (entwerten) before you travel.
On long-distance platforms you'll see section letters like A, B and C. Check the coach layout board (Wagenreihung) to find where your carriage will stop, and you'll do much less running when the train pulls in.
Let's be honest: delays happen. If your train is very late you can often claim part of the fare back (Fahrgastrechte), so hang on to your ticket. 🎫
✅ Quick quiz
Q. Your train was late and you missed the next train you were meant to catch. What do you tell the staff at the travel centre?
- ① Ich habe meine Ankunft verpasst.
- ② Ich habe den Fahrplan verpasst.
- ③ Ich habe meinen Anschluss verpasst.
Show the answer
③ Ich habe meinen Anschluss verpasst.
der Anschluss is your connecting train, so ‘I missed my connection’ is exactly right.
Next time you're at a station, read Abfahrt, Gleis and Verspätung off the board out loud. Bit by bit, the announcements will start to make sense! 🛤️
🔜 Tomorrow's topic: 🗣️ Language & integration courses