CEFR A1-A2
Mandarin Transport Phrases: Tickets, Directions, Taxis and Public Transport
Public transport in major mainland Chinese cities and in Taipei is the cheapest and most efficient in the region. The metro systems are signposted in English; the surface networks and the inter-city services are increasingly so but still benefit from Mandarin. These phrases handle the moments where pinyin and English signage thin out.
How do I get to [place]?
Wǒ zěnme qù [place]? (...?)
IPA [wo˨˩˦ tsən˨˩˦mə tɕʰy˥˩]
wǒ zěnme qù...
Default opener. 'Zěnme' (怎么) means 'how' (in process sense).
Is it far from here?
Lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma? (?)
IPA [li˧˥ ʈʂɤ˥˩li˨˩˦ ɥɛn˨˩˦ ma]
lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma
Can I walk there?
Zǒulù kěyǐ dào ma? (?)
IPA [tsoʊ˨˩˦lu˥˩ kʰɤ˧˥i˨˩˦ taʊ˥˩ ma]
zǒulù kéyǐ dào ma
'Zǒulù' (走路) literally means 'walk road'. Note tone sandhi: kěyǐ sounds kéyǐ before fourth-tone dào.
How long does it take?
Yào duō cháng shíjiān? (?)
IPA [jaʊ˥˩ two˥ ʈʂʰaŋ˧˥ ʂʐ̩˧˥tɕjɛn˥]
yào duō cháng shíjiān
I would like a ticket to [destination].
Wǒ yào yì zhāng qù [destination] de piào. (...票.)
IPA [wo˨˩˦ jaʊ˥˩ i˥˩ ʈʂaŋ˥ tɕʰy˥˩ ... tɤ pʰjaʊ˥˩]
wǒ yào yì zhāng qù... de piào
'Zhāng' (张) is the measure word for flat tickets. Use this at train stations, bus stations and ticket counters. Note tone sandhi: yī becomes yì before first-tone zhāng.
A single, please. / A return, please.
Yì zhāng dānchéng. / Yì zhāng wǎngfǎn piào. (程. / 返票.)
IPA [i˥˩ ʈʂaŋ˥ tan˥ʈʂʰəŋ˧˥ / i˥˩ ʈʂaŋ˥ waŋ˨˩˦fan˨˩˦ pʰjaʊ˥˩]
yì zhāng dānchéng / yì zhāng wǎngfǎn piào
'Dānchéng' (单程) = single (one-way); 'wǎngfǎn' (往返) = round trip. Note tone sandhi: yī becomes yì before first-tone zhāng.
What time is the next train?
Xià yì bān huǒchē shénme shíhou? (班火?)
IPA [ɕja˥˩ i˥˩ pan˥ xwo˨˩˦ʈʂʰɤ˥ ʂən˧˥mə ʂʐ̩˧˥xoʊ]
xià yì bān huǒchē shénme shíhou
'Huǒchē' (火车) means 'fire car' = train. For metro use 'dìtiě' (地铁); for bus use 'gōngjiāochē' (公交车) in mainland or 'gōngchē' (公车) in Taiwan. Note tone sandhi: yī becomes yì before first-tone bān.
Where does the bus stop?
Gōngjiāochē zhàn zài nǎlǐ? (?)
IPA [kʊŋ˥tɕjaʊ˥ʈʂʰɤ˥ ʈʂan˥˩ tsaɪ˥˩ na˨˩˦li˨˩˦]
gōngjiāochē zhàn zài nǎlǐ
'Zhàn' (站) means 'stop / station' across all public transport contexts.
Does this bus go to [destination]?
Zhè bān chē qù [destination] ma? (班...?)
IPA [ʈʂɤ˥˩ pan˥ ʈʂʰɤ˥ tɕʰy˥˩ ... ma]
zhè bān chē qù... ma
'Bān' (班) is the measure word for trips/runs of a vehicle.
I would like to go to [address].
Wǒ yào qù [address]. (...)
IPA [wo˨˩˦ jaʊ˥˩ tɕʰy˥˩]
wǒ yào qù...
Hand the driver the address written down in Chinese characters; pronouncing road names is one of the hardest things for learners and most Chinese taxi drivers do not read pinyin.
How much will it cost approximately?
Dàgài duōshǎo qián? (?)
IPA [ta˥˩kaɪ˥˩ two˥ʂaʊ˨˩˦ tɕʰjɛn˧˥]
dàgài duōshǎo qián
'Dàgài' (大概) = approximately. 'Duōshǎo qián' (多少钱) = how much money. Mainland Chinese taxis are usually metered; 'dàgài' is a useful sanity check before getting in.
Please take me to [hotel].
Qǐng dài wǒ qù [hotel]. (...)
IPA [tɕʰiŋ˨˩˦ taɪ˥˩ wo˨˩˦ tɕʰy˥˩]
qǐng dài wǒ qù...
'Qǐng' (请) is the polite imperative; lands well with taxi drivers.
Stop here, please.
Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē. (.)
IPA [tɕʰiŋ˨˩˦ tsaɪ˥˩ ʈʂɤ˥˩li˨˩˦ tʰiŋ˧˥ʈʂʰɤ˥]
qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē
'Tíngchē' (停车) literally means 'stop car'.
Can I pay by mobile?
Kěyǐ yòng shǒujī fùqián ma? (付?)
IPA [kʰɤ˧˥i˨˩˦ jʊŋ˥˩ ʂoʊ˨˩˦tɕi˥ fu˥˩tɕʰjɛn˧˥ ma]
kéyǐ yòng shǒujī fùqián ma
Mainland China is mobile-payment first; Alipay and WeChat Pay are universal for taxis, buses and shops. Most taxis still accept cash; cards are less reliable. Note tone sandhi: kěyǐ sounds kéyǐ before fourth-tone yòng.
Regional notes
Mainland China
The high-speed rail (Gāotiě, 高铁) network is the inter-city backbone and is excellent. Book through the official 12306 app or via a Western travel agent. Mainland metros (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, etc.) use stored-value cards (e.g. Beijing's Yīkǎtōng, 一卡通; Shanghai's Public Transportation Card) or QR code mobile payment. The Tieyou and Trip.com apps work in English for booking.
Taiwan
Taiwan's High-Speed Rail (THSR) runs Taipei to Kaohsiung; the conventional TRA network covers the rest. The Taipei Metro (MRT) uses the EasyCard, which also works on Taipei buses, YouBikes and 7-Eleven payments. Bilingual signage and announcements throughout the system.
Hong Kong
The Octopus card is the universal stored-value card for the MTR (metro), buses, ferries, and many shops. Cantonese is the local language; Mandarin is widely understood at the network's main interchanges. Sign-posting is trilingual (English, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese where it differs).
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
How do I ask for directions politely in Mandarin?
Qǐngwèn, [place] zài nǎlǐ? (请问, ...在哪里? Excuse me, where is [place]?) Always open with 'qǐngwèn' (请问, may I ask); skipping it sounds abrupt. Mandarin politeness is conveyed through opening particles and modal verbs rather than through honorifics.
What is the Mandarin word for metro / subway?
Dìtiě (地铁), literally 'underground iron'. Same word across mainland China and Singapore. In Hong Kong the equivalent is 'gǎngtiě' (港铁) or just 'MTR' in English. Taiwan calls it 'jiéyùn' (捷运) in Taipei, also widely understood as 'dìtiě' elsewhere.
Is it rude to negotiate a taxi fare in mainland China?
Mainland Chinese taxis are metered by law in major cities; negotiating is not standard and is sometimes a sign of an unlicensed cab. Use the meter ('dǎbiǎo', 打表). Where the meter is being avoided (small cities, late-night rides, airport runs from secondary terminals), agreeing a fixed price up front is reasonable. In Taiwan all taxis are metered universally.