How to Use Spanish Phrases on a Train
In Hispanic countries, public transportation is more extensive than it is in the United States. The experience can be more enjoyable if you're able to find your way around in Spanish. Following are some simple phrases you can use, followed by phonetic spelling, in parentheses, to help you approximate accurate Spanish sounds. Where the phonetic spelling is in capital letters, that indicates where you should stress the word more as you say it.
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Instructions
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Ask, at the station, "At what time does the train for (city) leave?" In Spanish, use "¿A qué hora sale el tren para (city)?" (ah keh OH-rah SAH-lay el tren PAH-rah...).
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Buy a ticket. "I want a ticket for (city) at (time)" is "Quiero un billete para (city) para la(s) (time)" (kee-AY-roh oon bee-YEH-tay PAH-rah ... PAH-rah lah(s) ...). Note that in some countries you may want to use the word "boleto" (boh-LEH-toh) for "ticket."
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Find out "What platform does the train leave from?" by saying "¿De qué anden sale?" (day kay AHN-dehn SAH-lay). Be sure to take the correct stairway to put you on the side of the platform on which the train doors will open. If you're not sure where it is, ask "Where is platform (number)?" with "¿Por dónde está el andén (number)?" (pour DOHN-day eh-STAH el AHN-den ...).
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Locate your seat. Sometimes the seats are reserved, which you'll note on your ticket. If there is no reserved seat, you'll have to find an empty seat. To ask "May I sit here?" use "¿Puedo sentarme aquí?" (PWAY-doh sen-TAR-may ah-KEE).
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Give your ticket to the conductor when she comes by. "Here it is" is said by "Aquí lo tiene" (ah-KEE loh tee-EH-nay). If you know some Spanish, you'll notice that they actually say "Here you have it."
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Determine what the next stop is while riding the train. "What is the next stop?" is "¿Cuál es la próxima parada?" (kwahl ehs lah PROH-ksee-mah pah-RAH-dah).
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Discover how many stops to go until the one you want: "How many more stops until (city)?" by saying "¿Cuántas paradas más hasta (city)?" (KWAHN-tahs pah-RAH-dahs mahs AH-stah...).
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Tips & Warnings
When telling time, Spanish generally puts the word "LAS" in front of the number of the hour (unless it's 1:00, in which case they put "LA" in front). The numbers you'll hear are ONE-UNO (OO-noh); TWO-DOS (dose); THREE-TRES (trace); FOUR-CUATRO (KWAH-troh); FIVE-CINCO (SINK-oh); SIX-SEIS (says); SEVEN-SIETE (see-EH-tay); EIGHT-OCHO (OH-choh); NINE-NUEVE (noo-WAY-vay); TEN-DIEZ (dee-ACE); ELEVEN-ONCE (OWN-say); TWELVE-DOCE (DOE-say).
Keep in mind that, as you read a train schedule, the times will most likely be listed in military time. That is, 12:00 noon is 1200, so 1:00 pm becomes 1300, 2:00 pm becomes 1400, and it continues like that up to midnight, which is 2400 or 0000.
Make sure to hold on to your ticket, as you'll have to present it when asked. If you don't have it, they can put you off at the next stop and require you to pay an arbitrary amount.
