Buying Train Tickets
Use these phrases when purchasing train tickets, asking for journey details, or speaking with station staff in a French-speaking country.
Key Phrases
Il me faudrait un aller-retour pour Paris demain matin.
neutralI'd need a round-trip to Paris tomorrow morning.
A very natural, everyday way to ask staff for something you need.
Je voudrais un billet aller simple pour Lyon, s'il vous plaît.
politeI would like a one-way ticket to Lyon, please.
Standard polite phrasing at a ticket counter.
Il est à quelle heure le prochain train pour Lille ?
neutralWhat time is the next train to Lille?
Spoken sentence structure commonly used with agents or conductors.
À quelle heure part le prochain train pour Strasbourg, s'il vous plaît ?
politeAt what time does the next train to Strasbourg leave, please?
More formal phrasing, good for information desks.
C'est possible d'avoir une place côté couloir ?
neutralIs it possible to have an aisle seat?
Use 'côté fenêtre' if you prefer a window seat.
Est-il possible d'avoir une place côté fenêtre, s'il vous plaît ?
politeIs it possible to have a window seat, please?
A classic, polite way to request a specific seat.
Vous faites un tarif étudiant pour ce trajet ?
neutralDo you do a student rate for this journey?
Transactional phrasing to check for discounts.
Est-ce qu'il existe une réduction pour les seniors ?
politeIs there a discount for seniors?
Useful to ask about any category like 'jeunes' (youth) or 'familles' (families).
C'est voie combien pour le départ vers Nantes ?
neutralWhich platform is the departure for Nantes?
Tracks are called 'voies' in France.
Savez-vous de quel quai part le train pour Bordeaux ?
politeDo you know which platform the train to Bordeaux leaves from?
Platforms are often called 'quais' in Belgium or Switzerland.
Je dois composter ce billet ou c'est automatique ?
neutralDo I have to validate this ticket or is it automatic?
Many tickets are digital now, but paper ones often still need to be validated ('compostés').
Mon train a du retard, il partira vers quelle heure en fait ?
neutralMy train is delayed, around what time will it leave actually?
A natural way to ask staff for an update on a delayed departure.
C'est un trajet direct ou bien je dois changer de train ?
neutralIs it a direct journey or do I have to change trains?
Important for knowing if you have a layover ('correspondance').
Ce billet est valable sur n'importe quel train de la journée ?
neutralIs this ticket valid on any train during the day?
Good for checking if you have an open or flexible ticket.