🇷🇺 RussianA1–A2

Russian Public Transport Phrases

This page gives you the Russian you need in everyday public transport situations in Russia: asking which bus or train to take, buying a ticket, checking departure times and transfers, and asking for help if something goes wrong. The wording uses polite вы-style phrasing that is safe with drivers, ticket staff, and strangers.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Russian phrases

Find the right bus, train, or platform

Use these to check whether you have the right service and where it leaves from.

Где остановка автобуса до центра?
Transliteration: Gde ostanovka avtobusa do tsentra?
Where is the bus stop for the city center?
Это автобус до вокзала?
Transliteration: Eto avtobus do vokzala?
Is this the bus to the station?
С какой платформы отправляется поезд на Москву?
Transliteration: S kakoy platformy otpravlyayetsya poezd na Moskvu?
Which platform does the train to Moscow leave from?
Какой номер у этого маршрута?
Transliteration: Kakoy nomer u etogo marshruta?
What number is this route?
Я правильно иду к метро?
Transliteration: Ya pravilno idu k metro?
Am I going the right way to the metro?

Buy a ticket and ask about fares

Use these when you need a ticket, want to know the price, or need to pay.

Где купить билет?
Transliteration: Gde kupit bilet?
Where can I buy a ticket?
Мне нужен билет до [place].
Transliteration: Mne nuzhen bilet do [place].
I need a ticket to [place].
Сколько стоит билет?
Transliteration: Skolko stoit bilet?
How much is the ticket?
Сколько стоит проезд?
Transliteration: Skolko stoit proyezd?
How much is the fare?
Можно оплатить картой?
Transliteration: Mozhno oplatit kartoy?
Can I pay by card?
Мне один взрослый билет, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Mne odin vzroslyy bilet, pozhaluysta.
One adult ticket, please.

Ask about departure times, stops, and transfers

Use these to check when something leaves, where it stops, and whether you need to change vehicles.

Во сколько отправляется поезд?
Transliteration: Vo skolko otpravlyayetsya poezd?
What time does the train leave?
Когда следующий автобус?
Transliteration: Kogda sleduyushchiy avtobus?
When is the next bus?
Это прямой маршрут?
Transliteration: Eto pryamoy marshrut?
Is this a direct route?
Мне нужно сделать пересадку?
Transliteration: Mne nuzhno sdelat peresadku?
Do I need to transfer?
Он останавливается у аэропорта?
Transliteration: On ostanavlivayetsya u aeroporta?
Does it stop at the airport?
На какой остановке мне выйти?
Transliteration: Na kakoy ostanovke mne vyyti?
At which stop should I get off?

Delays and asking for help

Use these if the vehicle is late, you missed your stop, or you need help understanding what to do next.

Поезд опаздывает?
Transliteration: Poezd opazdyvayet?
Is the train late?
Скажите, пожалуйста, когда будет моя остановка.
Transliteration: Skazhite, pozhaluysta, kogda budet moya ostanovka.
Please tell me when my stop is.
Я пропустил(а) свою остановку.
Transliteration: Ya propustil(a) svoyu ostanovku.
I missed my stop.
Я вышел(а) не на той остановке.
Transliteration: Ya vyshel(a) ne na toy ostanovke.
I got off at the wrong stop.
Помогите, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Pomogite, pozhaluysta.
Please help.
Извините, я не понял(а).
Transliteration: Izvinite, ya ne ponyal(a).
Sorry, I didn't understand.

Example conversations

At a bus stop

You want to make sure you have the right bus, buy the ticket, and hear when it leaves.

You
Извините, это автобус до вокзала?
Izvinite, eto avtobus do vokzala?
Excuse me, is this the bus to the station?
Other person
Да, это он.
Da, eto on.
Yes, it is.
You
Сколько стоит проезд?
Skolko stoit proyezd?
How much is the fare?
Other person
Двадцать рублей. Можно оплатить картой.
Dvadtsat rubley. Mozhno oplatit kartoy.
Twenty rubles. You can pay by card.
You
Хорошо. Мне один взрослый билет, пожалуйста.
Khorosho. Mne odin vzroslyy bilet, pozhaluysta.
Okay. One adult ticket, please.
Other person
Конечно. Следующий автобус будет через пять минут.
Konechno. Sleduyushchiy avtobus budet cherez pyat minut.
Sure. The next bus will be in five minutes.

At the station after a delay

You need the platform, the train is late, and you need help with a transfer.

You
Помогите, пожалуйста. Извините, я не понял(а). С какой платформы отправляется поезд на Москву?
Pomogite, pozhaluysta. Izvinite, ya ne ponyal(a). S kakoy platformy otpravlyayetsya poezd na Moskvu?
Please help. Sorry, I didn't understand. Which platform does the train to Moscow leave from?
Other person
С третьей платформы.
S tretey platformy.
From platform three.
You
Поезд опаздывает?
Poezd opazdyvayet?
Is the train late?
Other person
Да, примерно на десять минут.
Da, primerno na desyat minut.
Yes, about ten minutes.
You
Мне нужно сделать пересадку?
Mne nuzhno sdelat peresadku?
Do I need to transfer?
Other person
Да, на следующей станции. У вас есть время.
Da, na sleduyushchey stantsii. U vas yest' vremya.
Yes, at the next station. You have time.
You
Спасибо. Скажите, пожалуйста, когда будет моя остановка.
Spasibo. Skazhite, pozhaluysta, kogda budet moya ostanovka.
Thank you. Please tell me when my stop is.
Other person
Хорошо, я вам скажу.
Khorosho, ya vam skazhu.
Okay, I'll tell you.

A few things to know

polite by default

Use вы with staff and strangers, and add пожалуйста or извините when you are asking for help or information. Short neutral questions are common, but the polite wording on this page is the safest default.

grammar

Platform questions use с + genitive

In 'С какой платформы отправляется поезд на Москву?', the preposition с requires the noun after it to be in the genitive case: платформа becomes платформы. Use the same pattern when asking where a bus, train, or transfer leaves from.

grammar

до marks the destination of the service

In 'Мне нужен билет до [place]' and 'Это автобус до вокзала?', до + genitive tells you where the vehicle goes. It names the destination, not the place where you get off. For the exit point, use a separate question like 'На какой остановке мне выйти?'.

grammar

Past tense changes with speaker gender

In 'Я пропустил(а) свою остановку' and 'Я вышел(а) не на той остановке', the singular past tense changes by gender: men normally say пропустил / вышел, women say пропустила / вышла. The page writes both forms with (а) so you can choose the one that matches you.

Try it yourself

Choose the right phrase

Pick what you would say in each situation.

Question 1 of 3

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

You are at a bus stop and want to confirm whether this bus goes to the station.

Это автобус до вокзала?Где купить билет?Поезд опаздывает?

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Russian Introductions: Essential PhrasesLearn the Russian phrases you need for a first meeting: greeting someone, introducing yourself, asking basic personal questions, and ending the conversation naturally.Russian Restaurant and Café PhrasesPractical Russian phrases for a restaurant or café in Russia: getting a table, ordering naturally, handling dietary needs, paying, and leaving politely.How to Ask for Directions in RussianLearn how to ask where a place is, understand simple route instructions, clarify what you heard, and thank the person helping you.Russian Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesEveryday Russian for checking in, asking about hotel services, reporting room problems, and checking out.Essential Russian Shopping PhrasesEveryday Russian for asking where something is, checking price, size, and colour, trying items on, paying, and handling a simple return or exchange.

Put the phrases in context

Essential Russian phrases

Find the right bus, train, or platform

Buy a ticket and ask about fares

Ask about departure times, stops, and transfers

Delays and asking for help

Example conversations

At a bus stop

At the station after a delay

A few things to know

polite by default

Platform questions use с + genitive

до marks the destination of the service

Past tense changes with speaker gender

Choose the right phrase

More Russian phrase guides

Practise with Russian stories