Trains, Buses & Tickets
Hungarian Basic Conversation 1
Chapter 12 · Trains, Buses & Tickets
🚆 Getting Around: Trains, Buses & Tickets — Közlekedés
The last chapter takes you onto trains, trams and buses: buying a ticket, finding the right platform, asking about delays and changes, and getting off at the right stop. It finishes with a Course Complete recap of the whole course. Every line has a respelling beneath it.
① Buying a Ticket — Jegyvásárlás
A:
Jó napot kívánok! Egy jegyet kérek Debrecenbe.
YOH NAW-pot KEE-vah-nok! EHDY YEH-dyeht KAY-rehk DEH-breh-tsehn-beh.
Good day! A ticket to Debrecen, please.
B:
Csak oda, vagy oda-vissza?
CHAWK O-daw, VAWDY O-daw-VIHS-saw?
One way, or return?
A:
Csak oda.
CHAWK O-daw.
One way.
B:
Négyezer forint.
NAYDY-eh-zehr FO-rint.
That's four thousand forints.
② Which Platform? — Melyik vágány?
A:
Elnézést, melyik vágányról indul a vonat Budapestre?
EHL-nay-zaysht, MEH-yihk VAH-gahny-rohl IHN-dul aw VO-nawt BOO-daw-pehsh-treh?
Excuse me, which platform does the train for Budapest leave from?
B:
A harmadik vágányról.
AW HAWR-maw-dihk VAH-gahny-rohl.
From platform three.
A:
Köszönöm.
KEU-seu-neum.
Thank you.
③ What Time? — Hánykor indul?
A:
Hánykor indul a következő vonat Debrecenbe?
HAHNY-kor IHN-dul aw KEU-veht-keh-zeuu VO-nawt DEH-breh-tsehn-beh?
What time does the next train to Debrecen leave?
B:
Tíz tizenötkor.
TEEZ TIH-zehn-eut-kor.
At 10:15.
A:
Köszönöm.
KEU-seu-neum.
Thank you.
④ Delay and Changes — Késés
A:
A vonat késik?
AW VO-nawt KAY-shihk?
Is the train late?
B:
Igen, tíz percet késik.
IH-gehn, TEEZ PEHR-tseht KAY-shihk.
Yes, it is ten minutes late.
A:
Van átszállás?
VAWN AHT-sahl-lahsh?
Is there a change?
B:
Nem, közvetlen vonat.
NEHM, KEUZ-veht-lehn VO-nawt.
No, it's a direct train.
⑤ On the Tram — A következő megálló
A:
Melyik a következő megálló?
MEH-yihk aw KEU-veht-keh-zeuu MEHG-ahl-loh?
Which is the next stop?
B:
A Keleti pályaudvar.
AW KEH-leh-tih PAHY-yaw-ud-vawr.
The Keleti station.
A:
Itt leszállok. Köszönöm.
IHTT LEH-sahl-lok. KEU-seu-neum.
I'm getting off here. Thank you.
⑥ A Seat Reservation — Helyjegy
A:
Egy helyjegyet is kérek.
EHDY HEHY-yeh-dyeht IHSH KAY-rehk.
I'd like a seat reservation too.
B:
Első vagy második osztály?
EHL-sheuu VAWDY MAH-sho-dihk OS-tahy?
First or second class?
A:
Második osztály, kérem.
MAH-sho-dihk OS-tahy, KAY-rehm.
Second class, please.
🗝️ Key Phrases — Fontos kifejezések
| Situation | Hungarian | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A ticket to …, please | Egy jegyet kérek …-ba / -be / -ra / -re. EHDY YEH-dyeht KAY-rehk | Debrecenbe, Budapestre |
| One way / return | Csak oda. / Oda-vissza. CHAWK O-daw / O-daw-VIHS-saw | also retúr (REH-toor) |
| Which platform? | Melyik vágányról indul? MEH-yihk VAH-gahny-rohl IHN-dul | |
| What time does it leave? | Hánykor indul? HAHNY-kor IHN-dul | |
| Is it late? | Késik? KAY-shihk | A vonat késik. |
| Is there a change? | Van átszállás? VAWN AHT-sahl-lahsh | |
| Which is the next stop? | Melyik a következő megálló? MEH-yihk aw KEU-veht-keh-zeuu MEHG-ahl-loh | |
| I'm getting off here | Itt leszállok. IHTT LEH-sahl-lok | |
| A seat reservation | Egy helyjegyet kérek. EHDY HEHY-yeh-dyeht KAY-rehk |
🚆 Transport Words — Közlekedés
| Word | Hungarian | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| train | vonat | VO-nawt |
| bus | busz | BUS |
| tram | villamos | VIHL-law-mosh |
| metro | metró | MEHT-roh |
| taxi | taxi | TAWK-sih |
| ticket | jegy | YEHDY |
| pass | bérlet | BAYR-leht |
| seat reservation | helyjegy | HEHY-yehdy |
| platform; track | vágány / peron | VAH-gahny / PEH-ron |
| railway station | pályaudvar | PAHY-yaw-ud-vawr |
| stop | megálló | MEHG-ahl-loh |
| delay | késés | KAY-shaysh |
| change (of train) | átszállás | AHT-sahl-lahsh |
| first / second class | első / második osztály | EHL-sheuu / MAH-sho-dihk OS-tahy |
🔢 Platform Numbers — Vágányok
Platforms use the ordinal numbers (first, second, third) before the word vágány: a harmadik vágány ("platform three"). The same ordinals you used for dates in Chapter 7, but without the date ending.
| Platform | Hungarian | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | az első vágány | AWZ EHL-sheuu VAH-gahny |
| 2 | a második vágány | AW MAH-sho-dihk VAH-gahny |
| 3 | a harmadik vágány | AW HAWR-maw-dihk VAH-gahny |
| 4 | a negyedik vágány | AW NEHDY-eh-dihk VAH-gahny |
| 5 | az ötödik vágány | AWZ EU-teu-dihk VAH-gahny |
🎯 "To" a City: -ba/-be and -ra/-re
To say you are going to a place, add -ba / -be ("into", from the "in" series you know) or -ra / -re ("onto", from the "on" series): Debrecenbe, Szegedre, Budapestre. As with -ban / -on in Chapter 4, each town has its own series, so learn the ending with the name.
🔤 Three More Verbs — Igék
| indulni (to depart) | utazni (to travel) | szállni (to board; to get off) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| én (I) AYN | indulok IHN-du-lok | utazom U-taw-zom | szállok SAHL-lok |
| te (you) TEH | indulsz IHN-duls | utazol U-taw-zol | szállsz SAHLS |
| ő, Ön EUU, EUN | indul IHN-dul | utazik U-taw-zihk | száll SAHLL |
| mi (we) MIH | indulunk IHN-du-lunk | utazunk U-taw-zunk | szállunk SAHL-lunk |
| ti (you, pl.) TIH | indultok IHN-dul-tok | utaztok U-taws-tok | szálltok SAHLL-tok |
| ők (they) EUUK | indulnak IHN-dul-nawk | utaznak U-tawz-nawk | szállnak SAHLL-nawk |
📖 Vocabulary — Szókincs
20 key words. Read the Hungarian first, then check the respelling (CAPITALS = the stressed first syllable).
| # | Hungarian | Say it | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | jegy | YEHDY | ticket | noun |
| 2 | bérlet | BAYR-leht | pass; season ticket | noun |
| 3 | vonat | VO-nawt | train | noun |
| 4 | busz | BUS | bus | noun |
| 5 | villamos | VIHL-law-mosh | tram | noun |
| 6 | vágány | VAH-gahny | platform; track | noun |
| 7 | pályaudvar | PAHY-yaw-ud-vawr | railway station | noun |
| 8 | megálló | MEHG-ahl-loh | stop | noun |
| 9 | következő | KEU-veht-keh-zeuu | next | adj |
| 10 | indul | IHN-dul | departs; leaves | verb |
| 11 | érkezik | AYR-keh-zihk | arrives | verb |
| 12 | késik | KAY-shihk | is late | verb |
| 13 | átszállás | AHT-sahl-lahsh | change (of train) | noun |
| 14 | osztály | OS-tahy | class | noun |
| 15 | helyjegy | HEHY-yehdy | seat reservation | noun |
| 16 | csak oda | CHAWK O-daw | one way | phrase |
| 17 | oda-vissza | O-daw-VIHS-saw | return; round trip | phrase |
| 18 | utazik | U-taw-zihk | travels | verb |
| 19 | leszállok | LEH-sahl-lok | I get off | verb |
| 20 | közvetlen | KEUZ-veht-lehn | direct | adj |
Real Hungarian Tip — Seat Reservations on InterCity Trains
Hungarian long-distance InterCity trains usually require a helyjegy (seat reservation) as well as your ticket, so say Egy helyjegyet is kérek when you buy. The national railway is the MÁV (MAHV), and long-distance buses are run by Volán.
Always Carry a Valid Ticket
Ticket inspectors (ellenőr, EHL-leh-neuur) are common on Budapest transport and on trains, and fines for travelling without a valid ticket are high. Buy your ticket or pass before you board, and check the instructions for validating a paper ticket (érvényesít) in the machine on board.
Terminus Stations Are Named
A train for Budapest usually arrives at one of the three big stations, Keleti, Nyugati or Déli (Chapter 10), so check which one your ticket names. Pályaudvar means "railway yard", the word on the main station signs.
Köszönöm and Szívesen to the Driver
On trams and buses in Hungary it is normal to greet the driver and fellow passengers with a quiet Jó napot! when boarding, and to thank staff with Köszönöm. A polite Elnézést! is always the right way to pass someone in a crowded vehicle.
✍️ Try It Yourself — Gyakorlatok
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Ask for a one-way ticket to Debrecen.
Show answer
Egy jegyet kérek Debrecenbe. Csak oda.
2. Ask which platform the train leaves from.
Show answer
Melyik vágányról indul a vonat?
3. Ask what time the next train leaves.
Show answer
Hánykor indul a következő vonat?
4. Ask whether the train is late, and whether there is a change.
Show answer
Késik a vonat? · Van átszállás?
5. Say "I'm getting off here".
Show answer
Itt leszállok.
6. What do you ask for if the train needs a seat reservation?
Show answer
Egy helyjegyet is kérek.
🎓 Course Complete — Gratulálok!
You have finished Hungarian Basic Conversation 1. In twelve chapters you went from reading Hungarian aloud to handling the main situations of a first trip: greetings, introductions, numbers, travel, food, shopping and hotels. Here is the whole journey.
| Chapter | Topic | You can now… |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greetings & Goodbyes | You can now greet, thank, apologise and say goodbye, formally and informally. |
| 2 | Introducing Yourself | You can now say your name, ask someone's and use lenni. |
| 3 | Numbers, Age & Contact Details | You can now count to 100, say your age and phone number. |
| 4 | Where You're From | You can now say where you come from and live, using -ban/-ból. |
| 5 | Talking About Your Family | You can now describe your family with the possessive endings. |
| 6 | Talking About Your Job | You can now say what you do and where you work. |
| 7 | Days, Dates & Time | You can now say the day, date and time, including fél három. |
| 8 | Ordering at a Café | You can now order with the -t ending and pay. |
| 9 | Shopping & Prices | You can now ask prices in forint and compare. |
| 10 | Asking for Directions | You can now ask the way and understand balra, jobbra, egyenesen. |
| 11 | Booking a Hotel | You can now book and check in with Szeretnék and Foglalásom van. |
| 12 | Trains, Buses & Tickets | You can now buy tickets and find your platform. |
What Next?
You have finished Hungarian Basic Conversation 1. Next steps: a future Hungarian Basic Conversation 2, which moves on to daily routines, plans, descriptions and the past tense, and the full definite verb conjugation that this course only previewed.