Dialogue
Buy a train ticket in French: a ticket-office dialogue
Practise buying a return train ticket in French. Ask about departure, arrival and changes, then confirm both journeys in a complete ticket-office dialogue.
- A2
- 12 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Ask for un aller simple for a one-way ticket or un aller-retour for a return. Give the destination and date, then check le départ (departure), l’arrivée (arrival) and any correspondance (connection).
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
At the ticket desk, you are travelling from Lyon to Dijon on Saturday and coming back on Sunday. Use practice mode to hide the traveller’s lines and build the request from the English cues.
- Agent
Bonjour, je vous écoute.
English
Hello, how can I help?
- You
Bonjour, je voudrais un aller-retour de Lyon à Dijon pour une personne, s’il vous plaît.
Ask for a return from Lyon to Dijon for one person.
English
Hello, I’d like a return ticket from Lyon to Dijon for one person, please.
- Agent
Pour quelles dates ?
English
For which dates?
- You
L’aller samedi matin, vers neuf heures, et le retour dimanche soir.
Give Saturday morning around nine and Sunday evening.
English
Out on Saturday morning, around nine, and back on Sunday evening.
- Agent
Pour l’aller, je vous propose un départ à neuf heures vingt et une arrivée à onze heures.
English
For the outward journey, I can offer departure at 9.20 and arrival at 11.
- You
Est-ce qu’il faut changer de train ?
Ask whether you need to change trains.
English
Do I need to change trains?
- Agent
Non, c’est un train direct. Pour le retour, il y a un départ à dix-huit heures dix.
English
No, it’s a direct train. For the return, there’s a departure at 18.10.
- You
Et à quelle heure arrive le train à Lyon ?
Ask for the return arrival time.
English
And what time does the train arrive in Lyon?
- Agent
À dix-neuf heures cinquante.
English
At 19.50.
- You
Donc, samedi à neuf heures vingt pour Dijon, et dimanche à dix-huit heures dix pour Lyon ?
Repeat both departure times and destinations.
English
So, Saturday at 9.20 to Dijon, and Sunday at 18.10 to Lyon?
- Agent
C’est bien ça.
English
That’s right.
- You
Merci. Combien coûte l’aller-retour ?
Ask the price before paying.
English
Thank you. How much is the return?
Keep the two journeys apart
| Journey | From → to | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outward · Saturday | Lyon → Dijon | 9 h 20 | 11 h |
| Return · Sunday | Dijon → Lyon | 18 h 10 | 19 h 50 |
Vers neuf heures gives an approximate preference. À neuf heures vingt names the offered departure. A train direct lets you stay on the same train; it can still stop along the way.
At the station
Find:
What questions do you ask when you buy a train ticket?
| You want to check | Ask |
|---|---|
| Changing the booking | Ce billet est-il échangeable ? |
| Getting money back | Ce billet est-il remboursable ? |
| Which train the ticket covers | Ce billet est valable uniquement pour ce train ? |