Chinese For Dummies (115 page)

February is a particularly risky month to attempt long-distance train travel, because the shortest month often features the Chinese New Year, and you're bound to meet what seems like the entire country traveling from one part of China to another. Make sure you consult a
shíkèbiǎo
时刻表
(
時刻表
) (shir-kuh-byaow) (
time schedule
) in advance and note the correct
dàodá shíjiān
到达时间
(
到達時間
) (daow-dah shir-jyan) (
arrival time
) and
kāichē shíjiān
开车时间
(
開車時間
) (key-chuh shir-jyan) (
departure time
) of your train.

Before you
shàngchē
上车
(
上車
) (shahng-chuh) (
board the train
) to enjoy your comfy, soft seat, you need to go to the
shòupiàochù
售票处
(
售票處
) (show-pyaow-choo) (
ticket office
) to buy your ticket. You use the following words and phrases to get the job done:

dānchéngpiào
单程票
(
單程票
) (dahn-chuhng-pyaow) (
one-way ticket
)

láihuípiào
来回票
(
來回票
) (lye-hway-pyaow) (
round-trip ticket
)

mànchē
慢车
(
慢車
) (mahn-chuh) (
local train
)

piào
票
(pyaow) (
ticket
)

piàojià
票价
(
票價
) (pyaow-jyah) (
fare
)

tèkuài
特快
(tuh-kwye) (
express train
)

The following may come in handy at the train station:

Huǒchē cóng něige zhàntái kāi?
火车从哪个站台开
? (
火車從哪個站台開
?) (hwaw-chuh tsoong nay-guh jahn-tye kye?) (
Which gate does the train leave from?
)

Piàofáng zài nǎr?
票房在哪儿
? (
票房在哪兒
?)
(pyaow-fahng dzye nar?) (
Where's the ticket office?
)

Notice the different way of saying
ticket office
in this question. Options abound in the Chinese language.

Wǒ yào yìzhāng yìngwò piào.
我要一张硬卧票
. (
我要一張硬臥票
.)
(waw yow ee-jahng eeng-waw pyaow.) (
I'd like a hard-sleeper ticket.
)

And when you finally hear the
lièchēyuán
列车员
(
列車員
)
(lyeh-chuh-ywan) (
conductor
) say
Shàng chē le!
上车了
! (
上車了
!) (shahng chuh luh!) (
All aboard!
), you can board and ask the following questions:

Cānchē zài nǎr?
餐车在哪儿
? (
餐車在哪兒
?) (tsahn-chuh dzye nar?) (
Where's the dining car?
)