German · Verspätung / Störung
The train is cancelled and buses run instead: what to say in German
The train is cancelled and buses run instead.
💡
How it's done. Zugausfall is a cancelled train, Schienenersatzverkehr buses replacing trains; they are marked with a SEV sign.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Entschuldigung, was ist mit dem Zug nach Köln los?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, vahs eest meet dem tsook nahkh Kyoln los?
Excuse me, what is going on with the train to Cologne?
Or say:Entschuldigung, der Zug nach Köln steht nicht mehr auf der Anzeige.
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, dehr tsook nahkh Kyoln shtet neekht mehr owf dehr AHN-tsigh-geh.
THEY SAY
Der fällt heute leider aus. Es gibt Schienenersatzverkehr.Dehr felt KHOY-teh LIGH-duh ows. Es geept SHEE-neh-nehr-zuhts-fehr-kehr.
It is unfortunately cancelled today. There is a replacement bus service.
They might also say:
Wegen einer Störung fährt heute kein Zug. Es gibt Busse.
VEH-gayn IGH-nuh SHTYOH-roong fehrt KHOY-teh kighn tsook. Es geept BOO-seh.
Because of a disruption there are no trains today. There are buses.
2
YOU REPLY
Wo fahren die Busse ab?
Voh FAH-rayn dee BOO-seh ahp?
Where do the buses leave from?
THEY SAY
Vor dem Bahnhof, an der Haltestelle mit dem Schild SEV.For dem BAHN-khof, ahn dehr KHAHL-tes-teh-leh meet dem sheelt es-eh-fow.
In front of the station, at the stop with the SEV sign.
3
YOU FINISH
Danke, dann gehe ich dorthin.
DAHN-keh, dahn GEH-eh eekh dort-KHEEN.
Thanks, I'll go there.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
ist
eest
verb
is
Zug
tsook
noun
train
los
los
adverb
off, leaving
fällt
felt
verb
falls
heute
KHOY-teh
adverb
today
leider
LIGH-duh
adverb
unfortunately
27 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
Your train is more than an hour late and you ask about compensationVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→The train is late and you risk missing your connectionVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→You ask the driver whether the bus goes where you needBus / U-Bahn / Tram · A1 in the app
→On the tram you ask whether a seat is freeBus / U-Bahn / Tram · A1 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report