German · Bus / U-Bahn / Tram
You travel with a change to another line: what to say in German
You travel with a change to another line.
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How it's done. Umsteigen is to change, Linie the route, Haltestelle the stop, Endstation the terminus; on boards lines are marked with a number or letter (U2, S5, Bus 12).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, wie komme ich zum Rathaus?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, vee KOH-meh eekh tsoom RAHT-khows?
Excuse me, how do I get to the town hall?
Or say:Entschuldigung, welche Linie fährt zum Rathaus?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, VEL-kheh LEE-nee-eh fehrt tsoom RAHT-khows?
THEY SAY
Sie nehmen die U-Bahn Linie zwei und steigen am Marktplatz in die Straßenbahn um.Zee NEH-mayn dee oo-bahn LEE-nee-eh tsvigh oont SHTIGH-gayn ahm MAHRKT-pluhts een dee SHTRAH-sayn-bahn oom.
You take underground line two and change to the tram at the market square.
They might also say:
Fahren Sie mit der U zwei bis Marktplatz, dann steigen Sie in die Straßenbahn um.
FAH-rayn zee meet dehr oo tsvigh bees MAHRKT-pluhts, dahn SHTIGH-gayn zee een dee SHTRAH-sayn-bahn oom.
Take the U2 to Marktplatz, then change to the tram.
2
YOU REPLY
Und welche Straßenbahn dann?
Oont VEL-kheh SHTRAH-sayn-bahn dahn?
And which tram then?
THEY SAY
Die Linie fünf. Die fährt direkt zum Rathaus.Dee LEE-nee-eh fyoonf. Dee fehrt dee-REKT tsoom RAHT-khows.
Line five. It goes directly to the town hall.
3
YOU FINISH
Vielen Dank, das hilft mir sehr!
FEE-layn dahnk, dahs kheelft meer zehr!
Thank you very much, that helps me a lot!
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
wie
vee
adverb
how
komme
KOH-meh
verb
I come
Rathaus
RAHT-khows
noun
town hall
nehmen
NEH-mayn
verb
to take
U-Bahn
oo-bahn
noun
underground
Linie
LEE-nee-eh
noun
line, route
24 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?
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