German · Verspätung / Störung
Your train is more than an hour late and you ask about compensation: what to say in German
Your train was more than an hour late and you ask about compensation.
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How it's done. If a train is sixty minutes or more late the passenger is entitled to part of the fare: fill in the Fahrgastrechte form (online or on paper) and keep your ticket.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
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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, mein Zug hatte über eine Stunde Verspätung. Bekomme ich Geld zurück?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, mighn tsook KHAH-teh YOO-buh IGH-neh SHTOON-deh fehrsh-PEH-toong. Beh-KOH-meh eekh gelt tsoo-RYOOK?
Excuse me, my train was more than an hour late. Do I get money back?
Or say:Mein Zug war sehr spät. Gibt es eine Entschädigung?
Mighn tsook vahr zehr shpet. Geept es IGH-neh aynt-SHEH-dee-goong?
THEY SAY
Ja, ab sechzig Minuten Verspätung bekommen Sie einen Teil des Fahrpreises zurück.Yah, ahp ZEKH-tseekh mee-NOO-tayn fehrsh-PEH-toong beh-KOH-mayn zee IGH-nayn tighl des FAHR-prigh-zes tsoo-RYOOK.
Yes, from sixty minutes' delay you get part of the fare back.
They might also say:
Ja, bei über einer Stunde Verspätung gibt es einen Teil des Fahrpreises zurück.
Yah, bigh YOO-buh IGH-nuh SHTOON-deh fehrsh-PEH-toong geept es IGH-nayn tighl des FAHR-prigh-zes tsoo-RYOOK.
Yes, with a delay of over an hour part of the fare is refunded.
2
YOU REPLY
Wie beantrage ich das?
Vee beh-AHN-truh-geh eekh dahs?
How do I apply for that?
THEY SAY
Füllen Sie das Fahrgastrechte-Formular aus und schicken Sie es mit der Fahrkarte ein. Das geht auch online.FYOO-layn zee dahs FAHR-guhs-trekh-teh-for-moo-LAHR ows oont SHEE-kayn zee es meet dehr FAHR-kuhr-teh ighn. Dahs get owkh OHN-lighn.
Fill in the passenger rights form and send it in with the ticket. You can do that online too.
3
YOU REPLY
Wie lange dauert es?
Vee LAHN-geh DOW-ehrt es?
How long does it take?
THEY SAY
Meistens vier bis sechs Wochen. Das Geld kommt per Überweisung.MIGHS-tayns feer bees zeks VOH-khayn. Dahs gelt komt pehr yoo-behr-VIGH-zoong.
Usually four to six weeks. The money comes by transfer.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke für die Hilfe!
DAHN-keh fyoor dee KHEEL-feh!
Thanks for the help!
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
Zug
tsook
noun
train
hatte
KHAH-teh
verb
had
Stunde
SHTOON-deh
noun
hour
Verspätung
fehrsh-PEH-toong
noun
delay
Bekomme
Beh-KOH-meh
verb
I get
Geld
gelt
noun
money
46 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
The train is late and you risk missing your connectionVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→The train is cancelled and buses run insteadVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→You are on a bus and ask where to get offBus / U-Bahn / Tram · A1 in the app
→You stand on a commuter train platform and ask whether it goes in the right directionBus / U-Bahn / Tram · A2 in the app
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