A traveler buys a train ticket, checks the platform, and learns to arrive early at the station.
LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK2 / 460 characters
买火车票
下个月我想坐火车去上海看朋友，所以这周末我去火车站买票。我以前很少自己买火车票，有点紧张，怕买错时间或者买错站。
到了车站，售票厅里人很多。我先在窗口前排队，然后告诉售票员：“我要买下个月三号去上海的票。”售票员问我想坐高铁还是普通火车。我想快一点，就选了高铁。她把票给我以后，我仔细看了出发时间、车次和座位号。
买完票，我去大厅看电子屏。上面写着每一趟车的检票口和站台。我发现车站很大，如果不提前来，很容易找不到地方。旁边一位工作人员提醒我：坐高铁最好提前四十分钟到，还要带好身份证。
回家的路上，我把出发时间写进手机日历，还设置了提醒。现在我觉得买火车票也不难，只要看清楚信息，提前准备，就能放心出发。
Mǎi Huǒchē Piào
Xià gè yuè wǒ xiǎng zuò huǒchē qù Shànghǎi kàn péngyou, suǒyǐ zhè zhōumò wǒ qù huǒchē zhàn mǎi piào. Wǒ yǐqián hěn shǎo zìjǐ mǎi huǒchē piào, yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng, pà mǎi cuò shíjiān huòzhě mǎi cuò zhàn.
Dào le chēzhàn, shòupiào tīng lǐ rén hěn duō. Wǒ xiān zài chuāngkǒu qián páiduì, ránhòu gàosu shòupiàoyuán: “Wǒ yào mǎi xià gè yuè sān hào qù Shànghǎi de piào.” Shòupiàoyuán wèn wǒ xiǎng zuò gāotiě háishi pǔtōng huǒchē. Wǒ xiǎng kuài yìdiǎn, jiù xuǎn le gāotiě. Tā bǎ piào gěi wǒ yǐhòu, wǒ zǐxì kàn le chūfā shíjiān, chēcì hé zuòwèi hào.
Mǎi wán piào, wǒ qù dàtīng kàn diànzǐ píng. Shàngmiàn xiě zhe měi yì tàng chē de jiǎnpiào kǒu hé zhàntái. Wǒ fāxiàn chēzhàn hěn dà, rúguǒ bù tíqián lái, hěn róngyì zhǎo bù dào dìfang. Pángbiān yí wèi gōngzuò rényuán tíxǐng wǒ: zuò gāotiě zuìhǎo tíqián sìshí fēnzhōng dào, hái yào dài hǎo shēnfènzhèng.
Huí jiā de lùshang, wǒ bǎ chūfā shíjiān xiě jìn shǒujī rìlì, hái shèzhì le tíxǐng. Xiànzài wǒ juéde mǎi huǒchē piào yě bù nán, zhǐyào kàn qīngchu xìnxī, tíqián zhǔnbèi, jiù néng fàngxīn chūfā.
Buying a Train Ticket
Next month I want to take a train to Shanghai to visit a friend, so this weekend I went to the train station to buy a ticket. I rarely bought train tickets by myself before, so I was a bit nervous and afraid of buying the wrong time or the wrong station.
When I arrived, there were many people in the ticket hall. I first lined up at the window, then told the ticket seller: “I want to buy a ticket to Shanghai for the 3rd of next month.” The ticket seller asked whether I wanted high-speed rail or a normal train. I wanted it to be faster, so I chose high-speed rail. After she gave me the ticket, I carefully checked the departure time, train number, and seat number.
After buying the ticket, I went to the hall to look at the electronic screen. It showed each train’s ticket-check gate and platform. I realized the station is very big—if you don’t arrive early, it’s easy to not find the right place. A staff member next to me reminded me that for high-speed rail it’s best to arrive 40 minutes early, and also to bring your ID card.
On the way home, I wrote the departure time into my phone calendar and also set a reminder. Now I feel buying a train ticket isn’t hard—if you read the information carefully and prepare in advance, you can travel with peace of mind.
Help
How to Use the Audio
The audio is designed to help you improve your Mandarin Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:
- Before reading: Listen to understand rhythm, intonation, and natural speech.
- After reading: Listen again to compare pronunciation and improve fluency.
Vocabulary
| Characters | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 火车 | huǒchē | train |
| 火车站 | huǒchē zhàn | train station |
| 排队 | páiduì | to line up |
| 售票员 | shòupiàoyuán | ticket seller |
| 高铁 | gāotiě | high-speed rail |
| 车次 | chēcì | train number |
| 检票口 | jiǎnpiào kǒu | ticket-check gate |
| 站台 | zhàntái | platform |
| 身份证 | shēnfènzhèng | ID card |
| 提醒 | tíxǐng | to remind |
Grammar
想…所以… (xiǎng…suǒyǐ…)
Use this to explain motivation and result: “Because I want to…, so I…”
Examples:
我想去上海，所以去买票
如果…就… (rúguǒ…jiù…)
Use this conditional to explain consequences: “If…, then…”
Examples:
如果不提前来，就很容易找不到
把…写进… (bǎ…xiě jìn…)
A practical 把 construction showing putting information into something (like a calendar).
Examples:
把出发时间写进手机日历
Idiomatic Expressions
看清楚
A common phrase meaning “read/see clearly,” often used for tickets, signs, and information.
Example: 看清楚信息
放心
Means “to feel at ease / not worry,” often used after making good preparations.
Example: 就能放心出发
提前
A very useful time word meaning “in advance,” common in travel planning.
Example: 提前四十分钟到
Cultural Insights
High-speed rail (高铁) in China
China’s high-speed rail network is widely used for intercity travel because it’s fast and reliable. Stations can be extremely large, so travelers often arrive early to find the correct gate (检票口) and platform (站台).
Ticket info habits
Many travelers check the electronic screen repeatedly to confirm train number (车次) and gate changes. Putting the departure time into a phone calendar and setting reminders is also a common habit for busy people.
ID use
In China, an ID card (身份证) is commonly required for train travel, especially for high-speed rail. Remembering to bring it is part of “travel preparation” culture.
10 Questions
- 他下个月要去哪里？ (答案)
- 他去哪里买票？ (答案)
- 他为什么有点紧张？ (答案)
- 售票厅里人多吗？ (答案)
- 他在窗口前做了什么？ (答案)
- 他选择了什么车？ (答案)
- 他看了票上的哪些信息？ (答案)
- 他去看什么？ (答案)
- 工作人员提醒他什么？ (答案)
- 他回家路上做了什么？ (答案)
Multiple Choice
-
他为什么去买票？
(答案)
a) 想买礼物
b) 想坐火车去上海看朋友
c) 想去上班 -
他选什么？
(答案)
a) 高铁
b) 自行车
c) 飞机 -
车站大吗？
(答案)
a) 不大
b) 一般
c) 很大 -
坐高铁最好提前多久到？
(答案)
a) 十分钟
b) 四十分钟
c) 两个小时 -
他最后觉得买票怎么样？
(答案)
a) 不难
b) 太难
c) 很无聊
True or False
- 他下个月要去北京。 (答案)
- 他经常自己买火车票。 (答案)
- 他在窗口前排队。 (答案)
- 他选了高铁。 (答案)
- 工作人员说不用带身份证。 (答案)
Retell the Story
请用你自己的话重写这个故事。
Hints: 火车站, 排队, 高铁, 车次, 检票口, 站台, 身份证, 提醒, 手机日历, 提前准备
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