#5 Asking About Hotel Facilities｜Swedish Travel Expressions
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#19 Buying a Train Ticket | Swedish Shopping Phrases
Haruno
When you travel by train in Sweden, it is standard practice to purchase your ticket before departure.
Tickets are commonly bought at station counters, ticket machines, or via mobile applications. When purchasing a ticket, you may need to state your destination or discuss departure times and travel conditions with the staff.
In this section, I introduce useful Swedish expressions that you can use when buying a train ticket at the station.
Contents
Dialogue
Hej. Jag skulle vilja köpa en biljett till Göteborg.
（Hello. I would like to buy a ticket to Gothenburg.）
Vill du ha en enkelbiljett eller tur och retur?
（Would you like a one-way ticket or a return ticket?）
Enkel, tack. Finns det ett tåg som avgår runt klockan tio?
（One-way, please. Is there a train that departs around ten o’clock?）
Ja, det finns ett tåg klockan 10.12. Vill du ta det?
（Yes, there is a train departing at 10:12. Would you like to take that one?）
Ja, det låter bra.
（Yes, that sounds good.)
Då bokar jag biljetten åt dig.
（Then I will arrange the ticket for you.）
1. Stating That You Would Like to Buy a Ticket
When you purchase a train ticket, you can ask the staff in the following way:
- Jag skulle vilja köpa en biljett till Göteborg.
(I would like to buy a ticket to Gothenburg.)
The phrase “skulle vilja …” is a polite request meaning “I would like to …”.
“köpa en biljett” means “to buy a ticket” and can be used in a wide range of situations, including ticket machines, service counters, and phone inquiries.
To indicate your destination, Swedish uses the preposition “till + place name” (to …).
2. Confirming the Type of Ticket
When you buy a ticket, staff will often ask whether you want a one-way or a return ticket.
- Vill du ha en enkelbiljett eller tur och retur?
(Would you like a one-way ticket or a return ticket?)
“enkelbiljett” means “one-way ticket,” while “tur och retur” means “return ticket.” Both are basic and frequently used terms in public transportation.
Typical responses from you include:
- Enkel, tack.
(One-way, please.) - Tur och retur, tack.
(Return, please.)
A short answer is sufficient, and adding “tack” makes your response more polite.
3. Confirming the Departure Time
When purchasing a ticket, you will often need to check the departure time.
- Finns det ett tåg som avgår runt klockan tio?
(Is there a train that departs around ten o’clock?)
The expression “finns det … ?” means “Is there … ?” and is useful when you want to check availability. The verb “avgår” means “to depart.”
By saying “runt klockan tio” (around ten o’clock), you indicate that the time does not have to be exact. Using “runt” allows some flexibility in the schedule.
4. Finalizing the Ticket Purchase
Once the ticket details have been decided, the staff will proceed with the booking.
- Då bokar jag biljetten åt dig.
(Then I will arrange the ticket for you.)
The verb “boka” means “to book” or “to arrange” and is commonly used when dealing with long-distance trains or reserved seats.
Other commonly used expressions include:
- Biljetten är klar.
(Your ticket is ready.) - Köpet är genomfört.
(The purchase has been completed.)
All of these expressions indicate that the transaction has been successfully completed.
Summary
- Jag skulle vilja köpa en biljett till …
→ An expression used to state that you would like to buy a ticket. - Vill du ha en enkelbiljett eller tur och retur?
→ A question used to confirm whether the ticket is one-way or return. - Finns det ett tåg som avgår runt klockan … ?
→ A useful phrase for checking or discussing departure times.
