For many learners, train stations are one of the most stressful places to use French. Announcements are fast, formal, and full of fixed expressions that are rarely taught in textbooks.
This article focuses on the vocabulary and sentence patterns you actually hear in French train stations, so you can understand announcements more easily when travelling in France.
Essential Vocabulary Used in Train Stations
| French word / expression | Meaning / Explanation |
|---|---|
| un train | a train (general term) |
| un quai | platform, the word passengers usually hear |
| une voie | track; very common in official announcements |
| la destination | destination; used in the fixed expression à destination de |
| le départ | departure |
| l’arrivée | arrival |
| en provenance de | coming from; almost only used in announcements |
| un retard | delay |
| annulé | cancelled |
| un TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) | high-speed train for long-distance travel |
| un TER (Train Express Régional) | regional train for local journeys |
| veuillez | formal word meaning please, typical of announcements |
| en raison de | because of |
| suite à | following; |
| la bordure du quai | the edge of the platform |
Typical French Train Announcements
Announcement 1
Le train TGV à destination de Lyon partira voie 3.
Traduction (Translation)
The TGV train to Lyon will depart from platform 3.
Announcement 2
Le train à destination de Marseille partira avec un retard de dix minutes.
Meaning:
The train to Marseille will depart with a ten-minute delay.
Announcement 3
En raison d’un incident technique, ce train est annulé.
Meaning:
Due to a technical issue, this train is cancelled.
Announcement 4
Veuillez vous éloigner de la bordure du quai, s’il vous plaît.
Meaning:
Please move away from the edge of the platform.
Announcement 5
Suite à un incident sur la voie, la circulation est perturbée.
Meaning:
Following an incident on the track, traffic is disrupted.
Announcement 6
Ce train partira exceptionnellement voie 5.
Meaning:
This train will exceptionally depart from platform 5.
Announcement 7
Les voyageurs sont invités à se rapprocher du personnel. Merci de votre attention.
Meaning:
Passengers are invited to approach the staff. Thank you for your attention.
Announcement 8
Le train numéro 8450, en provenance de Toulouse, arrivera voie 5.
Meaning:
Train number 8450, coming from Toulouse, will arrive at platform 5.
Exercise: Train Station Vocabulary
Complétez les phrases avec le mot approprié.
- Le train à _ de Bordeaux partira dans cinq minutes.
- Ce train partira avec un _ de quinze minutes.
- Le _ à destination de Paris est annoncé voie 4.
- En raison d’un incident, ce train est _.
- Veuillez vous éloigner de la bordure du _.
Réponses (Answers)
destination – retard – TGV – annulé – quai
Conclusion
Understanding French train announcements is not about advanced grammar, but about recognising key vocabulary and fixed expressions. With practice, these announcements become predictable and far less stressful.
This is real-life French, exactly as you hear it when travelling in France.