How to use the metro in Chinese

最近的地铁站在哪里？ — zuìjìn de dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ? — Where is the nearest subway station?
坐地铁怎么去这个地方？ — zuò dìtiě zěnme qù zhège dìfang? — How to get to this place by metro?
要坐几号线？ — yào zuò jǐ hào xiàn? — Which line should I take?
在哪里换乘？ — zài nǎlǐ huànchéng? — Where is the transfer?
到这个站有几站？ — dào zhège zhàn yǒu jǐ zhàn? — How many stops are there to this station?
这个方向对吗？ — zhège fāngxiàng duì ma? — Is this the right direction?
在哪里买票？ — zài nǎlǐ mǎi piào? — Where can I buy a ticket?
在哪里买单程票？ — zài nǎlǐ mǎi dānchéngpiào? — Where to buy a single ticket?
可以扫码进站吗？ — kěyǐ sǎomǎ jìnzhàn ma? — Can I enter with a QR code?
可以用交通卡吗？ — kěyǐ yòng jiāotōng kǎ ma? — Can I pay with a transport card?
我应该走哪个出口？ — wǒ yīnggāi zǒu nǎ ge chūkǒu? — Which exit should I take?
我要在这里下车。 — wǒ yào zài zhèlǐ xià chē — I need to get out here
坐二号线。 — zuò èr hào xiàn — Take the second line
二号线换一号线。 — èr hào xiàn huàn yī hào xiàn — Transfer from the second line to the first
换乘一号线。 — huànchéng yī hào xiàn — Transfer to the first line
从A出口出去。 — cóng A chūkǒu chūqù — Exit via exit A
下一站是…… — xià yí zhàn shì... — Next station is...
大概五站。 — dàgài wǔ zhàn — Go about five stops
方向不对。 — fāngxiàng bú duì — This is not the right direction
请站稳扶好。 — qǐng zhàn wěn fú hǎo — Hold on tight

Mini dialogue

你好，最近的地铁站在哪里？ — nǐ hǎo, zuìjìn de dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ? — Hello, where is the nearest metro station?
前面直走，右边就是。 — qiánmiàn zhí zǒu, yòubiān jiù shì. — Go straight, it will be on the right.
坐地铁怎么去这个地方？ — zuò dìtiě zěnme qù zhège dìfang? — How to get to this place by metro?
坐二号线，然后换一号线。 — zuò èr hào xiàn, ránhòu huàn yī hào xiàn. — Take the second line, then transfer to the first.
我应该走哪个出口？ — wǒ yīnggāi zǒu nǎ ge chūkǒu? — What exit do I need?
从A出口出去。 — cóng A chūkǒu chūqù. — Exit through exit A.

Key words

地铁 — dìtiě — metro
站 — zhàn — station
出口 — chūkǒu — exit
方向 — fāngxiàng — direction
入口 — rùkǒu — entrance
票 — piào — ticket
公交车 — gōngjiāochē — bus
车站 — chēzhàn — stop
近 — jìn — close
远 — yuǎn — far

Cultural hint

In Chinese metro systems, look not only at the station name, but also at the line number 几号线 (jǐ hào xiàn - “which line / line number”), direction 方向 (fāngxiàng - “direction”), and exit 出口 (chūkǒu - “exit”). A wrong exit in a large station can put you several hundred meters away. The most useful metro words are 换乘 (huànchéng - “transfer”), 方向 (fāngxiàng - “direction”), 出口 (chūkǒu - “exit”), and 几站 (jǐ zhàn - “how many stops”). In some cities you can enter with an Alipay or WeChat QR code, but 单程票 (dānchéngpiào - “single-journey ticket”) and 交通卡 (jiāotōng kǎ - “transport card”) are still useful.