A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "What time does it leave" in French
Ask about departure times for trains, buses, or flights in France.
À quelle heure est-ce que ça part ?
ah kel OHR ess kuh sah PARneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you need to know the departure time of a specific mode of transport. For example, at a train station asking about your TGV or at an airport for your flight.
Alternatives
- À quelle heure part-il ?Use when the subject (he/it) is masculine and already clear.
- Il part à quelle heure ?Slightly more casual, common in spoken French.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'heure'
The 'h' in 'heure' is silent, so it sounds like 'ur'.
Missing the liaison
Connect the 't' sound from 'est-ce' to 'que' for smoother pronunciation.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to ask when a train leaves in French?
You can ask 'À quelle heure est-ce que le train part ?' or more simply, 'À quelle heure part le train ?'.
What's the difference between 'partir' and 'aller' for departures?
'Partir' specifically means to depart or leave from a place. 'Aller' means to go.
Can I use 'ça' for a specific vehicle?
Yes, 'ça' is a versatile pronoun that works well here for 'it' when referring to the train, bus, or flight in general.
