Navigating a new city in France is an adventure, and public transportation is often your best friend. But to use it effectively, you need to know the lingo! The most common way to say 'bus stop' is arrêt de bus, but you might hear or see other terms depending on where you are.

Whether you're asking for directions, trying to find your way, or just want to expand your French vocabulary for travel, knowing these variations is incredibly useful.

Let's dive into the different ways to say 'bus stop' in French so you'll never miss your ride!

The standard 'bus stop' – un arrêt de bus

The standard and most common way to say “bus stop” in French is un arrêt de bus.

Un arrêt de bus is the direct and universally understood term. Let's break it down:

Un arrêt: a stop
de bus: of bus Literally, it translates to 'a stop of bus', a common construction in French.

The noun 'arrêt' is masculine, so it always uses masculine articles like 'un' (a) or 'le' (the). For example, 'le prochain arrêt' (the next stop).

The plural form is des arrêts de bus. Notice that only 'arrêt' becomes plural ('arrêts'); 'bus' remains unchanged in this phrase.

This term is used in all situations, from official signs and transport announcements to casual conversations. It's the go-to phrase you need to know for navigating public transport in a French-speaking country.

Pay attention to the liaison in 'un arrêt'. In spoken French, the 'n' from 'un' links to the 'a' of 'arrêt', making it sound like 'un narêt'.

💡 * Excusez-moi, où est l'arrêt de bus le plus proche ? (Excuse me, where is the nearest bus stop?)

Je descends au prochain arrêt, s'il vous plaît. (I'm getting off at the next stop, please.)

L'arrêt de bus est juste en face de la pharmacie. (The bus stop is right in front of the pharmacy.)

Nous avons manqué le bus, nous devons attendre au même arrêt. (We missed the bus, we have to wait at the same stop.)

The slightly more formal 'bus stop' – un arrêt d'autobus

While arrêt de bus is the most common way to say 'bus stop' in French, you will also encounter the slightly more formal and complete version: un arrêt d'autobus.

Breaking it down, the term is quite literal. Un arrêt means 'a stop', and un autobus is the full word for 'a bus'. The d' is a contraction of de ('of'), so it translates directly to 'a stop of bus'.

The term arrêt d'autobus is considered more formal simply because it uses the full word autobus instead of the shortened, more common bus. This is similar to saying 'automobile' instead of 'car' in English; it's correct but less common in casual speech.

You are most likely to see arrêt d'autobus in official contexts. This includes printed on transport maps, on official signage from the transit authority, or in formal written announcements and documents.

In day-to-day conversation, almost everyone will use arrêt de bus. So, while you should recognize arrêt d'autobus when you see it written, stick to arrêt de bus when asking for directions or talking with friends to sound more natural.

💡 * Excusez-moi, où se trouve l'arrêt d'autobus le plus proche ?

Le plan de la ville indique un arrêt d'autobus juste après le pont.

J'attendrai au prochain arrêt d'autobus.

L'horaire est affiché à chaque arrêt d'autobus officiel.

The simple 'stop' (when context is clear) – un arrêt

When you need a simple noun for 'a stop' and the context is clear, the French word you're looking for is un arrêt.

Un arrêt is a masculine noun that literally means 'a stop'. It can refer to the physical place where something stops or the action of stopping itself.

Its most frequent use is in transportation. You will constantly hear and see un arrêt de bus (a bus stop) or un arrêt de tram (a tram stop). If you are already on the bus, you can simply refer to it as l'arrêt.

The word is also used in other contexts. For example, un arrêt maladie or un arrêt de travail means 'sick leave' or 'work stoppage'. Un arrêt sur image means 'a freeze frame'.

Always remember that arrêt is a masculine noun. This means you must use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un arrêt (a stop), l'arrêt (the stop), or le prochain arrêt (the next stop).

💡 * Le bus arrive à l'arrêt dans deux minutes. (The bus arrives at the stop in two minutes.)

Nous avons fait un arrêt pour admirer le paysage. (We made a stop to admire the landscape.)

Elle est en arrêt maladie cette semaine. (She is on sick leave this week.)

Le juge a prononcé un arrêt en faveur de l'accusé. (The judge issued a ruling in favor of the defendant.)

The 'bus shelter' – un abribus

The French word for a 'bus shelter' is un abribus.

Abribus is a compound noun formed from abri, meaning 'shelter', and bus. This literal construction—a shelter for a bus—makes it very easy to remember.

As a noun, abribus is masculine. You should always use masculine articles like un (a) or le (the) with it. For example, you would say le nouvel abribus (the new bus shelter).

This term is used universally in French-speaking regions to refer to the structure where passengers wait for a bus, often providing protection from the weather.

💡 * J'attends sous l'abribus parce qu'il pleut.

Rendez-vous à l'abribus en face du parc.

La carte des itinéraires est affichée dans l'abribus.

Il n'y a personne à l'abribus ce matin.

The 'bus station' or 'terminal' – une gare routière

The French term for a 'bus station' or 'terminal' for long-distance travel is une gare routière.

A gare routière is a central station for intercity or regional buses and coaches (les cars). Think of it as the equivalent of a train station, but for buses. It's a hub where multiple bus lines start and end their journeys.

It's crucial to distinguish une gare routière from un arrêt de bus. An arrêt de bus is simply a 'bus stop' on a local city route, often just a sign on a sidewalk. A gare routière is a much larger facility with platforms, ticket counters (des guichets), and waiting rooms (des salles d'attente).

The noun gare is feminine, so you must always use feminine articles and adjectives with it, such as une gare routière or la gare routière.

You use this term when you need to find the main terminal for catching a bus to another city or region. It's the place you'd go to travel between towns, not just within one.

💡 * Pourriez-vous m'indiquer le chemin vers la gare routière, s'il vous plaît ? (Could you please show me the way to the bus station?)

Notre car pour Marseille part de la gare routière à midi. (Our coach to Marseille leaves from the bus terminal at noon.)

J'attends mon ami à l'entrée de la gare routière. (I'm waiting for my friend at the entrance of the bus station.)

La gare routière de Paris est très grande et bien organisée. (The Paris bus terminal is very large and well-organized.)

The 'end of the line' – le terminus

The 'end of the line' – le terminus

In French, le terminus literally means 'the terminus' or 'the end of the line.' It is the official term for the final stop on a public transportation route, such as a bus, tram, or metro line. When you reach le terminus, the vehicle's journey in that direction is over.

Just like its English equivalent, le terminus is also used figuratively to signify the ultimate end of a situation, a process, or even a life. Saying c'est le terminus implies a point of no return, a definitive and often dramatic conclusion.

This expression carries a strong sense of finality. It's more dramatic than simply saying c'est la fin ('it's the end'). You would use it to emphasize that there are no more possibilities or that a situation has reached its absolute limit, for better or for worse.

💡 * Tout le monde descend, c'est le terminus ! (Everyone off, this is the end of the line!)

Après avoir échoué à son examen pour la troisième fois, c'était le terminus de ses rêves de devenir médecin. (After failing his exam for the third time, it was the end of the line for his dreams of becoming a doctor.)

Leur entreprise a fait faillite ; c'est le terminus. (Their company went bankrupt; it's the end of the line.)

Prenez la ligne 4 jusqu'au terminus, Porte de Clignancourt. (Take line 4 to the last stop, Porte de Clignancourt.)

The 'request stop' – un arrêt sur demande

In France, especially on public transport like buses and trams, you'll frequently encounter an arrêt sur demande. This literally means 'a stop on demand' and is the direct equivalent of a 'request stop' in English. The driver will only stop at these locations if a passenger signals their intention to get off.

To request a stop, you need to press one of the buttons located throughout the vehicle before you reach your destination. This will usually light up a sign, often reading Arrêt demandé (Stop Requested), to inform the driver.

The noun arrêt (stop) is masculine, which is why the phrase is un arrêt sur demande. The part sur demande functions as a descriptive phrase indicating the conditional nature of the stop.

💡 * Le prochain arrêt est un arrêt sur demande, n'oubliez pas d'appuyer sur le bouton. (The next stop is a request stop, don't forget to press the button.)

Excusez-moi, est-ce que la ligne 5 a des arrêts sur demande ? (Excuse me, does line 5 have request stops?)

Le bus ne s'est pas arrêté car c'était un arrêt sur demande et personne n'a sonné. (The bus didn't stop because it was a request stop and nobody rang the bell.)

The 'school bus stop' – un arrêt de ramassage scolaire

The official term for a 'school bus stop' in French is un arrêt de ramassage scolaire.

Let's break this down:

Un arrêt means 'a stop', which you'll also see in un arrêt de bus (a public bus stop).
Ramassage scolaire literally means 'school pickup'. The word ramassage comes from the verb ramasser (to pick up, to gather).

This is the formal and precise term used on official signs and in communications from schools. It specifically designates a stop for a school bus, not a public transit bus.

In everyday conversation, it's also common to hear a slightly simpler version: l'arrêt du bus scolaire, which means 'the school bus's stop'. Both are widely understood.

💡 * Les enfants attendent à l'arrêt de ramassage scolaire.

L'arrêt de ramassage scolaire est juste en face de la boulangerie.

Attention, le bus arrive à l'arrêt de ramassage scolaire.

1. The 'stop signpost' – le poteau d'arrêt

A direct, word-for-word translation of 'stop signpost' is le poteau d'arrêt. The word poteau means 'post' or 'pole,' and arrêt means 'stop.' While grammatically correct and understandable, this term is not the common way native French speakers refer to a stop sign and its post.

The official and most widely used term for a 'stop sign' in French is le panneau stop. The word panneau translates to 'sign.' This is the term you'll find on driving tests and in formal discussions about road safety.

In everyday, informal conversation, French speakers almost always shorten le panneau stop to simply le stop. This is the most natural and frequent way to refer to a stop sign. For example, a driving instructor might say, Fais attention au stop! (Pay attention to the stop sign!).

If you need to specifically talk about the physical post holding the sign, you would use a descriptive phrase like le poteau du panneau stop (the post of the stop sign). Unlike in English, there isn't a single common compound word for it; you simply describe what it is.

💡 * Le conducteur n'a pas marqué l'arrêt au stop.

Un nouveau panneau stop a été installé au carrefour.

Attention, la voiture a heurté le poteau du panneau stop.

Il faut tourner à droite juste après le stop.

Are there other ways to say 'bus stop' in French?

Our list features the most common and widely understood ways to say 'bus stop' in French, primarily arrêt de bus and arrêt d'autobus. But as with any living language, you may encounter other terms, especially in different Francophone regions or in specific contexts like official transport documents.

If you're traveling, you can look up the local public transportation authority (for example, the RATP for Paris or the STM for Montreal). Their websites are excellent resources for the exact terminology they use on their signage and maps.

The best way to learn is by observation. When you're in a French-speaking area, pay attention to the signs at the actual stops and listen to the automated announcements on the bus. This will quickly teach you the most natural local term.

Mastering everyday vocabulary like this is a key step toward feeling comfortable and confident while navigating a new place. Each sign you understand is a small victory in your language-learning journey.

For more vocabulary related to travel and transportation, online dictionaries like WordReference or Larousse are invaluable. Searching for bus or transport will open up a world of related words and phrases.

I hope this guide has been helpful for your French studies and future travels. Knowing how to find your stop is the first step in any adventure. As a final thought, remember this French proverb: Tous les chemins mènent à Rome. (All roads lead to Rome.) Your language journey has many paths, but they all lead to fluency. Bon voyage!

'9 ways to say "bus stop" in French'