Bus timetable reading practice with answers
Practise service days, destination signs, elapsed time and transfers using a short original timetable.
TransitPrep editorial team · September 30, 2026
Read the service day before the numbers
The example below is fictional practice. It is not an agency schedule. All three trips run on weekdays only, towards Central Station. The time at Market is a listed timepoint; stops between timepoints are not shown.
| Trip | Library | Market | Central Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 07:10 | 07:22 | 07:35 |
| B | 07:25 | 07:37 | 07:50 |
| C | 07:40 | 07:52 | 08:05 |
Try these questions
- You reach Library at 07:18. Which is the next listed trip, and how long is your wait?
- How long does trip B take from Library to Central Station?
- A connecting service leaves Central Station at 07:55. How much scheduled transfer time does trip B leave?
- Can you use this table to confirm a Sunday departure?
Check the answers and reasoning
1: Trip B at 07:25; a seven-minute wait. Trip A has already left. 2: 25 minutes. 3: Five minutes of scheduled transfer time. That is not a guaranteed connection and does not account for walking between stops or delays. 4: No. The table says weekdays only; Sunday service needs its own source.
Common mistakes to catch
Do not subtract clock numbers as if they were ordinary decimals. From 07:52 to 08:05 is 13 minutes, not 53. Follow one trip across a row and one stop down a column. Check the destination before using the times: a correct time in the opposite direction is not a useful departure.
Move to your local timetable
Choose an agency from the city directory and repeat the exercise with its official schedule. Include the route, direction, service day and effective date in your notes. If you use a live arrival estimate, label it as an estimate rather than a published departure.