Excuse me, how many stops are left to get to...?
'Fermate' — 'fer-MA-te'. Stress on second syllable. 'Mancano' — 'MAN-ca-no'.
Use on the bus when you have lost count of stops or are in an unfamiliar area. Insert the destination name after 'a'.
'Mancano' comes from 'mancare' used impersonally to mean 'are missing/remaining'. 'Per arrivare a' means 'to arrive at'. This structure avoids having to know the exact stop name — just ask how many stops are left.
A che fermata scendo per...?
At which stop do I get off for...?
Asks for the stop name rather than the count.
Mi avvisa quando arriviamo a...?
Can you let me know when we reach...?
Ask the driver or a kind neighbour to alert you.
Siamo lontani da...?
Are we far from...?
Vaguer; good when you just want a general idea.
Many Italian buses now have automated stop announcements, but in older vehicles or smaller towns this is rare. Sitting near the front close to the driver makes it easier to ask for help.