FastItalian LearningSign in
PhrasesOn the MetroDove si trova il binario?
A1

Dove si trova il binario?

Where is the platform?

Pronunciation

'Binario' — bi-NA-ryo. Stress on the second syllable; the final 'io' is two syllables but spoken quickly.

When to use it

Ask in large metro or rail stations when you cannot find the platform number. More common for trains than metro, but useful at interchange stations like Termini.

What it means

'Binario' literally means binary or rail track but in Italian transport it means platform (specifically the track number). 'Dove si trova' (where is it located) is the polite impersonal form — slightly more formal than 'Dov'è?'

Variations

Da quale binario parte?

From which platform does it leave?

Asks which platform number for a specific departure.

Il binario tre è da questa parte?

Is platform three this way?

Confirms direction to a specific platform.

C'è un tabellone con i binari?

Is there a departure board showing platforms?

Asks for the digital departure display.

Mini Dialogue

— Dove si trova il binario per Napoli? — Guardi il tabellone centrale, lì troverà il binario. — Il tabellone dice binario 14. — È in fondo a destra.

— Where is the platform for Naples? — Look at the central departure board, you'll find the platform there. — The board says platform 14. — It's at the far end on the right.

Cultural Note

In major Italian rail stations, platform assignments for long-distance trains are often displayed only minutes before departure — a practice that causes a frantic rush. At metro stations, platforms are fixed by direction and there is no guessing needed.