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Я не успел на поезд, потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала.

Я не успел на поезд, потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала.
I didn’t catch the train because I waited for a taxi at the station for a long time.

Breakdown of Я не успел на поезд, потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала.

я
I
не
not
потому что
because
у
at
вокзал
the station
такси
the taxi
ждать
to wait for
долго
for a long time
успеть на поезд
to catch the train
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Questions & Answers about Я не успел на поезд, потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала.

Why is it Я не успел and not Я не успевал?

Успеть is most commonly used as a perfective verb meaning to manage (to do something in time) / to make it in time—a single completed outcome.
So Я не успел на поезд = I didn’t make it to the train (in time).
Успевать (imperfective) is used for repeated/ongoing ability to be in time, habits, or general statements, e.g. Я обычно успеваю = I usually make it (in time).

What does успеть на поезд literally mean? Why на?

In this context, успеть на + Accusative is an idiomatic pattern meaning to catch (a train/plane/bus).
So на поезд (Accusative: поезд) indicates the transport you’re trying to catch:

  • успеть на поезд = catch the train
  • успеть на автобус = catch the bus
    It’s not “onto the train” literally; it’s a set way of expressing catching it.
Can I also say Я не успел к поезду?

Yes. к + Dative emphasizes getting there by the time the train is leaving (arriving “by/for” the train):

  • не успел к поезду = didn’t get there in time for the train
  • не успел на поезд = didn’t catch the train
    Both are natural; на поезд is very common for “catch.”
Why is потому что used, and can it be replaced?

потому что means because and introduces the reason clause.
Common alternatives:

  • так как = because/since (often slightly more formal)
  • из‑за того, что = because of the fact that (heavier/longer)
  • поскольку = since (more formal) Your sentence is perfectly neutral and conversational with потому что.
What’s the word order doing here? Can it change?

Russian word order is flexible and often depends on emphasis.
Я не успел на поезд, потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала. is a neutral “cause → effect” explanation after the main clause.
You can also front the reason for emphasis:

  • Потому что долго ждал такси у вокзала, я не успел на поезд. (more “Because…, I…”) Or move adverbials around:
  • …потому что ждал такси у вокзала долго. (emphasis on долго)
Why is ждал imperfective? Would подождал work?

ждал (imperfective of ждать) focuses on the process/duration of waiting: I was waiting / I waited for a long time. That matches долго very naturally.
подождал is perfective and usually means waited for a bit / waited and then finished waiting (often a shorter, bounded wait). It can sound like “I waited (some) and then…” and is less natural with долго.

Does долго mean “for a long time” or “longly”?

долго means for a long time (duration). English doesn’t use “longly” in this sense, but Russian does use долго as a normal adverb of time.
Example: Я долго искал ключи. = I looked for my keys for a long time.

Why is it ждал такси (genitive?) and not ждал такси́ / ждал таксИ?

такси is an indeclinable noun in Russian (it doesn’t change its form in cases).
After ждать, the object is often Genitive or sometimes Accusative, but with такси you won’t see a form change, so it stays такси.
So ждал такси is correct and common.

What does у вокзала mean exactly? Is it “in the station”?

у + Genitive means by/near/at (next to).
So у вокзала = near the train station / outside/at the station area.
If you mean “inside the station,” you’d typically use:

  • на вокзале = at/in the station (general location)
  • в вокзале = inside the station building (less common than на вокзале)
Why is it вокзала and not вокзал?

Because у requires the Genitive case.
Nominative: вокзал
Genitive: вокзала
So: у вокзала (near the station).

How do I pronounce this sentence and where are the stresses?

Stresses (bolded syllables show stress):
Я не успЕл на поЕзд, потомУ что дОлго ждАл таксИ у вокзАла.
Notes:

  • успел stress on -ел: успел
  • поезд stress on по-: поезд
  • потому stress on last syllable: потому
  • такси stress on the last syllable: такси
  • вокзала stress on -за-: вокзала
Could I say Я опоздал на поезд instead of Я не успел на поезд?

Yes, but the nuance changes slightly:

  • Я не успел на поезд = I didn’t manage to catch the train (in time). Focus: failure to make it.
  • Я опоздал на поезд = I was late for the train / I missed the train because I was late. Focus: lateness. Both often translate similarly; не успел is very common for “missed (transport)” in everyday speech.