Method for operating a fuel cell system and at least one air conveyance subsystem of the fuel cell system, which are arranged in a vehicle, wherein the energy for a drive train of the vehicle can be drawn both from the fuel cell system and from an alternative energy store, comprising the following method steps: a) determining the number and duration of switching-off and/or stopping phases of the vehicle in a defined time interval in a first vehicle state "off" or in a second vehicle state "on" on the basis of vehicle-state-specific learning functions (90, 112), wherein in the first learning function, assigned to the first vehicle state "off", the operating mode of the vehicle is carried out with regard to the switching-off and/or stopping phases of the vehicle between individual journeys up until restarting, for which internal timers on control devices, a networked data exchange, a data storage on a local EEPROM as well as an evaluation of the operating mode in hours and/or days and/or longer time periods are carried out, wherein in a second learning function, assigned to the second vehicle state "on", the operating mode of the vehicle is determined during at least one driving cycle in the case of a vehicle that is not switched off with regard to starting/stopping phases occurring, b) wherein it is checked whether the determined number of switching-off phases in a defined time interval is above a first threshold value and an average duration of the switching-off phases is below a second threshold value and, dependent on that, operating parameters of the fuel cell system and of the at least one air conveyance subsystem of the fuel cell system in a first or second operating state of the fuel cell system are set, and in that, in the case where the determined number of stopping phases in the defined time interval is above a third threshold value and an average duration of the stopping phases is below a fourth threshold value, a second or third operating state of the fuel cell system is set. a) determining the number and duration of switching-off and/or stopping phases of the vehicle in a defined time interval in a first vehicle state "off" or in a second vehicle state "on" on the basis of vehicle-state-specific learning functions (90, 112), wherein in the first learning function, assigned to the first vehicle state "off", the operating mode of the vehicle is carried out with regard to the switching-off and/or stopping phases of the vehicle between individual journeys up until restarting, for which internal timers on control devices, a networked data exchange, a data storage on a local EEPROM as well as an evaluation of the operating mode in hours and/or days and/or longer time periods are carried out, wherein in a second learning function, assigned to the second vehicle state "on", the operating mode of the vehicle is determined during at least one driving cycle in the case of a vehicle that is not switched off with regard to starting/stopping phases occurring, b) wherein it is checked whether the determined number of switching-off phases in a defined time interval is above a first threshold value and an average duration of the switching-off phases is below a second threshold value and, dependent on that, operating parameters of the fuel cell system and of the at least one air conveyance subsystem of the fuel cell system in a first or second operating state of the fuel cell system are set, and in that, in the case where the determined number of stopping phases in the defined time interval is above a third threshold value and an average duration of the stopping phases is below a fourth threshold value, a second or third operating state of the fuel cell system is set.