Ticket machine

Pushbutton and touch screen ticket machines in Germany

A ticket machine, also known as a Ticket Vending Machine (TVM), is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations, transit tickets at metro stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams. The typical transaction consists of a user using the display interface to select the type and quantity of tickets and then choosing a payment method of either cash, credit/debit card or smartcard. The ticket or tickets are printed and dispensed to the user.

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In many countries where trains and urban transport tickets operate largely on the honor system (with enforcement by roving inspectors or conductors), there are also machines in stations (or in vehicles) just for validating tickets. This is for the situation where one buys a ticket in advance and decides to use it later. Usually, the ticket is time-stamped to determine its validity period. A common problem is forgetting to validate and then being fined as if one had no ticket at all.

Ticket machines that are out of service or accept 'exact change only' result in losses for transport providers. Ticket machines on trams in Melbourne, for example, often run out of change when passengers use a higher ratio of $2 and 50c coins, depleting the ticket machine of smaller coin denominations (10c, 20c). Passengers do not need to buy tickets on trams when ticket machines run out of change.

Such machines are generally not used in the United States. Nearly all American mass transit networks operating on the honor system expect their users to buy tickets immediately before use; regular riders can avoid that inconvenience by buying period passes in advance (often from the same machines that sell daily or one-time tickets). Recently, however, a handful of regional rail systems like Metrolink, and SEPTA have adopted the use of validation machines for at least some ticket types.

Ticket machines are often used in car parking, as well as those that issue free tickets — for example, those for virtual queueing.

Conductors and drivers ticket machines

Mechanical ticket machines were used by bus drivers and conductors since the late 1920s. They print tickets and record sales and payments. Some manufacturers are TIM, Almex, Setright, AEG, CAMP (Compagnie d'Ateliers Mecaniques de Precision), Gibson GFI Genfare, Xerox and Beckson.

Since the 1980s, electronic computer terminals and printers are used.

Gallery

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  Ticket machines in Wu Kai Sha Station of Hong Kong's MTR
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  Machine for Metro-North Railroad, a metropolitan New York City commuter line, United States.
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  A ticket machine at the Jordanhill railway station in Scotland.
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  Ticket Machine in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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  Ticket machine at Nagoya Station, Aonami Line, Japan.
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  Ticket machine at Mo Chit Station, Bangkok Skytrain, Thailand.
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  Ticket machines at Seoul Station, Korail, South Korea.
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  A pay and display type parking ticket machine in Bristol, common in areas of England.
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  Lufthansa ticket machines at Hanover International Airport, Germany.
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  Food ticket machine at the restaurant in Hiroshima, Japan.
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  Betting ticket machine of kyōtei (powerboat race) in Kasama, Japan.
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  Fare adjustment machines, used when a rider bought a (supposedly wrong) ticket, and wants to adjust the fare. Tokyo Metro, Japan.
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  One in Kirkcaldy railway station, Scotland.
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  Light rail TVM at the University South Campus station of UTA TRAX.
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  Ticket machine in Stockholm.
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  Ticket machine at Stroud railway station, England which dispenses tickets ordered and paid for online.
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  Combined Ticket machines of the Deutsche Bahn and RMV in Limburg an der Lahn, Germany.
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  A ticket vending machine at a Tri-Rail station in South Florida
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  A ticket machine at the Shenyang Metro,China.

See also

• List of tram and light-rail transit systems
• Self service
• Ticketing kiosk