Using ATVM while Traveling Indian Railways

     Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) – The smart way to buy Train Tickets…

    I am a frequent traveler in the South-Eastern railways. I am staying in Kolkata and my home is near to Bhadrak. I generally go home on weekends. Everyone, who travel by train know the crowd that travel in local trains and in general coaches of long distance superfast trains. There are only 2 trains in the morning to go to Bhadrak and they leave Howrah station at 6:00AM and 7:30AM respectively. Generally I wish to catch the 6:00AM train (Dhauli Superfast Express). In the morning I have to travel from my room to Howrah station and book the ticket and catch the train. At the busiest station in eastern India, it is really difficult to reach the ticket counter from the taxi stand, and then I have to wait in the queue to avail a ticket for the train. In most of the cases, I book the ticket and unable to catch the train and then I have to travel by the next train. On one such day, I asked at the enquiry about the machines installed near the booking counter. Then I came to know about the ATVMs and the smart card. On the very return journey, I bought the ATVM smart card from the station. Now, I am able to buy my ticket in just 30 Seconds. By this way, I by passed the long waiting queue for booking ticket… so happy ticket booking.

    Tag Line for ATVMs: “No queue, No counter, No cash transactions, No identity hassles…. Buy Smart card and obtain Unreserved as well as platform tickets. Be a smart traveler.”

Where to buy ATVM Smart Card:
    You can buy a smart card from a nominated booking counter in the stations. If you are unable to locate one, please ask in the enquiry counter about ATVM Smart Card buying counter.

Salient Features of Smart Card:
  • Initial minimum cost for card is Rs. 100/- (Rs 50 for security deposit and you get Rs 50 of ticket value) and this cost varies with time and among zones.
  • Top-up facility in multiples of Rs 50/- subject to a maximum of Rs. 1000/-
  • No refund of deposit in case of loss of card.
  • Valid for 1 year from the date of issue / last recharge.
  • Security deposit is refundable after deduction of Rs 10/- as cancellation fee on surrender of Smart card.
  • Smart card is transferable. So you can gift it to your beloved ones. At the same time, if you loss the card, you cannot claim for refund.
  • 5% bonus offer on each Rs 100/- recharge, i.e. pay Rs 100/- and get ticket value of Rs 105/- recharged.
Salient Features of ATVM:
  • Round the clock service
  • User friendly touch screen
  • Can buy journey tickets for first and second class
  • Can buy second class unreserved ticket from the station to any other station in the railway zone.
  • Can buy child and adult tickets
  • Can buy platform tickets
  • Tickets can be cancelled at the ATVM supervisory counter (Counter where Smart card is sold) on deduction of Rs 10/- as charge.
  • ATVMs are GPS based. So no need to enter the Boarding Station Name.
How to use ATVM:

         General Instructions:
  • Please use your finger to touch screen
  • Always touch the screen softly
  • Clean your finger before touching the screen
  • Do not indulge In acts which may make the system malfunction
  • Use the ATVM quickly to give others a chance
         Buying Platform ticket:
  • Place the Smart Card on the card reader as indicated on the ATVM. You have to keep the card on the sensor till your transaction is over.
  • Select Platform on the right side of the screen
  • Select No of Passengers (up to a maximum of 4 people) and then select Print.
  • Collect the ticket from the drop box provided in the ATVM and also collect your Smart card
                 Buying MMTS Tickets (Local Trains):
  • Place the Smart Card on the card reader as indicated on the ATVM.
  • Select Zone (As shown on the screen) depending on the destination station
  • Select ticketing options like Destination Station, Class of Travel (I or II), Adult, Child etc, in the next screen and then select Ticket option.
  • After satisfying yourself about correctness of the ticket from preview screen, select Print.
  • Collect the ticket from the drop box provided in the ATVM and also collect your Smart card.
          Buying Non-MMTS Tickets (Local trains as well as long distance trains):
  • Place the Smart Card on the card reader as indicated on the ATVM.
  • Select option “Press here if your station is not in the map” on the display
  • Using the keypad appearing on the screen, select first three alphabets of your Destination station, i.e. BHA for BHADRAK. It will show list of stations starting with the 3 letters you typed. Then select your destination station from drop down menu.
  • If the selected destination has more than one route, select the desired route from the list given in the screen.
  • After selecting route, select one of the 3 options under train type (Ordinary, Express, Superfast)
  • Select other ticketing options like, No of Tickets, Class of Travel (I or II), Adults, Childs, Route of journey (from drop down menu), and then select Ticket option.
  • After satisfying yourself about correctness of the ticket from preview screen, select Print.
  • Collect the ticket from the drop box provided in the ATVM and also collect your Smart card.
     I hope this information will be helpful for people who travel frequently on Train. I am sharing this, as it has really helped me. No need to stand in the queue for long time and put stress on your body. Enjoy the technology provided by the Indian Railways.

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