Indian Railways deploys Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM)
Thinvent has developed rugged hardware and stable Linux based firmware behind the Automatic Ticket Vending Machines. Thinvent’s ATVM Thin-clients are rugged computers developed with technology developed from the ground up to be usable in India.
- These Thin-clients need to withstand heavy usage 24 hours a day, 365 days an year.
- The Thin-clients are expected to withstand dust, heat, user ignorance, lack of good power at some of the remotest locations across the country.
- Reliable and good quality printing is needed to counter counterfeiting.
- Machines need to be reliable and secure as public money is involved.
- Support Railways application and backend for ticketing.
- Supports Smart Card Reader, Touch Screen Calibration Utility
- Support for local languages.
At Present most of the Zonal Railways have deployed Thinvent’s Thin-Client based ATVMs and made it operational in many vital stations having huge passenger traffic making travel cheaper and convenient for about 25 lakh people per day.
Here’s the latest on Indian Railways’ deployment of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) — a move that’s easing congestion, speeding up ticket issuance, and promoting digital ticketing 🚉:
🚀 ATVM Rollout & Expansion
- Eastern Railway has already installed 574 ATVMs across its divisions—293 in Sealdah, 173 in Howrah, 76 in Asansol, and 33 in Malda. These machines support journey tickets, platform tickets, and season pass renewals, with multilingual touchscreens and cashless payments via smart cards and digital wallets. Customer facilitation agents help first‑time users.
- Southern Railway installed 99 ATVMs across six divisions as of late 2025, and planned to add 254 more machines covering Chennai, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Salem, and Trichy divisions. Features include QR code UPI payments, smart card recharge, and bonus incentives.
- In South Western Railway’s Hubballi division, 25 new ATVMs were installed in May 2025 at stations like Hubballi, Belagavi, Ballari, and others. Retired railway employees were appointed as facilitators, and tiered discounts (3%, 2%, 1%) are offered on unreserved ticket fares based on distance traveled.
- The East Central Railway (ECR) is preparing to set up ATVMs at 702 stations across Bihar by March 2026. Over 100 machines are planned for the Danapur Division alone.
📊 Usage and Impact
- Danapur division saw a 25% surge in unreserved ticket sales in June 2025, following intensified ticket checks and the promotion of digital options like ATVMs and UTS app.
- Sonepur division leads in ATVM usage across ECR: stations like Muzaffarpur (3,960 daily sales), Hajipur, Khagaria, and others reported high daily ticket volumes. This success has been attributed to awareness campaigns using social media and street performances.
🗣️ User Feedback & Community Insights
From Reddit users:
“They give tickets… way quicker. You wait ~10 s whereas counters take 5 min due to queues.”
“UTS app is better… most of the time I face GPS errors… ATVM smart cards take UPI as well.”
Also noted: occasional misuse by facilitators who monopolize working machines and switch off others, or exploit bonus incentives.
✅ Summary Table
| Railway Zone / Division | ATVMs Installed / Planned | Key Features & Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Railway | 574 (Sealdah, Howrah, Asansol, Malda) | Multilingual interface, smart cards, digital payments, agents |
| Southern Railway | 99 + 254 planned | QR‑UPI payments, season pass renewals, R‑wallet bonuses |
| Hubballi Division (SWR) | 25 | Assisted usage, tiered discounts, daily commuters focus |
| East Central Railway (Bihar) | 702 by Mar 2026 | Major scale-up in progress — targeting both small and large stations |
| ECR (Sonepur division) | High daily sales (Muzaffarpur top) | Awareness campaigns boosted uptake and usage |
Overall, the deployment of ATVMs across Indian Railways is gaining traction. As more stations adopt the system and awareness initiatives increase, more passengers are shifting from traditional counters to fast, digital ticketing.
Would you like a detailed guide on how to use an ATVM, apply for smart cards, or locate ATVMs at stations near Ranchi?
