Western Railway Replaces Dot Matrix Printers With Thermal Printers For Clearer Tickets

Mumbai: Commuters on Mumbai's suburban railway network may soon stop facing trouble over faded paper tickets and season passes. Western Railway has started replacing old dot matrix printers at station ticket counters with thermal printers, a move aimed at ensuring clearer and longer-lasting ticket printing. The initiative is expected to reduce frequent disputes between passengers and ticket checking staff, especially during the monsoon when ticket details often become unreadable due to moisture and humidity.

Unreadable Tickets Often Lead to Verification Delays

Railway officials said complaints about faded printing on quarterly, half-yearly and annual paper season passes, as well as general tickets, have been recurring for years. In many cases, ticket examiners find it difficult to read the route, fare, validity or date of issue, forcing them to carry out additional verification. A ticket booking staff member said around eight to ten such cases are reported every day. When ticket details are unclear, passengers are often issued an Excess Fare Ticket after their season pass is verified through its unique serial number or with the station ticket office.

Western Railway said thermal printers are being installed in phases at ticket counters across its suburban stations. Automatic Ticket Vending Machines already use thermal printing technology. Central Railway, meanwhile, said it is studying the issue and will take necessary steps if required. Passenger groups have welcomed the move but urged the railways to complete the replacement quickly and use thicker, better-quality thermal paper. According to railway estimates, nearly 70-75 per cent of suburban tickets and season passes are still issued in paper form, while only 25-30 per cent of commuters use digital tickets through the RailOne app or ticket vending machines. The upgrade is expected to improve passenger convenience and reduce unnecessary disputes during ticket inspections.

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