TVM
Ticket Vending Machine
A Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) is a self-service machine used at railway and metro stations to allow passengers to purchase tickets, top up travel cards, select fares and, depending on the system, perform other ticketing transactions.
Detailed explanation
TVMs form part of a railway or metro system’s Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) infrastructure. They provide passengers with a self-service interface for purchasing and managing travel products without requiring assistance from ticket-office staff.
Depending on the railway, a TVM may support:
Single and return tickets
Stored-value or smart-card top-ups
Travel passes and other fare products
Cash, bank card and contactless payments
QR-code or barcode tickets
Receipt printing
Multiple languages
Passenger information and fare selection
Connection to the central AFC/back-office system
Railway applications
mainline, high_speed, metro, light_rail, freight, station
Standards and references
EN 50126-1 / IEC 62278-1 — Railway RAMS principles applicable to railway systems and equipment.
EN 50128 / IEC 62279 — Software for railway control and protection systems, where applicable to safety-related software functions.
EN 50129 / IEC 62425 — Safety-related electronic systems for signalling, where applicable.
EN 50121 series / IEC 62236 series — Railway electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
EN 50124 series / IEC 62497 series — Insulation coordination for railway applications.
EN 50125-3 / IEC 62498-3 — Environmental conditions for signalling and telecommunications equipment.
EN 45545 series — Fire protection requirements for railway vehicles, where TVMs are installed onboard.
IEC 62368-1 — Safety requirements for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment.
PCI DSS — Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, relevant where TVMs accept card payments.
EMV Specifications — Applicable to chip and contactless bank-card payment functionality.