Don't Forget to Validate Your Ticket. . .

I spent more than a decade riding the subways and busses in New York City. In that system, you purchase a Metro card at a machine inside any station. This can be a one ride card, daily card, or weekly card. The card has a magnetic strip that you need to slide through the reader in order to go through the turnstiles to the platforms. If you don't slide your card, or your card does not have enough on it for the fare, then the turnstile won't move and you'll be prevented from entering and getting on the subway. 

I say all of that to explain that this was the system I was accustomed to. So, on my first trip to Europe, I didn't realize that other systems were different. I still bought my ticket at a machine, just like in NYC, but there weren't any turnstiles or card readers to swipe my card. You just walked directly to the appropriate platform and got on the train. 

Of course, not all cities in Europe are like this (some have the card readers and turnstiles like NYC), but some of the first cities I visited definitely had their own systems. Because of that, I was worried about making mistakes. I remember someone mentioning, "Don't forget to validate your ticket before getting on the trains." But what did that mean and how did I do it? 

So, this post is aimed to help you out with just that, and it's based on my firsthand experience! Read on to find out everything you need to know to ride public transportation in Europe, worry free. 

What is Ticket Validation?

In many European cities when you buy a train, bus, subway, tram, or metro ticket, you are actually just buying a generic ticket that can be used at any day or time. When you "validate" a ticket, you are marking it with the date and time that you got on the train to show that this ticket has now been used, and therefore cannot be used again. If you were a dishonest traveler, you could buy a ticket and just keep using it over and over again if you didn't validate it. Not saying YOU would do that on purpose, but the authorities don't know that and they'll assume that if you haven't validated your ticket, that's what you're up to.

What Tickets Need to be Validated? 

Every ticket is going to look slightly different. Some, like this one that I purchased in Italy, has written on the bottom that it needs to be validated. Notice, it says, "Ticket is valid 4 hours after validation." If you were to look at the opposite side of this ticket, you'd see an arrow pointing up that shows what direction the ticket is supposed to be inserted into the validation machine. This is important to follow these directions. If you were to validate the ticket on the side with all the writing, it wouldn't be visible, and it will appear as though you hadn't validated it. This will cause problems if a transportation authority person asks to inspect your ticket. 

Keep in mind that validation isn't just required for transport inside a city. Sometimes it's necessary in between cities, too. This ticket in the photo is for transportation between the city of Lucca and Pisa. And I absolutely needed to validate that ticket according to that detail about validation printed at the bottom of the ticket. 

Where Do I Get My Ticket Validated?

As I just mentioned, in order to validate your ticket, you need a ticket validation machine. What is that and how do you find it?

This is a validation machine in Italy. As you can see, this particular one has a clock on it, the logo of the train company, a card reader, and a slot. The slot is where a paper ticket is inserted. The machine makes the "cachunk" sound when it prints the time an date on the ticket. In this case, it would print the time 10:24 and that day's date. 

These machines are sometimes located right on the platform, like this one. Other times, they are located at the beginning of the platform or in various places up and down the platform. Just look around for pillars and see if there is one attached. 

Some buses will also have validation machines at the front or back of the bus. These operate similarly to the platforms you use for trains and subways.  

Why is Ticket Validation Important?

You might be wondering: Why is it important to validate my ticket? Here are the two most important reasons. 

1. Avoiding Fines: If you don't validate your ticket and you get caught, you will be most likely be fined. On one trip to Berlin, I had just checked into my hostel and some of my roommates were complaining about how they had just bought their ticket for the subway but they didn't know they had to validate it. They got on the train, and immediately a public transportation official asked to see their tickets. When the official saw that the tickets weren't validated, he gave them each a 50 euro fine, each! Welcome to Berlin! Something like this can really put a damper on your trip. so always make sure you "cachunk" your ticket before you climb onboard. 
2. Supporting Public Transport: Remember that ticket revenue contributes to maintaining and improving public transportation systems in every city. When people don't validate, they are actually cheating the system by continuing to use a pass/ticket over and over instead of paying their fair fare. This negatively impacts the communities that you are visiting. 

Different Types of Machines 

European cities employ various ticket validation methods. Some common systems include:

• Stamping Machines: In certain cities, you'll find ticket-stamping machines located at the entrance of subway stations or inside buses/trams. With these machines, passengers must stamp their tickets before boarding.
• E-ticket Systems: Many cities offer electronic ticketing, where you can purchase tickets online or via mobile apps. These tickets often have a QR code or barcode that needs to be scanned before boarding.
• Ticket Validators: Modern subway and tram systems have ticket validators inside the stations. Passengers must tap their tickets or contactless cards on these validators to validate them.

More Top Tips

I've ridden public transportation in cities all over Europe and I still find it handy to refer to the ideas in this chart often. I hope you also find these reminders helpful as well. 

The Wrap Up

Ticket validation truly isn't a daunting process. Just remember, you need to mark your ticket to show that it's used. THEN, you need to keep the ticket handy in case anyone needs to see it, or in case you need to validate it again once you disembark.

My biggest piece of advice--if you're ever unsure, just find a transportation official and ask for help. If language is a problem, pull up your Google translate app and let the chatting begin! 

Ticket Validation FAQ

Ticket validation involves marking your generic ticket with the date and time you begin your journey. This practice prevents the reuse of the same ticket and ensures fare compliance.

Ticket validation prevents fare evasion and supports the maintenance and improvement of public transportation systems. Validating your ticket is a legal and ethical obligation.

Most tickets, including those for trains, buses, subways, trams, and metros, need validation. Look for instructions on the ticket or check with transportation authorities.

Ticket validation machines are used. These machines can be found at stations, platforms, and sometimes even on buses. Insert your ticket as indicated, and the machine will mark it with the date and time.

Failure to validate your ticket may lead to fines if you're caught by transportation officials. Additionally, using an unvalidated ticket cheats the system and negatively impacts the transportation network.

Various systems exist across European cities:

• Stamping Machines: Stamp your ticket before boarding.
• E-ticket Systems: Tickets purchased online or through apps may have QR codes to be scanned.
• Ticket Validators: Modern systems have ticket validators for tapping or contactless scanning.

• Purchase the Right Ticket: Choose the correct ticket type for your journey.
• Read Instructions: Understand the validation process for your ticket.
• Validate Before Boarding: Ensure validation at the start of your journey.
• Keep the Ticket Handy: Hold onto your validated ticket during your trip.
• Be Mindful of Transfers: Observe transfer time limits if applicable.

If you're uncertain about the validation process or need help, approach transportation officials or use translation apps to communicate effectively.