Ticket (admission)

A ticket is a voucher that indicates that an individual is entitled to admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, amusement park, stadium, or tourist attraction, or has a right to travel on a vehicle, such as with an airline ticket, bus ticket or train ticket. An individual typically pays for a ticket, but it may be free of charge. A ticket may serve simply as proof of entitlement or reservation. A ticket may be valid for any seat (called "free seating" or "open seating") or for a specific one (called "allocated seating" or "reserved seating").

Members of the public can buy a ticket at a ticket window or counter, called a box office in the entertainment industry (this term also refers to total receipts), or online or by telephone. Tickets may also be sold by resellers, commercial entities that purchase tickets in bulk and resell them to the public with a surcharge. Consumers use resellers for convenience and availability, especially when primary tickets are sold out.

On some bus or train journeys, both free and reserved seating are available, typically with an extra charge for a reserved seat. With free seating, passengers may have to stand on crowded services. In contrast, in arenas, cinemas, or theatres, free seating guarantees a seat, but not a specific one.

Paper or card is generally used, although plastic may be used for durability. Some tickets include a barcode or magnetic stripe for storing data; higher-end tickets may include chips that store more data and help prevent counterfeiting.

A paper ticket is often perforated into two parts: a ticket stub for the customer and a section kept by the ticket controller. Rules on leaving and re-entering vary; it may be restricted to prevent reuse, or allowed in venues such as cinemas for access to facilities during a performance.

Tickets may be printed in advance, fully or partially printed at issue, or completed by hand (e.g., by a train conductor carrying blank forms and a pen).