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# Train tickets need to be printed in A4 format?

Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:27 AM
#1
Original Poster

Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 723
Train tickets need to be printed in A4 format?

I have already purchased tickets and printed them but now I am finding out I should have printed in A4 format...what is this?
Do I need special paper?

Thanks
Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:37 AM
#2

Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 33,297
What size is the paper you used? Can you read the ticket? I've always used standard 8.5 X 11 paper and have never had difficulties with tickets for France, Switzerland, Germany, or Italy.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:47 AM
#3

Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,345
A4 is the standard format for paper in most of Europe

A4 measuring 210 by 297 millimetres (8.3 in × 11.7 in)

As long as the ticket shows all the relevant parts it should be fine.

And for feloow math geeks, here is something interesting about the "A" format papers that I didn't know (which is part of the ISO paper sizes):

"ISO paper sizes are all based on a single aspect ratio of square root of 2, or approximately 1:1.4142."

"The significant advantage of this system is its scaling: if a sheet with an aspect ratio of \sqrt{2} is divided into two equal halves parallel to its shortest sides, then the halves will again have an aspect ratio of \sqrt{2}. Folded brochures of any size can be made by using sheets of the next larger size, e.g. A4 sheets are folded to make A5 brochures. The system allows scaling without compromising the aspect ratio from one size to another—as provided by office photocopiers, e.g. enlarging A4 to A3 or reducing A3 to A4. Similarly, two sheets of A4 can be scaled down and fit exactly 1 sheet without any cutoff or margins. Therefore the aspect ratio is preserved for the new dimensions of the folded paper."

"Weights are easy to calculate as well: a standard A4 sheet made from 80 g/m2 paper weighs 5 g (as it is one 16th of an A0 page, measuring 1 m2), allowing one to easily compute the weight—and associated postage rate—by counting the number of sheets used."

As usual metric makes a lot of sense
Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:50 AM
#4

Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 45,629
It's standard European-size paper, but it's of no concern to you. Just print on your 8.5 X 11 and make sure all the information gets printed, and it will be fine. I've printed dozens of tickets on 8.5 X 11 and never had a problem.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:55 AM
#5

Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,006
The other interesting fact for (those for a yearning for such things) is that a sheet of paper A0 size (the largest) have an area of 1 square metre, with the sides in the proportions given above.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 10:27 AM
#6
Original Poster

Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 723
Thanks, I printed on 81/2 x 11
However, my printer has an A4 option. Maybe I'll print them using that also.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 10:30 AM
#7

Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,210
Ooooh, you like to live dangerously. I took the train yesterday and they never even checked the tickets. (Actually, it made sense because the train was sold out, so anybody on the train without a ticket would have been a glaring unseated person -- perhaps they check tickets in the bar car, which would be the logical hideout.)
Mar 2nd, 2014, 11:05 AM
#8

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,685
Your printer probably has a "shrink to fit" option which should do the trick...though--as has been said--as long as the important info is there (especially the booking code, which is called a PNR code in Italy but not sure what it's called in France), you should be fine.

SS
Mar 2nd, 2014, 11:26 AM
#9

Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,345
@chartley-that is pretty cool.

BTW "sqrt{2}" didn't print the symbol but it is the square root of 2
Mar 2nd, 2014, 11:58 AM
#10

Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,210
All printers have a 'shrink to fit' option. I would really worry about the ticket checkers having a sizing tool to determine if you are trying to pass of 'eight and a half by eleven' as A4 format. ;-)

More seriously, the only important thing (which is mentioned on the website) is that it has to be a GOOD QUALITY print. If your printer is running out of ink or if the dog licked the wrong spot, you are in trouble -- otherwise, no problem.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 02:09 PM
#11

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,685
jpie...

I couldn't resist checking the formula out in Excel...sure enough, you can cut the paper in half many times and the ratio holds.

Super cool!

SS
Mar 2nd, 2014, 04:50 PM
#12

Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,345
I know right-it is cool particularly when you consider how much it aids production and packaging-oh well, Carter tried to get us US folks to think metric-but would we listen,nooooo.....!

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