Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for crowd control based on check-in time recommendations, including operations of receiving, from a plurality of users, travel information, the travel information including, for each of the plurality of users, a user identification, a departure location, and a departure time, determining a total number of passengers within a time interval associated to the departure time from the departure location, generating a recommended check-in time for each of the plurality of users based on the travel information and the total number of passengers, displaying for each of the plurality of users the recommended check-in time, and activating a setting of a ticket verification device to prevent access to a portion of the departure location for each of the plurality of users before the recommended check-in time.