A papermaking machine for making uncreped through air dried paper having a forming section, a press section, and a drying section is disclosed. The paper web is pressed between two press members while enclosed between a press felt and a transfer belt having non-uniformly distributed microscopic depressions in its surface. The web follows the transfer belt from the press to a transfer point at which the web is transferred via a suction transfer device onto a structuring fabric. The web is then dried with a through air dryer.