Allows the player to board the S.S. Anne while it is present at Vermilion City. The player can board the S.S. Anne to obtain HM01 (Cut)RGBYFRLG or learn the Secret Technique Chop DownPE, but the S.S. Anne departs once they do and disembark the ship.
In Generation I, the player can still leave Cerulean City without the S.S. Ticket by obtaining a Pokémon with Cut from a trade and then cutting the tree at the south. However, this is not possible in Generation III, because this tree is blocked by a Lass's Slowbro until the player obtains the S.S. Ticket. It is also not possible in Generation VII because the player would require the Secret Technique Chop Down to cut this tree, which is obtained later in the game.
Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver
Allows the player to board the S.S. Aqua and travel between Johto and Kanto aboard it.
Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire
In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, when the player attempts to enter the S.S. Anne, the game does not check if the S.S. Ticket is present in the Bag; instead, it specifically checks for the event flag indicating that Bill has delivered the S.S. Ticket to the player. However, this makes no difference in regular gameplay, because the S.S. Ticket (like any other Key Item in these games) is unable to be deposited in the PC, sold, or thrown away, so it remains indefinitely in the Bag after the player has received it from Bill.