A thermal transfer printing method including the steps of: forming first an image on an intermediate transfer drum by heating a meltable-type thermal transfer ink sheet with a thermal head; and transferring the image formed on the intermediate transfer drum onto an image receptor, wherein the meltable-type thermal transfer ink sheet and the image receptor are fed at a velocity V.sub.1 and a velocity V.sub.3, respectively and the intermediate transfer drum rotates at a peripheral velocity V.sub.3, the velocities V.sub.1, V.sub.2 and V.sub.3 satisfying the equations (1), (2) and (3): (1) N.sub.1 =V.sub.2 /V.sub.1 =1 to 10, (2) N.sub.2 =V.sub.3 /V.sub.2 =1 to 10, and (3) N.sub.3 =V.sub.3 /V.sub.1 .gtoreq.2. With such a method, the amount of ink sheet to be consumed can be substantially reduced, and the printing velocity can be increased, while at the same time a printing device for use in this method can be scaled down.