www.irctc.co.inIn Indian railways system, various types of trains are running across India. Through IRCTC site we can reserve ticket for certain trains. The train tickets that are taken through Indian railways ticket reservation system have a PNR number in them. For the tickets which have a PNR number in them, it is possible to check their PNR status.

Not all the train tickets have a PNR number. There are different types of train in Indian railways system. Let us first see the trains whose tickets doesn’t have PNR number in them. Metro trains, passenger trains and suburban locals don’t have PNR number in their respective tickets. The train tickets which have PNR number in them are the tickets of the fast and super-fast express, Rajadhani express, Duranto Express, Garibrath,sathabthi and janasathabthi.

Metro trains run in metro cities like Delhi and kalkata. Passenger trains can be seen in cities like Mumbai and Chennai. Suburban locals are local trains within cities. The tickets of these train cannot be reserved earlier. The tickets taken without using ticket reservation system usually do not have PNR number in them. The train ticket of fast and super-fast express, Rajadhani express,Duranto express, Sathabthi and janasathabthi express, Garibrathtrain have PNR number in them, since they are taken using ticket reservation system.

What is a PNR status number?

PNR number is a ten digit number in the ticket seen at the top left corner in the ticken taken through window counter in the railway station. It is short for of Passenger name record. The 10 digit PNR number is seen in the top cell of the E-ticket.

PNR status / PNR number

Types of PNR status tickets

The train ticket can be taken either through the counter in the railway station or through online IRCTC site. So the types of tickets are counter ticket and E-tickets.

  • In counter ticket the PNR number is displayed in the top left corner of the ticket
  • In the E-tickets, The PNR number is displayed in the top right cell.

It is only through the PNR number in the ticket, you can check PNR status for your ticket.

Tickets of

  • Fast and Super-fast trains
  • Rajadhani express
  • Sathabthi and janasathabthi
  • Garibrath
  • Doranto express

Have PNR number and hence PNR status can be checked for these tickets.

Tickets of

  • Metro trains
  • Passenger trains
  • Suburban locals

Will not be having PNR number. They do not come under the ticket reservation system.

For all tickets which come under ticket reservation system, the PNR status can be seen. Only in the tickets which come under ticket reservation system, we can see the PNR number hence the PNR status can be checked.

What are the PNR status codes?

  • CNF – Confirmed
  • WL   _ Waiting List
  • RAC _ Reservation Against Cancellation
  • GNWL_ General Wait List
  • RLWL _ Remote Location Wait List
  • PQWL_ Pooled Quota Wait List
  • CAN/MOD _ Cancelled or Modified Passenger
  • REGRET/WL_ No more Booking Permitted
  • R##RAC_ Coach Number Berth Number

Some of the Short forms used in Indian railways are

  • SL – Sleeper Class3A – AC 3 Tier
  • 3 E – AC 3 Tier Economy
  • 2S – Second Sitting
  • FC – First class
  • 2A – AC 2-tier sleeper
  • 1A – First class AC
  • GN – General Quota
  • DF – Defense Quota
  • CK – Tatkal Quota
  • SS – Travelling Alone Female Quota (above 45 Year) / Senior Citizen Quota
  • LD – Ladies Quota
  • HP – Physically Handicapped Quota

PNR status Metro trains

Indian RailwayMetro trains are moderate speed trains. They run in the cities like Delhi and Kolkatta. The tickets of metro trains cannot be reserved. So the tickets of metro trains do not have PNR number in them. Since there is no PNR number in the ticket the PNR status cannot be checked for these train tickets.

PNR status Sub urban Locals

Sub urban Locals are classified into slow locals and fast locals.Slow locals stop in each and every station whereas fast locals stops only in specific stations. The tickets of sub urban Locals cannot be reserved.There is no PNR number for the tickets of sub urban locals. So PNR status cannot be checked for the tickets of suburban locals.

PNR status Passenger trains

Passenger trains are also classified into slow passenger trains and fast passengers train. The tickets of passenger train cannot be reserved. So there will not be any PNR number in the tickets of the passenger train. The PNR status cannot be checked for the passenger train tickets.

PNR status Express and super-Fast Express trains

The tickets can be reserved for express and super-fast express trains. They are fast running train which covers long distance. Since ticket reservation is possible for these trains, PNR number will be displayed in the ticket. Using the PNR number displayed in the ticket, one can check the PNR status for the ticket of fast and super-fast Express trains.

PNR status Shatabdi and janshatabdi trains

Shatabdi and janshatabdi trains have no sleepers in it. In shatabdi trains all the coaches have AC. In janshatabdi trains both AC coaches and non AC coaches are there. The tickets of shatabdi and janshatabdi trains can be reserved. So tickets of shatabdi and janshatabdi will have a PNR number. Using this PNR number the PNR status can be checked for these tickets

PNR status trains

PNR status Garibrath trains

Garibrath trains 3 tier AC trains. The tickets of Garibrath trains are comparatively low with the tickets of other trains. The tickets of Garibrath trains can be reserved. So the tickets of Garibrath trains will have PNR number in them. So PNR status can be checked for these tickets.

PNR status Rajadhani trains

Rajadhani trains have AC for all coaches. They link different cities of India. The tickets of Rajadhani trains can be reserved. So there will be PNR number in the tickets of Rajadhani train. By making use of 10 digit PNR number, the PNR status of the ticket can be checked.

PNR status Duranto trains

Duranto trains are the trains which stop never in any station in between. Once started it will stop only in the destination station. The train tickets of Duranto trains can be reserved. Since the tickets are reserved the tickets should have PNR number. The PNR status of the ticket can be checked using this PNR number.

We have seen about the different types of trains that run across India and about the train tickets with PNR number and without PNR number.Let us see different methods to check the PNR status of the ticket.

Check PNR status through SMS

You can check the PNR status of your Indian Railways train ticket. This can be done by sending your ten digit number by SMS to 5888 You can also dial 139 and follow the instructions given in the voice call.

Check PNR status online

As the technology has reached a new height, several sites have come to check the PNR status. Log into the site, type your ten digit PNR number and click the submit button. The system will automatically check the PNR status of your ticket with the database and will give you the result.

Check PNR status through mobile APPS

PNR status ticketYou can download the app to check the PNR status in your mobile and check through the App by typing the ten digits PNR number.

Indian railways require Passenger’s name, contact details, ticketing details, Itinerary and the details of the person who provide travel information.

Actually the PNR system is introduced by airlines and is widely used by railways.

The meaning of PNR is ‘passenger name record’. It is a 10 digit number generated by computer ticket reservation system for the ticket of every passenger.

Many travel sites has introduced a service to check the PNR status of the ticket. It is best to check PNR status through IRCTC site. Checking the PNR status of your ticket is to know the status of your ticket whether it is in waiting list or in RAC of confirmed.

In earlier days it is difficult to find the PNR status for your ticket. One has to go the railway station, stand in the long queue and wait to know the PNR status of the ticket.

Technology has favored a boon to this earlier critical and tiery method of finding PNR status. Since life is gone easier by technology, it is very easy to check the PNR status of your ticket. You can just log in to IRCTC site through your user account. Go to PNR status page and just type your PNR number and click the submit button.

PNR status check is to check the status of seat reservation In recent days almost all tourist sectors which involves transports, hotels and air ways has introduced this PNR number for railways ticket reservation system, the bus ticket reservation , hotel room booking and airlines ticket reservation. They can book ticket through their own website and can get the PNR number and can check the PNR status of the booked ticked.

Since the technology had reached the zenith, it is essential for everyone to cope up with the fast growing technology. Almost everyone is trying to update with the technology. So the sales of mobiles, laptop and pc and apps are very high in recent days. So almost everyone have mobile phones, pc or laptop.

Parents train their children to book tickets and educate them what is a PNR number and train them to check the PNR status. Checking PNR status is so easy as a child’s play. If you are booking tickets through travel agents, they do the same on behalf of you. If you don’t have time to do all these then you can leave the travel agents to book ticket and to check your PNR status.

As you know already you can check the PNR status only for the tickets of the trains which comes under ticket reservation system. Tickets of fast and super-fast express, rajadhani express, duranto, shatabdi and janashatabdi ,garibrath can be checked for PNR stauts with the 10 digit PNR number displayed in the top left corner of the window counter ticket.

The different PNR tatus of your 10 digit PNR number are Reservation against cancellation, General wait List, Remote Location wait list, Pooled quota wait List, cancelled or modified passenger, No more booking permitted, coach number berth number

How to sign up for IRCTC

IRCTC Sign upThe simple steps to make your journey easier are to follow the following steps. First become a registered user of IRCTC site by filling up the sign up form. Make sure that the details provided in the sign up form are correct.Any intimation and updates will be made known to you only through the phone number and E-mail ID that you provide in the sign up form.

Once you create your account in IRCTC site, just login to your user account and you become a registered user of IRCTC site. You can change your username and password if you wish.

Indian railways have rights to file case without any warning for any false personification and for fake accounts. Once you become a registered user of IRCTC site, you can enjoy all the facilities provided by this site You can book ticket online, check your PNR status, cancel tickets and do much more. You can even make payments through the cards of any Indian banks.You can even make use of internet banking

If your ticket is still in the waiting list till the train starts to move, then automatically your money will be credited back. You can check whether your ticket has changed from waiting list staus to confirmed status through IRCTC login. If your ticket is not confirmed, if it is still in the waiting list till the train starts then automatically the money will be credited into your bank account.

If you are booking your ticket in waiting list then you can check whther your ticket is confirmed before the date of journey by checking the PNR status.

If your reserving status of the ticket is in waiting list, then you have to check whether the ticket’s PNR status is changed to RAC and then to confirmed status.

Waiting list status does not allow you to board inside the train. If the status is not changed from waiting list till the date of journey then you have to cancel the journey and your money will be refunded.

If the PNR status is RAC (Reservation against cancellation) then you will be allowed to bard inside the train and a seat will be allocated to you. But you will not be able to use the berth.

If the PNR status is confirmed then you are allowed to board inside the train and a berth is allocated to you.

So from the time you booked your ticket you have to check for PNR status whether your ticket is confirmed to travel comfortably. If PNR status is changed to RAC then you can get only the seat.

Once you reserve the railway ticket through Indian railways ticket reservation system, you can check the status of your railway ticket and plan your schedule according to that by checking PNR Status of your railway ticket using the ten digit PNR number displayed in the top left corner of the window counter ticket and which is displayed in the top cell of the E-ticket which is booked online.

The different PNR status of your ticket can be

  • Available 02
  • Available 01
  • RAC 01
  • RAC 02
  • RAC 03
  • RAC 04
  • WL 01

You can plan your schedule on the travelling date if and only if your reserved ticket’s PNR status is changed from waiting list status to confirmed status or atleast to RAC status.