What Is Indian Railway PNR

admin January 9, 2023 in TIPS - 9 Minutes

PNR-status

PNR is a unique number assigned to every train ticket booked, and it tells about the status of train tickets. Through the PNR status, you learn whether your ticket is reserved, has the status of Reservation against Cancellation (RAC) or is on the waiting list. It is a 10 digit number which gives all the information about train and passenger details.

IRCTC, or Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, is the face of modern tourism in India. Apart from train ticket booking, you can enjoy the option to check the PNR status of the train along with other services like checking seat availability, train schedule and live train status on IRCTC.

Check PNR status

PNR status can be checked by entering the PNR number in the check PNR status section. After clicking the button, the current status of your train ticket will appear along with other details related to your journey. Additionally, you can find your PNR number in the top center in case of an e-ticket or in the top left corner on a ticket booked at the Indian Railway Station.

PNR Status Inquiry Via App

mobile app gives you the opportunity to quickly check your PNR status and provides regular updates on your PNR status query. In addition to this, you also get information about the status of the reservation you have made, coach position and platform number of the train.

Check PNR status via SMS

Indian Railways offers two ways to make a PNR inquiry. You can either send an SMS on ‘139’, a 3-digit number given by IRCTC, or you can send an SMS to 5676747 to get PNR train status delivered directly to your inbox. However, the cost for sending a text on the given numbers is INR 3 per message.

Wat is PNR?

PNR is a 10-digit system-generated numeric code provided by the IRCTC ticket reservation system. Every time a train ticket is booked, a unique PNR is generated which contains booking details along with other information like the confirmation status, name of the passenger, gender and age of the passenger and much more. With the PNR status check feature, one can stay updated about everything related to train ticket bookings.

What does a PNR number mean?

Understanding a PNR number is quite simple. It can be broken down into two parts as the first three digits of the PNR number contain all the information regarding the ticket and the last 7 digits contain no useful information as they are only used to make the PNR number unique. You can find the following information via the PNR number:

Passenger details such as their name, berth they chose, age and their gender.
Details such as the type of seat selected, berth, reservation quota, number of your train, the date of your journey, destination station, train origin station and the name of the station from where you will board the train.
Type of transaction done, transaction details and ticket fare.
PNR’s first digit depends on the train’s zone in relation to the starting station of the train.
Zonal codes – 1 (SCR Secondarybad PRS); 2, 3 (NR, NCR, NWR, NER New-Delhi PRS); 4, 5 (SR, SWR, SCR Chennai PRS); 6, 7 (NFR, ECR, ER, ECoR, SER, SECR Calcutta PRS); 8, 9 (CR, WCR, WR Mumbai PRS)

How to inquire about PNR status?

It is extremely easy to check the PNR status of the train. Either visit the GoIbibo app or website and click the ‘Check PNR Status’ after entering the PNR number in the search box. You can also check your status by making a PNR inquiry in the following ways:

Visit IRCTC official website
Use the SMS sending service offered by the Railways. You can send your PNR number to 139 or 5676747.
You can check the PNR status of the train by physically visiting the Railways inquiry counters.
You can also check the final reservation card which is posted approximately three hours before departure.
PNR status check feature has made it so easy for the customers to track all booking details, live train status, PNR train status, cancellation details and berth details from the comfort of their home.

The PNR number is valid for up to 9 months.

What is the probability of getting confirmation status?

When you book train tickets , you may get your PNR train status as waiting list. This means that your ticket has not been booked yet. The confirmation of your ticket depends on various factors such as how many train ticket reservations are made, the seats reserved for quotas, festive seasons or holidays and the number of cancellations made. This is why PNR status plays a major role in understanding the status of your ticket. You can check PNR status on GoIbibo by entering your PNR number.

PNR Status Inquiry Fast Facts

What is PNR in e-ticket?	Passenger Name Record
Length of PNR No.	This is a 10-digit unique code.
Meaning of first 3 digits of your PNR	In the PNR number, the first 3 digits are called PRS. They provide information about the system passengers use to book train tickets.
Meaning of last 7 digits of your PNR	The last seven digits are randomly generated by the system.
Validity period of a PNR number	A PNR is valid for a maximum of 9 months. After that period it becomes invalid. The same PNR can be generated after a year.

Tipes PNR-status

There are different types of PNR status that you can receive when you book your tickets. Each one defines the status of your train ticket bookings. Here’s what some of the abbreviations stand for:

CNF – This metric on your PNR status shows whether your ticket has been confirmed or not. CAN- This appears for the canceled tickets.
WL- It means waiting list.
RAC- Dit staan vir Reservation Against Cancellation.
GNWL- It stands for General Waiting List. This is a type of waiting list quota.
PQWL- It means composite quota waiting list. The chances of getting confirmation for this status are quite low.
RLWL- It stands for Remote Location Waiting List. It is issued to travelers for an intermediate railway station.
TQWL- It stands for Tatkal Quota Waiting List and is issued for tatkal tickets .
NOSB- It stands for No Seat berth. Under this status, children between the ages of 5 and 12 can board the train, but no seat is reserved for them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PNR?

PNR stands for Passenger Name Record. It is a 10-digit number that provides information about the details of travel printed on the train ticket for an Indian Railways train. This number is generated when you book a train ticket at Indian Railways ticket counter or through the ICRTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) website. The Center of Railway Information Systems stores this number after you have booked your ticket. PNR is only valid until the trip ends. If you want to check PNR status online, Goibibo conveniently provides you with the exact information about your train ticket booking .

Where can I find PNR?

On an Indian railway train ticket, you can find the PNR in the top left corner. PNR is also sent via email and SMS for tickets booked from IRCTC website or from an online travel website.

How to check PNR status online?

You can check PNR status online via goibibo.com. Follow the steps mentioned below; Go to goibibo website or download the goibibo app. Click on the ” Check PNR Status ” button. Enter your 10-digit PNR number and search. You will get your booked train ticket current status along with passenger details.

What information is available in PNR status?

PNR status will inform whether train ticket is in Confirmed (CNF), Wait List (WL) or Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) status. It will also inform about the seat class, seat number, carriage number, boarding time of the train and arrival time for your destination.

What does PNR status mean?

PNR status consists of the travel details in abbreviations. Below is the list of abbreviations and their meanings that define the PNR of your ticket:

WL – Stands for waiting list and the passenger with a waiting list ticket cannot board the train.

RAC – Stands for Reservation Against Cancellation and passenger can travel with another passenger in a sleeper.

CNF – Stands for Confirm and the assignment of the passenger seat is done.

CAN – Stands for Canceled and the passenger cannot board the train.

TQWL – stands for Tatkal Waiting List.

PQWL – Stands for Pooled Quota Waitlist and is for passengers traveling from the station where the train starts and alighting in a station before the last train destination.

RLWL – Stands for Remote Location Waitlist and is for passengers traveling between intermediate stations.

NOSB – Stands for No Seat Berth and is for child passengers under the age of 12 in which no seats have been allocated to them.

What is included in a PNR number?

The first digit of the initial three digits of a PNR number depends on the station where the train starts. The two consecutive numbers of the first three digits indicate the ticket booked at a specific PRS centre. If the number starts with 1, it is issued from the Secunderabad PRS with the code – SCR. If the number starts with 2 or 3, it is issued from New Delhi PRS with the codes – NR, NCR, NWR or NER. If the number starts with 4 or 5, it is issued from Chennai PRS with codes – SWR, SCR or SR. If the number starts with 6 or 7, it is issued from Calcutta PRS with the codes — NFR, ECR, ER, ECoR, SER or SECR. If the number starts with 8 or 9, it is issued from Mumbai PRS with the codes – CR, WCR or WR.

The remaining seven digits are only present to give the PNR number an irreplaceable identity. These numbers are generated arbitrarily.

How to check PNR status by phone?

You can check IRCTC PNR via SMS: Type “PNR <Your 10 digit PNR number>” and send it to 139 OR via link 139 to get the live PNR status. Please note that carrier charges may apply for SMS and calls.

How is a waiting list ticket confirmed?

If you are on the waiting list, the chances of you getting a confirmed seat are if other passengers cancel their tickets.

What is PNR Confirmation Prediction?

Goibibo helps you with confirmation probability of waiting list tickets. It calculates confirmation probability using machine learning algorithms that consider factors like cancellation trends, quota, seasonality, etc.

Where is the PNR number printed on a train ticket?

If the train ticket is purchased at any railway station, the PNR number will be printed in the upper left corner of the ticket. If the ticket is purchased online, the PNR number will be displayed separately on top of the ticket.

Can we check PNR status of an old trip?

A PNR is not valid after the trip. The Indian Railways clears it after the journey is completed.