Indian Railways is the lifeline of crores of passengers who travel on trains from one city to another. While many travel in the General Class of the train, booking a ticket right at the ticket counters of many train stations across India, millions travel using tickets booked in advance using IRCTC or offline bookings at these ticket counters. A train ticket reads out details like the name and number of the train, date of travel among other things.
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However, if you’re travelling in any of the Indian Railways train using an advanced booked ticket, including Tatkal tickets, knowing the status of your PNR is crucial for a hassle-free journey. PNR or the Passenger Name Record is the identity of your ticket that can be checked for details like seat confirmation, seat number, boggie number among other things.
While earlier checking PNR used to be a tedious process, as the charts were prepared 4 hours before the start of train’s journey, in the age of digital India, checking your PNR status is a straightforward process. In this comprehenive guide, we will explain the various online and offline options to check your PNR and ensure a smooth and stress-free journey aboard the Indian railways.
What is PNR?
Before we understand on the process to check a PNR status, it’s crucial to understand what exactly a PNR is? When a traveller chooses to travel with an Indian Railways train, they book a ticket online or offline. On the ticket, there’s a unique 10-digit number assigned to every railway ticket.
This number is called a Passenger Name Record or PNR and contains vital information about the passenger’s journey. Here’s few important points to keep in mind while checking a PNR of the train:
1) A PNR is writted on the ticket and one should always keep PNR number handy, either in a physical format or saved on your mobile device
2) Indian Railways can change seat allocation in the final chart. So always double-check your PNR status closer to the journey date
3) In case your ticket is waitlisted, check for updates, as waitlisted tickets can get confirmed closer to the travel date.
Checking PNR Status Online
There are various methods to check your PNR status, online and offline and here’s a detailed explainer on these methods:
1) Indian Railways Website
One of the most reliable and direct method to check PNR is to visit the Indian Railways website. Although you can’t book a ticket on the website, as the online ticketing partner is IRCTC, you can check the PNR status. Navigate to the PNR Enquiry and enter your 10-digit PNR. The website will provide you with real-time records about your reservation, seat/berth info, and more.
2) Mobile App
Like the website, the PNR can be checked on the official app of the Indian Railways as well. You can download the Indian Railways app on the Play Store or App Store basis the phone OS one is using.
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3) Third Party Apps & Websites
Apart from the Indian Railways official site, there are many trusted railway app and sites where you can enter your PNR number, and receive instant updates on your booking. These third-party mobile apps offer a user-friendly interface to check PNR status.
4) SMS Service
Although SMS service is becoming obsolete these days, but the easiest way to check PNR status without the use of internet is your mobile’s SMS facility. All you have to do is send a message PNR (Space) 10-digit PNR number on the designated Railway number, which is 139. You’ll receive an SMS with the current status shortly.
5) Phone Call
Like SMS Service, another way to check the PNR using the more traditional approach, when you don’t have the access of internet service is to call the railway customer care number (usually 139) and follow the interactive voice response system instructions to check your PNR status.
6) Railway Station Counters
Lastly, for those who are not tech-savvy, or live nearby a Railway Station, visiting the station and approaching the reservation counter is a viable option. A chart is prepared 4 hours before the departure of the train, and sticked on the notice board. Alternately, provide your PNR number to the staff, and they will furnish you with the latest information.
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