Are you planning to travel by train? One of the most important steps before boarding a train is to check PNR Status. The PNR Number is your key for railway booking. The number will unlock important information related to your booking and will help you stay away from last minute mix ups, solve booking confirmation problems, initiate refund process and book alternate trains when required.
This guide is going to explain how to check PNR Status, how it is important and how to look for Live Train Running Status ensuring correct train timings.
Table of Contents
What is PNR Status?
A Passenger Name Record (PNR) is a 10 digit number which is unique and given to every booking related to Indian Railways. This number provides important information related to Passenger Details, Train Details, Booking Status and if your booking is Confirmed, then the Booking Details as well.
For people whose Booking Status are pending like being Waitlisted (WL) or Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC), it is very important to check PNR Status. When they check PNR Status, they are informed with the current status of their booking and hence can track if there are any developments in the booking.
How to check PNR Status?
It is very easy to check PNR Status with the aid of new age platforms like RailRestro and RailMitra. You just have to follow these easy steps.
- Go to RailRestro.com or install their dedicated application which is available on both Android as well as iOS.
- From the Rail Tools drop down button, select PNR Status.
- Enter your 10 digit PNR Number and click on Check Status.
By following these steps, you can easily check PNR Status and track real time developments of your booking.
Why should we check PNR Status?
We need to Check our PNR Status as it solves many problems that might occur due to unconfirmed bookings, which is quite frequent in Indian Railways. If we check PNR Status, it will help us in:
- Solving Ticket Confirmation uncertainty
In Indian Railways, seats are allotted only when your booking is Confirmed (CNF). If it is not, you need to check PNR Status regularly to see if there are any changes. When you are Waitlisted (WL), you are provided with a number, e.g., W/L 12. This denotes that 12 people are ahead of you in the queue.
When we check PNR Status, we get real time updates whether the Waitlist count has reduced or not. If the booking doesn’t confirm, you need to look for other alternative trains.
- Booking alternative trains
When we check PNR Status and it doesn’t get Confirmed, we need to opt for trains which follow the same route. Another helpful service called Live Train Running Status helps us to view the train timings of alternatives operating on the route. PNR Status paired with Live Train Running Status can provide vital information that helps us in tackling any ticket confirmation issues with the Indian Railways.
- Cancellation and refund tracking
If your ticket doesn’t get Confirmed before boarding, Cancelling the ticket is the only option left. If the booking has been done online, the ticket will be cancelled automatically and the refund process will be initiated. For offline bookings, you would need to visit the Railway counter for cancellation and refund initiation. If you Check PNR Status, you can cancel tickets at the right time and minimize cancellation charges.
- Preventing last minute issues
Train journey is subject to many last minute changes like fluctuations in Train Timings related to Arrival/Departure and Halt, changes in Platform, Booking status shifts, etc. If you check PNR Status along with Live Train Running Status you can tackle these issues. For booking related issues check PNR Status, while for changes in Train timings or Platform look for Live Train Running Status.
Conclusion
In this article, we learnt about PNR Number, how to check PNR Status, its importance along with the use of Live Train Running Status service in tracking Train Timings. This information makes us plan and react to adverse last minute situations better.
With a planned journey you can be free of unnecessary stress and anxiety. This adds to the overall travel experience maximising satisfaction and comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is a PNR Number?
Ans: PNR Number is a 10-digit number provided to every booking with Indian Railways. It is unique and contains Passengers Detail, Train Details, Booking status and Booking Details.
Q. How to check PNR Status?
Ans: Check PNR Status easily with RailRestro. Go to RailRestro.com or install the app. From the Rail Tools option select PNR Status. Enter 10 digit PNR and click Check Status.
Q.What if PNR Status is waitlisted before departure?
Ans: If PNR Status is Waitlisted before departure, you should look for other trains and cancel your ticket. Tickets will be automatically cancelled for Online bookings while for Offline bookings, counters need to be visited.
Q.Can PNR get confirmed?
Ans: Yes, tickets can get confirmed depending upon Train cancellations and Seat availability.
Q.Can I travel with a Waitlisted ticket?
Ans: No, one cannot travel with a Waitlisted ticket. You should cancel your ticket and look for booking in the other trains.
