Train PNR FAQ: How to Check PNR Status, Ticket Bookings, And More

A complete guide for how to check your IRCTC PNR status, where to buy train tickets and common FAQs.

Indian Railways Train PNR FAQ

(Photo: PTI)

The Indian Railways Passenger Name Record is a unique number provided to a passenger once a train ticket booking has been processed. The PNR consists of the passengers details, itinerary of the passenger or a group of passengers travelling together. It also states where the train ticket has been Confirmed, on a Waiting List (WL) or is under Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC).

Most importantly, the PNR states the coach, seat number, class of travel, train name and date and time of train departure.

How is a PNR Number Generated?

The PNR number consists of 10 digits, where the first 3 digits specify the PRS (Passenger Reservation System) from which the ticket is booked. The first digit of the PNR number specify that the zone of the train (starting station of the train) of the ticket. The following numbers belong to the below mentioned zones respectively

• Zone 1 – Issued from the SCR zone (Secundarabad PRS)
• Zone 2, 3 – Issued from NR, NCR, NWR, or NER zone (New Delhi PRS)
• Zone 4, 5 – Issued from SR, SWR, or SCR zone (Chennai PRS)
• Zone 6, 7 – Issued from NFR, ECR, ER, EcoR, SER or SECR zone (Kolkata PRS)
• Zone 8, 9 – Issued from CR, WCR, or WR zone (Mumbai PRS)

The last 7 digits are randomly generated digits, only to make the PNR number unique.

Ways To Check IRCTC PNR Status

You can understand your PNR live status and train info from multiple sources that include:

• PNR status check for railway reservation using SMS/phone: SMS PNR and send to 139 or call 139
• PNR status on any mobile payment wallet app like Google Pay or PayTM
• PNR Status Enquiry at railway station counters
• Check in Final reservation charts

To avoid overcrowding at railway stations amid coronavirus outbreak in the country, the Indian Railways and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism’s (IRCTC) SMS services on the number 139 – Rail Sampark – is your best option to know more about your existing train bookings. The SMS service allows passengers to know more about their PNR, station, accommodation availability, current train running position, PRS ticket cancellation and fare enquiry.

If you want to know how to book railways tickets on IRCTC website or app, here is a complete FAQ and guide for you.

Zones From Which PNR Is Issued

There are several zones of the Indian Railways from which the PNR is issued:

• NR: Northern Railways
• NER: North Eastern Railways
• NFR: Northeast Frontier Railways
• ER: Eastern Railways
• SER: South Eastern Railways
• SCR: South Central Railways
• SR: Southern Railways
• CR: Central Railways
• WR: Western Railways
• SWR: South Western Railways
• NWR: North Western Railways
• WCR: West Central Railways
• NCR: North Central Railways
• SECR: South East Central Railways
• ECoR: East Coast Railways
• ECR: East Central Railways

Full List of Trains Between Station in India 2020

Train Number	Train Name	Source Station	Destination Station	Distance (in kms)	Run Days
12424	NEW DELHI - DIBRUGARH TOWN RAJDHANI EXPRESS	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	DIBRUGARH TOWN (DBRT)	2,433.90	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
11077	PUNE - JAMMU TAWI JHELUM EXPRESS	PUNE JN (PUNE)	JAMMU TAWI (JAT)	2,176.10	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12802	NEW DELHI - PURI PURUSHOTTAM SF EXPRESS	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	PURI (PURI)	1,862.70	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12864	YESVANTPUR - HOWRAH SF EXPRESS	YESVANTPUR JN (YPR)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	1,958.80	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12859	MUMBAI CST - HOWRAH GITANJALI SF EXPRESS	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	1,967.40	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12801	PURI - NEW DELHI PURUSHOTTAM SF EXPRESS	PURI (PURI)	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	1,864.90	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12833	AHMEDABAD - HOWRAH SF EXPRESS	AHMEDABAD JN (ADI)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	2,084	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12307	HOWRAH - JODHPUR SF EXPRESS	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	JODHPUR JN (JU)	1,815	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12506	ANAND VIHAR T - GUWAHATI NORTH EAST SF EXP	ANAND VIHAR TRM (ANVT)	GUWAHATI (GHY)	1,861.20	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12295	BANGALORE CITY - DANAPUR SANGHAMITRA SF EXP	BANGALORE CITY JN (SBC)	DANAPUR (DNR)	2,697	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12138	FIROZPUR CANTT - MUMBAI CST SF PUNJAB MAIL	FIROZPUR CANT (FZR)	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	1,928.40	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12423	DIBRUGARH TOWN - NEW DELHI RAJDHANI EXPRESS	DIBRUGARH TOWN (DBRT)	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	2,433.90	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12322	MUMBAI CST - HOWRAH SF MAIL (VIA GAYA)	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	2,158.90	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12129	PUNE - HOWRAH AZAD HIND SF EXPRESS	PUNE JN (PUNE)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	2,024.20	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12860	HOWRAH - MUMBAI CST GITANJALI SF EXPRESS	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	1,970.10	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
13352	ALAPPUZHA - DHANBAD EXPRESS	ALLEPPEY (ALLP)	DHANBAD JN (DHN)	2,545.60	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12296	DANAPUR - BANGALORE CITY SANGHAMITRA SF EXP	DANAPUR (DNR)	BANGALORE CITY JN (SBC)	2,697	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12321	HOWRAH - MUMBAI CST SF MAIL (VIA GAYA)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	2,159	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12565	DARBHANGA - NEW DELHI BIHAR SAMPARK KRANTI EXP	DARBHANGA JN (DBG)	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	1,164	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12130	HOWRAH - PUNE AZAD HIND SF EXPRESS	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	PUNE JN (PUNE)	2,026.80	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
15909	DIBRUGARH - LALGARH AVADH ASSAM EXPRESS	DIBRUGARH (DBRG)	LALGARH JN (LGH)	3,125.80	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12809	MUMBAI CST - HOWRAH SF MAIL (VIA NAGPUR)	MUMBAI CST (CSTM)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	1,967.50	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12141	MUMBAI LTT - PATLIPUTRA SF EXPRESS	LOKMANYA TILAK TERM (LTT)	PATLIPUTRA (PPTA)	1,686.20	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12312	KALKA - HOWRAH KALKA MAIL	KALKA (KLK)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	1,712.10	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12627	BANGALORE CITY - NEW DELHI KARNATAKA SF EXP	BANGALORE CITY JN (SBC)	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	2,410.30	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12566	NEW DELHI - DARBHANGA BIHAR SAMPARK KRANTI EXP	NEW DELHI (NDLS)	DARBHANGA JN (DBG)	1,164	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12308	JODHPUR - HOWRAH SF EXPRESS	JODHPUR JN (JU)	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	1,815	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
11015	MUMBAI LTT - GORAKHPUR KUSHINAGAR EXPRESS	LOKMANYA TILAK TERM (LTT)	GORAKHPUR JN (GKP)	1,676.50	M,T,W,T,F,S,S
12863	HOWRAH - YESVANTPUR SF EXPRESS	HOWRAH JN (HWH)	YESVANTPUR JN (YPR)	1,958.80	M,T,W,T,F,S,S