Important PNR Facts Everyone Should Know

PNR stands for Passenger Name Record (PNR), a unique 10-digit number that appears on every Indian Railways ticket. The PNR ensures that the passenger's ticket has been reserved, and they can now go to their target station with a valid ticket. Because the voyage begins with boarding the train, each passenger is identified by their PNR number. 

If you are unfamiliar with a PNR number, this blog will assist you in obtaining the intricate PNR details generated by Indian railways for your train journey.

Facts one should know about PNR Status.

First Three Digits 

The first three digits indicate which PRS the ticket was purchased from. (PRS stands for Passenger Reservation System.) PRS, created by CRIS, is a complete networking solution for Indian Railways' Passenger Reservation System.)

The first digit of a PNR number is independent of the PRS from which it was booked. It is determined by the train's zone in relation to the train's starting station.

Number	Code	Zone
1	SCR	Secunderabad 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	Kolkata PRS
8,9	CR, WCR, WR	Mumbai PRS

 

For example, if a ticket is purchased on the Rajdhani Express (Mumbai to New Delhi), the PNR will begin at 8.

The next two digits describe specific PRS in the zone.

For example, if you book from the Dadar PRS centre, it could be 57. (For an example only). It could be 24 in Ahmedabad.

To summarise, if the first three digits are 824, the zone is either CR, WCR, or WR, and the PRS centre is Ahmedabad.

The PNR contains random numbers.

The CRIS generates the seven digits in the PNR at random (Centre for Railway Information System). They don't have any precise or informative ticket information. These numbers are generated on the ticket solely to distinguish it from other tickets.

Validity and Record

The validity of the PNR expires when the journey is completed. Once the train arrives at the destination station, the PNR becomes meaningless, and no further journeys are possible with the same PNR. The PNR Number is stored in the Indian Railways database for a minimum of 9 months before being automatically flushed.

Details in the PNR

The PNR is the only way for a train passenger to be identified. Railways use this unique 10-digit code to identify passengers, which includes:

• Passenger information ( Name, Age, Sex, Date of Birth)
• Ticket information (Date of Journey, Source Station, Destination Station, Berth Number, Quota, ID Proof Numbers, Class of the Booked Ticket etc.)
• Details of the transaction

Types of Code Displayed While Inquiring PNR Status

• CNF – If you read this on your live PNR status, you’ve got a ‘Confirmed’ ticket
• RAC – ‘Reservation Against Cancellation’ meaning that you are likely to get reservation in case someone cancels to travel. You can board the train though
• WL – ‘Waiting List’ meaning that you’re lined up to get a confirmed ticket only if one decides to cancel their booking. If the chart has been prepared and your IRCTC PNR status still says WL, you cannot board the train. There are other types of waiting lists as well including GNWL (General Waitlist), TQWL (Tatkal Waitlist), PQWL (Pooled Quota Waitlist), RLWL (Remote Location Waitlist), and NOSB (No Seat Berth)
• CAN – Ticket Cancelled.

PNR Confirmation Prediction

Prediction is computed using data analytics and machine learning techniques based on various factors such as previous booking and cancellation trends, station quotas, days of the week, seasonality, holidays, and so on. Generally, waiting list PNR Status has very few chances of being confirmed during peak seasons such as Durga Puja (Dussehra), Diwali, Chhath, Holi, and so on. 

This is due to the large number of commuters who travel to their hometowns. Even during peak season, flight and bus ticket prices skyrocket. Trainman PNR Status allows you to check your PNR's current status as well as your chances of having your PNR status confirmed.

 

How do I check the status of my PNR?

The Trainman app and website can be used to check PNR status. To check the PNR status, simply follow these simple steps:

• Download the Trainman Mobile applications (available on both Google Play Store and iOS App Store).
• Select PNR Status.
• Enter your ten-digit PNR number and click 'Get Status.'
• Your correct PNR confirmation details will be displayed on your screen.