Step By Step Guide To Railway Reservation

Step By Step Guide To Railway Reservation

Here is the step by step guide of PNR status and railway reservations,

WL and RAC

At the times when the tickets are sold than the railway ( Indian Railway or IRCTC ) releases RACs for railway reservations. Later, when RACs are also sold, WL tickets are released. The tickets are cancelled daily on almost all the Trains. These cancellations can get you a ticket if bought an RAC or WL ticket. Usually, when the reservation chart of a particular train is ready and there tickets available in different quotas, which are alloted to RAC/WL ticket holders.

pnr status : passenger details

passenger details on Indian Railways ticket

pnr status details : seat class

seat class of the Indian Railways ticket

Here is an example of a railway reservation situation. See the order on which tickets are sold,

Available 02

Available 01

RAC 01

RAC 02

RAC 03

RAC 04

WL 01

WL 02

You need to understand your ticket and WL number of PNR status

There are two numbers on your ticket. They tell you the exact position where you are listed on the waitlist and your current position in this order.

Here is an example:

You are booking a ticket online (Indian Railway, IRCTC, etc…). You search out for the train and class/seat/berth that you want along with the date and time. Later, when you search out the ticket, you also buy a ticket with WL5/WL2.

In this example, you joined the WL at position 5, but by the time you actually bought the ticket online you moved to position 2 (due either to a cancellation or to someone not making a final booking). The first number will stay the same – it shows the time you JOINED the queue. The second number will fall down till the time you get a ticket (hopefully).

Your railway reservation could look like:

WL 5/WL 2 (this is your starting position)

WL 5/WL 1

WL 5/RAC 3

WL 5/RAC 2

WL 5/RAC 1

WL 5/CNF

WL 5/WL 2 = Waitlist ticket: you cannot board the train.

WL 5/RAC 3 = RAC ticket: you are allowed to board the train, but you may end up on a seat instead of a berth.

WL 5/CNF = Confirmed ticket: you can board the train and you have a berth to yourself.

WL and RAC refunds

Suppose your train is ready for departure and its reservation chart is finalized,  your waiting list ticket will be automatically refunded to your bank account.