Have you ever looked at your train ticket carefully? There are a lot of words and numbers written on it. One of the most important among these is a 10-digit number, which is written on the top of the ticket or in your message – we call it the PNR number (Passenger Name Record).

What is a PNR number, and why is it so important

The full form of PNR is ‘Passenger Name Record’, that is, a complete record of passenger information. It is a unique number, which is generated with every booking. When you book a railway ticket – whether it is online (on IRCTC) or from an agent/counter – a PNR number is given with your booking. It is written in the e-ticket, the message received on your mobile, and the railway app. It is not just a number, but a digital horoscope of your entire journey.

What information is hidden in your PNR number

Your PNR number connects all your information with the railway database. It acts like a key that provides access to all the information related to your journey. With this one number, you can get the following information:

All the names of passengers on the ticket, along with their ages.

The gender of the passengers is also included in it.

The day and time of your train.

The number and name of the train you are traveling in.

If your seat is confirmed, then which coach and seat number do you have?.

Whether your ticket is confirmed, RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation), or on the waiting list.

Where did you board the train from (boarding station), and where did you have to get off (destination station)?

How the PNR number helps you

This small PNR number makes your train journey easier in many ways:

It is most commonly used for waitlisted tickets. You can use it to know the final status of your seat before traveling.

If your train is cancelled for any reason, you can apply for a refund through the PNR number.

Even after the train chart is prepared, you can check the final status of your seat or booking through the PNR number.

You can get the running status and other live updates of your train by entering the PNR on the IRCTC app or website.

How to check your PNR number

Checking the status of your PNR number is very easy. You can adopt several methods for this:

Through the IRCTC website/app

Log in to the official website or mobile app of IRCTC.

Go to the ‘PNR Status’ or ‘Check PNR’ section.

Enter your 10-digit PNR number and click on ‘Check’ or ‘Submit’.

You will get your seat status, coach details, and other related information immediately.

By calling

You can also check your PNR status by calling the railway helpline number 139. Just provide the PNR number and get the information.

By sending SMS

You can also check PNR status by sending an SMS from your mobile.

Type ‘PNR’ in your message box, followed by your 10-digit PNR number, and send it to 139.

Example: PNR 1234567890 (replace 1234567890 with your PNR number).

It is important to note that a PNR number is for only one booking. Currently, a PNR can contain details of up to 6 passengers. If your seat is waitlisted, its status may change a few hours before travel, so it is always wise to check PNR status before travel.