IRCTC Train Ticket: Why is PNR Number So Important?

Posted by RailMitra on January 11th, 2022

The IRCTC PNR is the unique number used by the Indian Railways to store the necessary details of the passenger and travel in their database.

So, whenever a ticket collector comes to your seat and confirms your PNR number, it means they already got your entire details, and they are just cross verifying. This makes your PNR 10-digit number a very important aspect of your ticket. Let us see how your ticket\'s PNR number plays an important role in your train journey.

Importance of PNR Number

The uniquely generated 10-digit PNR number is extremely beneficial to train passengers from booking the ticket until the completion of the journey.

1. It contains necessary details about passengers like Name, Gender, Age.
2. It also contains travel itinerary information such as Train No, Date, Station From, Station Up To,
3. Boarding Station, Reservation Up to, Class, Birth, Quota.
4. Transaction/Payment Details (Transaction ID, Payment Mode, Ticket Charge)
5. It helps to know the current status of tickets, whether on the waitlist or RAC.
6. In case you lost your ticket, it helps to retrieve information.
7. It assists in knowing the seat number and the coach.
8. It is also required when booking food in train through e-catering apps.

Allotment of PNR Number

Personal Details of the passenger, like Name, Age, and travel details, are saved across that unique PNR 10-digit number allotted by the IRCTC to every passenger according to their journey. Passengers can book IRCTC train tickets from anywhere or through direct booking at the local train station, through a mobile application, website, etc. Once the payment is made, the passenger is allotted a ticket with a 10-digit unique number specifically authorized and allotted for him/her.

This 10-digit number only stays relevant until that particular train for which the passenger has booked the ticket for that particular date reaches the destination. Meaning – If you have booked a ticket for a train on a particular date, then once that train starts its journey and reaches the designated destination, then the ticket and the PNR status 10 digit number, in particular, are of no use.

Bifurcation of the IRCTC PNR 10-digit Number

To know about the complete bifurcation of the 10-digit unique number, we must understand what PRS is? This is because the first three digits of the PNR are called PRS – PASSENGER RESERVATION SYSTEM.

PRS: PASSENGER RESERVATION SYSTEM reveals the source station from where the IRCTC train ticket has been booked.

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

So, if you book a ticket from Secunderabad, your PNR 10-digit number starts from the number 1.

Now, let\'s take a look at the rest of the seven digits. There is not much to ponder over. CRIS – CENTRE FOR RAILWAY INFORMATION SYSTEMS that works under INDIAN RAILWAYS provides the rest of the seven digits uniquely for the passengers for that particular journey, for that particular date. Details of the passenger like Name, gender, age, to and fro station details, seat or berth allotted etc.; details will be saved in the IRCTC Database against those digits.

PNR Status Check

PNR is the only source that can confirm IRCTC train ticket status. Indian Railway has brought a system where passengers can make the PNR status check prior and ensure their ticket confirmation accordingly. You can use RailMitra, a PNR status checker app, to quickly, accurately, and conveniently retrieve the ticket status on your phone.

Also, the PNR Status Check helps to know the status of Railway tickets, which are \"CONFIRMED\"; \"WAITING LIST\"; or \"RAC.\"

1. RAC (Reservation against Cancellation): It is shown when no berth is individually allotted and two passengers are allotted with the same seat. The most preferred berth - Side Lower is for this RAC allotment by the Indian Railways. There two passengers share it by sitting in it.
   
   
2. WAITING LIST: If it is present in your IRCTC train ticket or on the screen while checking, it means there is no seat available, and no seat has been allotted to the passenger. If someone cancels their ticket, then the seat confirmation happens in the order of the number next to the waiting list [WL109 – 108 members are waiting before you].
   
   
3. CNF (Confirmed): Whenever we see this on our ticket, we feel a sense of relief, right? Yes! If you come across this, then be relieved you have your seat or berth confirmed.

All these factors make PNR status more powerful. INDIAN RAILWAYS being the largest and the most traveled by countless passengers on a daily basis, has given ample importance to the PNR 10-digit number, which plays its role rightfully on the IRCTC train ticket of the passengers. So, the PNR status check helps to be sure of the ticker confirmation, which promises you a peaceful journey through the INDIAN RAILWAYS.

PNR Confirmation Prediction, A Helpful Step

The digital era we all are living in has helped the IRCTC as well. New and revolutionizing technical advancements like machine learning, Artificial Intelligence etc., are taken up by the IRCTC. So by taking lots of parameters and predetermined settings into consideration, PNR Prediction takes place. By which every passenger can get the status of her/his ticket confirmation and accordingly can get the PNR 10-digit number which will be specifically allotted to her/him.

You can get waitlist PNR prediction of IRCTC train tickets on RailMitra using a PNR 10-digit number. RailMitra\'s PNR prediction status gives you 99% accurate results to estimate your ticket\'s confirmation probability. If your ticket is on the waitlist, you can trust this platform to plan your journey smartly.

Winding Up!

Now you must have understood the importance of PNR numbers for Railway passengers. So, whenever you book a ticket, pay special attention to the PNR. This is especially quite helpful in obtaining the accurate waitlist PNR prediction of train tickets. Do not forget to order delicious food in train from the e-catering partner, RailMItra, to satiate your appetite.