It is possible to check the booking of your Railway ticket, also known as IRCTC booking, by using the internet. There are several simple steps which are to be followed. This includes entering the ten digits PNR number or Passenger Name Record number and then selecting the button which says Get PNR status.
On the top left corner of the railway ticket, you can see a number. This is actually the PNR number. If the passenger wants to check the status of the reservation of his or her seat in the different zones, namely the Northern Railway, Central Railway and Southern Railway, it is possible to do that with the help of the interface.
Nowadays, there is not only one but many other ways to check the Passenger Name Record Number of a commuter. For example, these days, you can use SMS services on mobile to figure out the concerning status. Other ordinary and simple phone services can also provide you with the information you might be looking for. If you use the SMS service, the reply that you are going to get back is going to include the seat number along with other details of the reservation.
The SMS service at times does charge some amount of money. It is possible to book tickets much in advance, almost 90 days before the journey date. It is always advisable to do the same because you will quickly get a berth that will be confirmed.
The railway ticket printed for you will mention specific required details, which will include the berth and coach numbers also. If the situation is such that a confirmed berth cannot be given at that moment, the Indian Railways will assign you a ticket with RAC or WL status.
WL stands for Waiting List, while RAC stands for Reservation Against Cancellation. In RAC, the passenger does not have a reserved berth in the train but will be arranged a seat in the class that he or she chooses to be in. If a berth gets free and available because somebody cancelling their booking at the very last minute, the concerned passenger will be given a proper berth.
This happens only during the last few days before the journey date. On the other hand, WL stands for waiting list status, according to which people assigned this ticket do not have anything promised, neither a berth nor a ticket. These passengers are entertained only if many people who had been assigned RAC tickets choose to cancel their reservations. The number of WL tickets given out is determined by officials of the Indian Railways.
