PNR gives the status of your booking. It tells you whether you have a confirmed berth under your name or not.
a) Confirmed booking or CNF
When you book a ticket and your berth and seats are automatically confirmed, the same is updated on your railway ticket. This is known as a confirmed booking.
b) Waiting list or WL
This status on PNR implies that no seats or berth compartment is confirmed under your name and the ticket stands under waiting list. A passenger will not be able to board the train with status WL. His/her PNR needs to get confirmed. This happens when the persons who have got their tickets allotted cancels at the last minute and you happen to be the next person waiting in the queue.
Sometimes during peak festival days when trains are jam packed you may get a PNR status as WL 250 where you stand no chance of getting your ticket confirmed. 250 people are already waiting before you to get their tickets confirmed, how can you get yours confirmed?
c) Reservation Against Cancellation or RAC
This is the best option provided to you by Indian railways. You can still board the train with RAC status provided you are in a position to share the berth with someone. If the allotted berth is cancelled by the original ticket holder you can further get those berths allotted to your name.
Guidelines on checking PNR status mobile
- Dial 139 to know your PNR status. You need to send your PNR in the following format PNR followed by the ten digit number. Say for example PNR1234567890. The number should be without any spaces to 139. The railway enquiry team will look into this and answer your queries. SMS charges of Rs3/ enquiry will be applicable. The service charges vary from one service provider to another.
- Google has introduced a special scheme to check PNR status. You can send your PNR number to 9773300000. This may not be as expensive as 139 service. If you have a discounted railway plan fitted on your mobile phone then normal SMS rates apply for every PNR enquiry.
- Smart phones come with internet plan. Else if you are carrying a lap-top with you even the better. You can open the railway enquiry site and keep checking your PNR status on a periodic basis. You don’t have you to worry on SMS charges. And the top up value on your pre-paid phone can be used to make other important phone calls to family members or friends.
Here you have a complete take on how to assess statuses on your PNR as well as ways and means of having them checked on your mobile phone.