Your 10-digit PNR shows one status per passenger. CNF means a confirmed berth. RAC means you can travel on a shared seat until a berth frees up. WL followed by a number means you are waitlisted and cannot board an e-ticket unless it clears. CAN means cancelled. The status can change up until the chart is prepared, after which it is final — “Chart Prepared” is the moment to trust the number.
What a PNR is
The Passenger Name Record is the ten-digit number that identifies one booking — up to six passengers on one ticket, one train, one date. Everything the railway knows about that booking, including the current status of each passenger, is looked up by it. It is printed at the top of the e-ticket and in the confirmation SMS.
You check it on the official enquiry page at indianrail.gov.in, in the IRCTC app under “My Bookings”, or by SMS. Third-party apps read the same record, usually a few minutes behind.
Every status, and what it means for you
| Status | Meaning | Can you travel? |
|---|---|---|
| CNF | Confirmed. A coach and berth are allotted (e.g. B2 / 34 / LB). | Yes. |
| RAC 7 | Reservation Against Cancellation, position 7. A shared seat now, a full berth if one frees up. See RAC explained. | Yes. |
| GNWL 45 / WL 12 | Waitlisted. Booked at position 45 in the general waitlist; now at 12. The prefix names the pool — see GNWL, RLWL, PQWL, TQWL. | Not on an e-ticket, unless it clears. |
| CAN / MOD | Cancelled, or modified (for example the boarding point was changed). | CAN: no. MOD: check the new details. |
| NOSB | No Seat Berth — a child under five travelling free, no berth allotted. | Yes, with the accompanying adult. |
| REGRET / WL not available | The waitlist itself is closed for that quota; no more bookings accepted. | No booking was made. |
| RLWL / PQWL / TQWL … | Waitlisted in a smaller pool. Same reading as GNWL, worse odds. | Not on an e-ticket, unless it clears. |
“Chart not prepared” vs “Chart prepared”
Under the passenger statuses you will see one of these two lines, and it changes how to read everything above it.
- Chart not prepared: the statuses are live and can still improve. Cancellations move waitlists up; RAC becomes CNF.
- Chart prepared: the first chart has been made — now about eight hours before departure. Confirmed and RAC passengers have final coach and berth numbers. Fully waitlisted e-tickets have been cancelled and refunded. A second, final chart about 30 minutes before departure can still upgrade RAC passengers, but nothing else moves. See chart preparation time.
Reading the berth: B2 / 34 / LB
Coach B2, berth 34, lower berth. Coach letters are: S for Sleeper, B for AC 3-tier, M for AC 3 Economy, A for AC 2-tier, H for First AC, C for Chair Car, E for Executive, D for Second Sitting. Berth codes are LB (lower), MB (middle), UB (upper), SL (side lower), SU (side upper), and SM (side middle, Garib Rath only). The class codes themselves are explained in train classes.
Questions people ask
Where do I check PNR status officially?
On the Indian Railways PNR enquiry page (indianrail.gov.in) or the IRCTC app, using the 10-digit PNR printed on the ticket. Third-party apps show the same status a little later.
What does “WL 12/WL 3” on a PNR mean?
The first number is the waitlist position when you booked, the second is your position now. WL 12/WL 3 means nine people ahead of you have cancelled since booking.
What does NOSB mean?
No Seat Berth — a child under five travelling free without a berth. It is a normal status, not a problem with the ticket.
Rules quoted here are Indian Railways’ published rules as we understand them on the date above. They change; the official channel’s page at the time you book is what governs. YaatriGan is independent and is not affiliated with Indian Railways or IRCTC.