Operations Pnr Status And Waitlist
Railway GK – PNR Status & Waitlist
Category: Operations | For All RRB NTPC, Group-D, ALP, JE Exams
1. What is PNR?
- PNR = Passenger Name Record
- Length: 10-digit unique number
- Generated by: CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems)
- First digit: 1-9 (Zone where journey starts; 1=CR, 2=NCR, 3=NR, … 9=SCR)
- Last 9 digits: Randomized by PRS (Passenger Reservation System)
- Validity: Remains same throughout the journey, even after charting.
- QR code: Printed on top-right corner of ticket; encodes same 10-digit number.
2. Where is PNR Valid?
| System | PNR Valid? | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| PRS (reserved) | YES | Issued across 6000+ locations |
| UTS (unreserved) | NO | Uses ‘Journey ID’ (8-digit) |
| IRCTC e-ticket | YES | Same 10-digit number |
| ETicket on mobile | YES | Screen-shot acceptable by TTE |
| Vikalp / Alternative train | YES | Original PNR retained |
3. Information Stored in PNR (Exam Keywords)
- Passenger Details: Name, age, sex, berth preference
- Ticketing Details: Train no., date, class, boarding/destination, quota
- Payment: Fare, concession code, transaction ID
- Status History: Current status + all past predictions (GNWL, RLWL, PQWL, etc.)
- Charting Flag: Y / N (whether final chart prepared)
- SMS Flag: 139 / 139-RB / R-WEB (source of SMS)
4. Waitlist – Types & Priority Order
| Code | Full Form | Priority* | Typical Clearing Sequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNWL | General Quota Waitlist | 1 (Highest) | Cleared first after RAC |
| PQWL | Pooled Quota Waitlist | 2 | Cleared only for pooled portion |
| RLWL | Remote Location WL | 3 | Cleared at remote boarding point |
| TQWL | Tatkal Quota WL (old: CKWL) | 4 | Cleared only in Tatkal quota |
| RSWL | Road-side Station WL | 5 | Rare; cleared last |
*Priority = sequence in which CRS allots vacant berths automatically.
5. Important Numbers for Exam
- Maximum waitlist number printed: 420 per train per class (IR rule 2010)
- RAC limit: 120 per 3-tier sleeper coach (SL)
- RAC limit 2-tier (2A): 60
- RAC limit Chair-car (CC): 60
- Berth short-termination refund: 25 % of fare for untravelled portion (Min ₹100)
- Chart preparation time:
- 3-4 h before departure for trains departing 12-00 hrs to 23-00 hrs
- Previous night 20:00 hrs for trains departing 00-01 to 12-00 hrs
- PNR prediction accuracy (official): ~92 % (2019 CRIS white-paper)
- Average PNRs generated daily: 13-14 lakh (pre-covid)
- Data retention: 9 months in PRS; 1 year in COA (Coach On-board Attendance) tablet
6. Quick-Fire Tables
A. Berth Abbreviations Printed on Ticket
| Code | Meaning | Exam Tip |
|---|---|---|
| LB | Lower Berth | Senior citizen preference |
| MB | Middle Berth | Not allotted to >60 yr |
| UB | Upper Berth | |
| SL | Side Lower | |
| SU | Side Upper | |
| WS | Window Side | Chair-car |
B. Refund Rules (Waitlist)
| Scenario | Refund % | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| WL ticket unused | 100 % | Upto 30 min after dep. (paper) |
| e-ticket WL | Auto refund 3-7 days | No need to file TDR |
| RAC → partly WL | Fare for WL portion refunded | File TDR within 72 h |
7. Frequently Asked Theory Bits
Question:01 Which Indian Railway zone is associated with PNR numbers beginning with the digit 3?
A) Eastern Railway (ER)
B) Northern Railway (NR)
C) Southern Railway (SR)
D) Western Railway (WR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: PNR numbers starting with 3 are allotted to the Northern Railway (NR) zone.
Question:02 [Can a PQWL ticket be upgraded to GNWL?]
A) Yes, automatically after chart preparation.
B) Yes, by paying the difference in quota fare.
C) No; quotas are distinct and non-interchangeable.
D) Yes, if the passenger requests at the boarding station.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: PQWL (Pooled Quota Waiting List) and GNWL (General Waiting List) operate under separate quotas; hence, a PQWL ticket cannot be converted or upgraded to GNWL.
Question:03 What is the minimum waitlist number at which automatic refund is initiated for e-tickets?
A) WL 10
B) WL 20
C) WL 50
D) No such minimum; refund starts as soon as status remains WL after charting.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Indian Railways does not fix any minimum waitlist position. Once the final chart is prepared, if an e-ticket is still wholly wait-listed, the system automatically cancels it and processes a full refund to the passenger’s bank account.
Question:04 Who maintains the PNR database?
A) Indian Railways Headquarters
B) CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems)
C) IRCTC
D) RailTel Corporation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The PNR (Passenger Name Record) database is maintained by CRIS, the Centre for Railway Information Systems, which is the IT arm of Indian Railways.
Question:05 [Is PNR required for platform ticket checking?]
A) Yes, PNR is mandatory for all platform tickets.
B) Yes, but only during peak hours.
C) No, platform tickets are not PNR-based.
D) Only if the passenger also holds a reserved ticket.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Platform tickets are issued for accessing the platform only and are not linked to any Passenger Name Record (PNR) system.
8. 15 MCQs – PNR & Waitlist
Directions: Pick the most appropriate option.
-
PNR is a ______ digit number.
a) 8 b) 9 c) 10 d) 11
Ans: c -
First digit of PNR indicates ______.
a) Month of booking b) PRS zone c) Train type d) Quota
Ans: b -
Which waitlist has the highest priority for confirmation?
a) PQWL b) RLWL c) GNWL d) TQWL
Ans: c -
Tatkal waitlist is now officially coded as ______.
a) CKWL b) TQWL c) TKWL d) CTWL
Ans: b -
Maximum number of waitlist tickets sold per train per class is ______.
a) 200 b) 300 c) 420 d) 500
Ans: c -
Chart for a train leaving at 06:00 hrs is prepared at ______.
a) 02:00 hrs same day b) 20:00 hrs previous night c) 04:00 hrs same day d) 23:00 hrs previous night
Ans: b -
Which organisation generates PNR?
a) IRCTC b) CRIS c) RRB d) RBSS
Ans: b -
A ticket shows CNF/S4/45/SL – what does ‘SL’ denote?
a) Sleeper class b) Side Lower c) Seat List d) Standard Layout
Ans: b -
Refund of WL e-ticket after charting is credited within ______ days.
a) 1 b) 3-7 c) 10 d) 15
Ans: b -
PNR data is purged after ______ months.
a) 3 b) 6 c) 9 d) 12
Ans: c -
RAC limit for a 3-tier sleeper coach is ______.
a) 60 b) 90 c) 120 d) 150
Ans: c -
Which of the following does not have PNR?
a) UTS unreserved ticket b) Reserved ticket c) ETicket d) Vikalp ticket
Ans: a -
If the first digit is 9, the journey starts in ______ zone.
a) SCR b) SR c) CR d) NFR
Ans: a -
Minimum deduction for cancelling WL paper ticket after dep is ______.
a) ₹20 b) ₹60 clerkage c) ₹100 d) 25 % of fare
Ans: b -
PNR-based ‘Vikalp’ scheme was launched in ______.
a) 2015 b) 2016 c) 2017 d) 2018
Ans: a
9. One-Liner Revision Capsule
- 10-digit PNR, 1st digit = PRS zone, CRIS maintains, 9-month life.
- GNWL > RAC > PQWL > RLWL > TQWL > RSWL (priority).
- Chart 3-4 h before; night trains charted previous 20:00 hrs.
- WL e-ticket → auto refund; paper WL → cancel 30 min after dep max.
- Daily ~14 lakh PNRs; max 420 WL, 120 RAC in SL.
Memorise the numbers, codes & priority order – direct questions guaranteed!
BETA
