Question 1

How do I check my PNR status?

Accepted Answer

Enter your 10-digit PNR number in the PNR Status page and click "Check Status". You'll instantly see your booking details, seat allocation, and current status.

Question 2

What is a PNR number?

Accepted Answer

PNR stands for Passenger Name Record. It is a unique 10-digit number assigned to every railway booking made through IRCTC or railway counters. You can find it on your ticket or booking confirmation email/SMS.

Question 3

Is my PNR information secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We don't store any PNR information on our servers. All queries are processed in real-time and discarded immediately after displaying results. Your data is encrypted during transmission.

Question 4

Why is PNR status showing "Flushed"?

Accepted Answer

A "Flushed PNR" means the PNR record has been removed from the railway system. This typically happens after the journey date has passed or if the ticket was cancelled more than a few days ago.

Question 5

When is PNR checking unavailable?

Accepted Answer

Indian Railways performs daily maintenance between 11:50 PM and 12:15 AM IST. PNR status checking is unavailable during this window. Please try again after 12:15 AM.

Question 6

What do WL, RAC, and CNF mean in PNR status?

Accepted Answer

CNF (Confirmed) means your seat is confirmed. RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) means you'll get a shared berth. WL (Waitlist) means you're on the waiting list — your ticket may get confirmed if others cancel. RLWL, GNWL, and PQWL are different waitlist quotas.

Question 7

Can I check PNR status for old tickets?

Accepted Answer

PNR records are typically available in the system until a few days after the journey date. After that, the record is flushed and cannot be retrieved.

Question 8

How accurate is live train tracking?

Accepted Answer

Our live tracking is highly accurate and updates in real-time as trains pass through stations. Occasional minor delays in updates can happen depending on how quickly station-level data gets refreshed.

Question 9

Can I track any train in India?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can track any train that is currently running on the Indian Railways network. Enter the train number on the Live Train Status page to see its current position, delay status, and expected arrival times.

Question 10

Why does the train show as "Not Started" even though it should have departed?

Accepted Answer

This usually means the train hasn't been updated in the system yet. Railway staff update the status as the train departs from its origin station. If the train is significantly delayed at the source, the status may not appear immediately.

Question 11

What does "Diverted" mean in live status?

Accepted Answer

When a train is diverted, it takes an alternate route due to track maintenance, accidents, or other operational reasons. The station list may differ from the regular schedule during diversions.

Question 12

How often is the live tracking data refreshed?

Accepted Answer

Live tracking data is refreshed every time you check. We cache results for 5 minutes to reduce server load, but you can always get the latest update by refreshing after the cache expires.

Question 13

How do I find a train schedule?

Accepted Answer

Go to the Train Schedule page and enter the train number or name. You'll see the complete route with all stops, arrival/departure times, halt duration, and distance from the origin station.

Question 14

How do I find trains between two stations?

Accepted Answer

Use the Trains Between Stations feature. Enter your source and destination stations, and we'll show you all trains running on that route with timings, days of operation, and travel duration.

Question 15

What does "Running Days" mean?

Accepted Answer

Running days indicate which days of the week a train operates. Not all trains run daily — some run only on specific days. Check the running days before planning your journey to ensure the train operates on your travel date.

Question 16

Are train schedules always accurate?

Accepted Answer

We display the official schedule from Indian Railways. However, railways may occasionally change timings, add/remove stops, or cancel trains. Always verify with the latest running status before your journey.

Question 17

Can I book train tickets on Etrain?

Accepted Answer

No, Etrain is an information service only. We don't handle bookings or reservations. For booking tickets, please visit the official IRCTC website (irctc.co.in) or use the IRCTC Rail Connect app.

Question 18

How do I check seat availability?

Accepted Answer

Use our Seat Availability page to check available seats across different classes (SL, 3A, 2A, 1A) for any train on your preferred date. This helps you plan before heading to IRCTC for booking.

Question 19

What are the different train classes?

Accepted Answer

1A (First AC) — Private cabins with 2/4 berths. 2A (Second AC) — Curtained berths with AC. 3A (Third AC) — Open berths with AC. SL (Sleeper) — Non-AC berths. CC (Chair Car) — AC seating. 2S (Second Sitting) — Non-AC seating.

Question 20

What is Tatkal booking?

Accepted Answer

Tatkal is an emergency quota that opens one day before the journey date (10 AM for AC classes, 11 AM for non-AC). Tatkal tickets have higher charges and limited availability, so you need to book quickly.

Question 21

Is Etrain free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Etrain is completely free to use. We don't charge any fees for checking PNR status, live train tracking, train schedules, or any other information services.

Question 22

Does Etrain work on mobile phones?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Etrain is fully responsive and works on all devices — smartphones, tablets, and desktops. No app installation is needed; just open etrain.in in your mobile browser.

Question 23

Why is the website slow sometimes?

Accepted Answer

During peak hours (morning 8-10 AM and evening 5-8 PM), Indian Railways servers experience heavy traffic which can slow down data retrieval. We cache data locally to minimize this impact.

Question 24

Is Etrain affiliated with Indian Railways?

Accepted Answer

No, Etrain is an independent information platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Indian Railways, IRCTC, or any government body. We source data from publicly available railway information systems.

Question 25

How do I report an issue or give feedback?

Accepted Answer

You can reach us at support [at] etrain.in. We welcome bug reports, feature suggestions, and general feedback. We typically respond within 24 hours on business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

🎫 PNR Status

🚂 Live Train Tracking

📅 Train Schedule & Routes

💺 Seat Availability & Booking

🔧 General & Technical

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