7 May 2026

How to read an IRCTC booking confirmation

You've booked a train on Indian Railways through IRCTC. The confirmation email has arrived. It is a wall of uppercase text, abbreviations you've never seen, and a table that seems to contain important information but doesn't explain what any of it means.

This is normal. IRCTC confirmations were not designed with international travellers in mind. Here is what everything actually means.

The PNR number

The PNR (Passenger Name Record) is your booking reference — a 10-digit number at the top of the confirmation. This is the number you give at the station if you need help, and the number you check on the IRCTC website or app to see your current booking status. Write it down separately. If you lose the email, the PNR gets you back in.

Booking status: CNF, WL, RAC

This is the field that causes the most confusion. Indian Railways operates a live waitlist system, and your booking status can change between the time you book and the time you travel. The three states you'll see:

CNF (Confirmed) — you have a confirmed seat or berth. Your coach and seat number will appear here, or will be assigned closer to departure. This is what you want.

RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) — you have a guaranteed place on the train but are sharing a berth with another RAC passenger. You will both get to travel; you will not both get a full berth to sleep on. RAC passengers are upgraded to full berths as CNF passengers cancel.

WL (Waitlist)— you are on the waitlist. A WL booking is not guaranteed travel. If enough cancellations don't happen before departure, you will not be allowed to board. Check your PNR status in the days before travel. If it hasn't moved to CNF or RAC by departure, you need a backup plan.

Train number and name

Indian trains have both a number (e.g. 12951) and a name (e.g. Mumbai Rajdhani Express). The number is what matters for schedules and platform information. The name is useful for conversation. The confirmation will show both. Note that some trains run on specific days only — check the departure date in your confirmation against the train's running days if you have any doubt.

Class codes

The class code tells you what kind of accommodation you booked. The main ones:

1A — First Class AC. Private lockable cabins, four berths. Most expensive.

2A — Second Class AC. Open bays of four berths, curtained. Very comfortable for long journeys.

3A — Third Class AC. Open bays of six berths. The most popular class for long-distance travel.

SL (Sleeper) — Non-AC sleeper. Open bays of six berths. Gets hot in summer. Cheap and very much alive.

CC — Chair Car. Seats only, no berths. Used on shorter day routes and Shatabdi Express trains.

Departure and arrival times

Times in the confirmation are shown in 24-hour format. The departure station code (e.g. NDLS for New Delhi, BCT for Mumbai Central) and arrival station code are listed alongside. If you don't recognise a station code, search it — some codes are non-obvious.

Be aware that Indian trains frequently run late. The departure time is the scheduled time, not a guarantee. Check the live running status on the day of travel via the IRCTC app or the National Train Enquiry System (NTES).

What you need to board

For most trains, you do not need to print your ticket. The ticket checker (TC) will check your PNR against your ID. Carry a government-issued photo ID — passport for foreign nationals — and have your PNR number ready. Some older routes and station staff may still ask for a printed copy; keeping a screenshot of the confirmation costs nothing.

Your coach and berth number appear on a printed list posted on the outside of each coach near the door. Arrive on the platform at least 20 minutes before departure to find your coach — long trains can stretch 600 metres.

Adding your IRCTC confirmation to a trip itinerary

Travel Sane reads IRCTC confirmation emails directly — paste the text, and it extracts the train, route, dates, times, and class into your trip timeline alongside your flights and hotels. No reformatting required.

See the demo →