Indian Railways FAQ
Quick answers to the questions Indian Railways travellers ask most often — from PNR lookups and Tatkal timings to waitlist confirmation, cancellations, refunds and live tracking.
PNR & Booking Status
How do I check my PNR status?
Enter your 10-digit PNR on the Ghumo PNR Status page for real-time booking status, current WL position, coach and berth allotment, with auto-refresh and change alerts.
How long is a PNR valid?
About 9 months after the journey. After that, the PNR is purged from the IRCTC system.
What does "Chart Prepared" mean?
It means Indian Railways has finalised the passenger list. WL e-tickets not confirmed by then are auto-cancelled. RAC and CNF tickets are valid for travel.
Why does PNR show "no match found"?
Either the PNR is older than 9 months, was cancelled, or hasn't been issued yet. Wait a minute and retry.
Tatkal Booking
What time does Tatkal open?
10:00 AM (AC) and 11:00 AM (Sleeper/Non-AC) IST, one day before journey. See the full Tatkal Booking Guide.
Why does Tatkal usually fail?
Heavy concurrent load on IRCTC at 10:00 AM. Use UPI, save passenger Master List in advance, and use the IRCTC mobile app for the best chance.
Is Tatkal refundable?
Confirmed Tatkal: non-refundable. WL/RAC Tatkal not confirmed: auto-refunded after chart prep.
What's the difference between Tatkal and Premium Tatkal?
Tatkal has fixed surcharge and may go to WL. Premium Tatkal uses dynamic pricing (1.5–3× more) but always confirms. PT is non-refundable.
Waitlist & Confirmation
Will my waitlist confirm?
GNWL 1–10 usually confirms (~85%). WL 30+ is risky. Try Ghumo Waitlist Prediction for AI-based odds.
What does GNWL/TQWL/PQWL/RLWL mean?
Different waitlist pools by station type. GNWL has the highest confirmation chance. See Waitlist Types Explained.
Can I travel on a confirmed RAC ticket?
Yes — RAC means guaranteed boarding with a shared sitting berth that often upgrades to a full berth after chart prep.
Train Search & Schedule
How do I find trains between two stations?
Enter source and destination on Ghumo, pick a date, and see all available trains with availability, fares and smart ranking.
Why does Ghumo show different trains than IRCTC sometimes?
Ghumo aggregates direct and via-route trains, applies smart ranking, and surfaces value picks. IRCTC may filter trains by quota availability — Ghumo shows the full list.
How accurate is Live Train Status?
Live status is sourced directly from Indian Railways' GPS-tracking system and refreshes every minute on Ghumo. Accuracy depends on Railways' data feed.
Live Chart & Vacant Seats
How do I check vacant berths after chart prep?
Open Live Chart on Ghumo, enter train number + boarding station, and you'll see coach-wise vacancy. Tap any coach for exact berth numbers and segments.
When is the chart prepared?
About 4 hours before departure for daytime trains. For early-morning trains, the chart is usually prepared the previous evening.
Can I board with a vacant berth from Live Chart?
No. The TTE allots vacant berths onboard — show them the chart info and request allocation. Pay the fare difference if upgrading class.
Cancellation & Refunds
What are the cancellation charges?
Flat ₹60–240 if cancelled >48h before. 25% of fare if 48–12h before. 50% if 12–4h before. Nil after 4h. See Refund Rules.
How long does refund take?
3–7 working days for normal cancellation. 60–90 days for TDR refunds.
What is TDR?
Ticket Deposit Receipt — filed online when normal cancellation isn't applicable (train cancelled, late >3h, AC failure, etc.).
Classes & Quotas
What is the cheapest AC class?
3AC Economy (3E). See full Class Guide.
Is the Senior Citizen concession back?
No. Discontinued in March 2020. Lower-berth preference still applies.
What is Ladies Quota?
6 lower berths per Sleeper coach reserved for women travelling alone or with kids ≤12. See Quotas Guide.
About Ghumo
Is Ghumo official?
Ghumo is an independent platform that aggregates Indian Railways and IRCTC data. Bookings happen on IRCTC. Ghumo is free, requires no login, and helps you compare trains, check availability, predict waitlists and track journeys.
Does Ghumo work offline?
Yes. Install Ghumo as a PWA and recently checked PNRs / searches are available offline.
How do I install Ghumo?
On Chrome/Edge mobile, tap Share → Add to Home Screen. On desktop, click the install icon in the address bar.