Indian Railways carries millions of passengers every day. Furthermore many people book tickets for their journeys. Due to the high demand and limited availability of seats, train booking statuses often appear such as WL, RAC, RLWL and CNF.
Passengers become confused and cannot understand their connection to ticket booking. If this question bothers you while booking tickets this blog will answer all your questions.
Read here- Booking Your Train Ticket Online? Here’s what you should know
PNR Status Meaning in IRCTC
Whenever passengers book tickets for railway travel through any other platform or IRCTC a PNR number (Passenger Name Record) is generated on the ticket. This number allows you to check the status of your ticket. The PNR number can be used to determine whether the seat is confirmed, partially confirmed or waiting.
CNF Meaning in Tickets
CNF stands for Confirmed Ticket. This means that you are guaranteed a berth on your ticket.
- After booking a railway ticket, if CNF is written on your ticket your seat is confirmed. Furthermore your confirmed berth has been allotted.
- Sometimes your ticket is confirmed and CNF is written on it. But your berth number is not mentioned. In this case your berth is allotted after the chart is prepared before the journey begins.
Also Know- How to Download Train Ticket with PNR Number
RAC Meaning in Tickets
RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) means that half of your seat is confirmed not the entire one.
- In this case you will have to share the seat with another passenger. This means that two passengers can sit on one berth.
- If a passenger cancels their ticket during the journey a RAC ticket is often converted to CNF. However a passenger will only receive a full berth to sleep once the waiting list is cleared.
WL Meaning in Railway Ticket
- WL stands for Waiting List. It means that your seat has not yet been confirmed.
- If a seat becomes vacant or someone cancels their ticket before the chart is prepared WL is converted to RAC or CNF.
- If your e-ticket remains WL until the chart is prepared it is automatically cancelled and a refund is received.
RLWL Meaning in Railway Reservation
- RLWL stands for Remote Location Waiting List. This means that the station from which you booked your ticket has a special quota waiting list.
- RLWL is different from WL in general and the chances of seat confirmation are slightly lower.
- Tickets are confirmed only when a ticket associated with your boarding station is cancelled.
Difference between CNF vs RAC vs WL vs RLWL
| Status | Meaning | Travel Permission |
|---|---|---|
| CNF | Ticket is fully confirmed with coach & seat number. | ✅ Allowed (confirmed seat) |
| RAC | Half seat confirmed; passenger can board. Can be upgraded to CNF if others cancel. | ✅ Allowed (shared berth) |
| WL | Ticket not confirmed, only on waiting. Confirmation depends on cancellations. | ❌ Not Allowed |
| RLWL | Waiting list from smaller stations; weaker than WL. Very low chance of confirmation. | ❌ Not Allowed |
How Does Ticket Confirmation Work in Indian Railways?
- If a passenger traveling on a train cancels their ticket it is first converted from WL to RAC. Then if any more seats are available RAC will convert the passenger to a CNF ticket and confirm it.
- RLWL tickets are confirmed only when the quota seats associated with your selected station are cancelled.
Important Rules for Railway Ticket Status
- If WL and RLWL are shown on the ticket you cannot travel on the train.
- You can travel on a RAC ticket but you will get half the seating capacity.
- The ticket is confirmed when CNF is displayed.
- The PNR status changes frequently so keep checking it until the chart is prepared.
- The train chart is prepared 4 hours before the train’s departure time.
Tips for Passengers While Booking Tickets
- To make your ticket CNF book your ticket as early as possible.
- You can also choose the Tatkal ticket booking option for train travel. This allows for last minute confirmation.
- Keep checking your PNR status frequently.
When booking railway tickets passengers often get confused about what CNF, RAC, WL and RLWL mean and what they mean by ticket confirmation. It’s important for people to know about this as it will make your journey more comfortable.
Also Know- IRCTC Tatkal Automation Tool & IRCTC Extension for Tatkal Ticket Booking
CNF tickets are fully confirmed while RAC tickets are only half confirmed. This means travel is possible but seat sharing is required whereas travel on WL and RLWL tickets is not allowed.
