Indian Railways has a long drawn history. Way back in 1853, the first train was flagged off from Mumbai. Its destination was Thane, just 34 km away. But fast forward to 2024, Indian Railways has 13,523 passenger trains with a total route network of 68,103 km. Technological advancements back this massive infrastructural development. For superior passenger convenience, IRCTC offers several travel-related services like online train booking service, PNR status check for railway ticket, the train live running status on map, ordering food on the train, etc.
From the first steam engine to today’s super-fast trains, Indian Railways has come a long way. Here is a list of trains that run under the flagship of the Indian Railways:
Metro Trains
This category of trains is for intra-city transport. They are equipped with the latest technologies and facilities and run seamlessly within the city. Major metro cities of India, like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata, have a well-developed metro train system. There is no booking of Metro Rail tickets. Tickets are to be purchased from ticket counters set up at Metro stations. Also, as these trains do not reserve a seat, the PNR status check for railway ticket is not possible. But Metro trains allow train live running status on map for easy train tracking.
Suburban Locals
These trains run only in a few big cities of India, like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. They are public transport mechanisms for local travel. These local trains do not allow seat reservations. Hence, one can not do a PNR status check for railway ticket. Depending upon the number of halt stations, they are divided into slow locals and fast locals.
Express And Super-Fast Trains
These trains run over long distances. The different carriages of the train are differently equipped. These are primarily sleeper classes with berth facilities to accommodate long-distance travel requirements. The passengers can book their tickets up to 120 days in advance. The ticket reservation system generates a unique 10-digit PNR number on each ticket. PNR status check for railway ticket facility is made available for non-reserved train tickets.
Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi Express Trains
These are high-speed trains run by the Indian Railway. They operate over moderate distances and, therefore, do not have sleeper coaches. While all the train coaches in a Shatabdi train are AC Chair Cars, the Jan Shatabdi trains have both AC and non-AC coaches. The ticket fares for different travel classes and trains are different. Seats are reserved, and a unique PNR number is issued for passenger records.
Garib Rath
These trains are relatively cheaper options than AC trains. As they have AC 3-tier coaches, the ticket price is relatively lower. The tickets can be booked online through the IRCTC website or any other partner website. Passengers can check their ticket reservation status by running a PNR status check for railway ticket. Also, travel facilities like the train live running status on map, ordering food on the train, etc., are available for passengers.
Rajdhani Express
These are fully air-conditioned trains that run between the capital cities of different states. These are high-priority trains and rarely witness any delays from their scheduled time. They have minimal halt stations en route. Seats are reserved on a first-come come first serve basis. A PNR status check provides seat reservation status.
Duronto Express
These are the latest trains that have been added by the Indian Railways. These trains are faster than the Rajdhani Express and connect major cities of India. They are equipped with the latest technologies and facilities. As they are super fast trains, the halt time at en-route stations is also restricted. While passengers can enjoy ordering food in the train facility, a train live running status on map before ordering the food helps track the exact location of the train to ensure efficient food delivery.
Conclusion
The evolution of Indian Railways has been remarkable. Depending upon the destination, there exists a range of trains to choose from. Thanks to technology, train travel is now more fulfilling and rewarding. Online travel-related services add to passenger convenience. While not all Indian Railways trains will need a PNR status check for railway ticket, they allow train live running status on map to get a live running status update.
FAQs
What is the CKWL status?
If you get a CKWL status while doing a PNR status check for railway ticket booked under Tatkal services, it means that your train ticket is unreserved. The chances of getting a confirmed ticket are low compared to GNWL tickets.
What is GNWL status?
If you get a GNWL status while doing a PNR status check for railway ticket, it indicates that the ticket is booked under the General Waiting List. The chances of ticket confirmation are high.
How to check the train live running status on the map?
To check the train’s live running status on the map, log in to the IRCTC website or use the tracking services of any IRCTC-approved travel partner website or mobile app. You will require the train number to search the real-time train live running status on the map.
Why am I not getting the information on the train running status?
The spot your train feature does not give accurate results if:
- The train number entered in the search is not valid.
- The train number entered does not run on the selected date
- Your mobile phone is in a low network coverage area with a network issue or congestion. Therefore, the information cannot be fetched from the Indian Railways system.
How do you order food on the train in Duronto Express?
The Duronto Express is a high-speed train. It does not have many scheduled stops. Therefore, quickly do a train live running status on the map. In case your next scheduled station is more than 50 minutes away, order food from your favourite restaurant and choose the next scheduled station as the food delivery point. In case you are approaching the next station within 50 minutes, choose the next scheduled station as the delivery point.