PNR Status Codes Explained (2026): CNF, RAC, WL, GNWL, PQWL & RLWL Meaning

Every Indian Railways ticket comes with a 10-digit PNR (Passenger Name Record) number, and that number is the key to one of the most confusing parts of train travel: the status code sitting next to it. Here's what each one actually means.

The status codes you'll actually see

• CNF — Confirmed. You have a specific coach and berth number. You're travelling.
• RAC — Reservation Against Cancellation. You're guaranteed a seat, sharing a side-lower berth with one other passenger, and can board the train as-is.
• WL — Waitlisted. You don't have a seat or berth yet. You're in a queue that moves as confirmed passengers cancel.
• CAN — Cancelled. The booking has been cancelled or modified and is no longer valid.

GNWL, PQWL, RLWL, TQWL — what's the difference

"Waitlisted" isn't one single queue — which waitlist you're on has a big effect on your odds of confirming.

• GNWL (General Waitlist) — for passengers boarding at or near the train's originating station, booked under the General (GN) quota. This pool usually has the most cancellations, so it generally confirms best.
• PQWL (Pooled Quota Waitlist) — for journeys between two intermediate stations sharing a pooled quota, separate from the general quota.
• RLWL (Remote Location Waitlist) — a quota reserved for a specific station along the route. It only moves when passengers booked under that same quota cancel, so it can be slower to clear than GNWL.
• TQWL (Tatkal Waitlist) — a waitlist within the Tatkal quota itself. Because the Tatkal quota is small and booked a day before travel, TQWL tickets have the lowest confirmation chances of the four.

There are a couple of rarer codes worth knowing too: RSWL (Roadside Waitlist, for tickets booked from the originating station to a smaller roadside stop) and RQWL (Request Waitlist, for journeys between two intermediate stations that don't fall under any quota). Both tend to confirm less often than GNWL — we cover them in more detail in our RSWL and GN quota guide.

How to check your PNR status

You can check it on the IRCTC website or app, by sending an SMS with "PNR" followed by your 10-digit number to 139, or by calling 139 and following the prompts. Most third-party train-status apps show the same data, often alongside a waitlist-confirmation estimate.

One important rule: once the chart is prepared — typically a few hours before departure — any ticket still showing WL is automatically cancelled and refunded (minus a small clerkage charge). A ticket that says CAN or is still WL after chart preparation means you cannot board that train. Our chart preparation guide walks through exactly when that happens for your train.